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Is Ghusl Required If Semen Is Emitted without Desire?

13-03-2024

Question 47693

I suffer from a lot of discharge, and most of what is discharged is semen (fluid usually emitted at the point of climax) which may or may not be accompanied by feelings of desire, but semen is discharged several times a day, and I do Ghusl each time.

 Similarly, if I am not sure whether or not it is semen, I do Ghusl. I may end up doing Ghusl six times in one day, which makes me unable to pray on time.

Summary of answer:

The most correct view is that if semen is discharged without desire, Ghusl is not required but you have to do Wudu. If the discharge of semen is accompanied by feelings of desire, Ghusl is required according to scholarly consensus.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Please note that if the discharge of semen is accompanied by feelings of desire, Ghusl is required according to scholarly consensus. (See Al-Majmu`, 2/111; Al-Mughni, 1/266)

With regard to semen being discharged without desire, the scholars differed concerning that. The most correct view is that if it is emitted without desire, Ghusl is not required but you have to do Wudu. 

The evidence for that is the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to `Ali ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him): “If water gushes forth then Ghusl is required.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud, 206; classed as authentic by Al-Albani in Al-Irwa’, 125. See also Ash-Sharh Al-Mumti’, 1/278) “Gushes forth” means that it comes out forcefully, with feelings of desire. 

One has to distinguish between the kinds of discharge that come out; not every discharge that comes out of the private part is semen for which Ghusl is required . There is Wadiy (a fluid emitted after urination), semen (fluid emitted at the point of climax) and various discharges experienced by women. 

You have to know the difference between these and be able to distinguish between them. Madhiy and Wadiy do not necessitate Ghusl, rather what is required is to wash the private parts with water and do Wudu. 

It is proven that `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I was a man who used to emit a great deal of Madhiy, so I told Al-Miqdad ibn Al-Aswad to ask the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about that. He asked him and he said: `Wudu is required for that.’” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 132; Muslim, 303) 

These discharges are not impure, but they break Wudu

If the emission of semen is accompanied by feelings of desire , then Ghusl is required. If it is not accompanied by feelings of desire then Ghusl is not required. 

Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“The difference between semen and Madhiy is that semen is thick and has a smell, and it comes out in gushes when desire intensifies. Madhiy is a thin liquid that has no smell, and it does not gush out or come out when desire intensifies, rather it comes when desire has calmed down. 

Wadiy is a liquid that comes out after urinating, a few white drops that appear at the end of urination.

This is a description of these three things. 

With regard to the rulings on them, Wadiy is subject to the same rulings as urine, in all aspects. 

Madhiy is somewhat different to urine with regard to purification, because it is less impure, so it is sufficient to sprinkle water on it. So one should put water on the area (of the clothes) affected, without squeezing it or rubbing it. Similarly a man should wash his entire penis and testicles even if no Madhiy got on them. 

Semen is pure and there is no need to wash what it gets onto, unless that is to remove any marks or traces, but it necessitates Ghusl . Madhiy, Wadiy and urine, on the other hand, necessitate Wudu.” (Majmu` Fatawa Ibn `Uthyamin, 11/169) 

It seems that your situation is that of a person who is sick, so you should refer to a doctor or specialist. We ask Allah to grant you a way out from every difficulty, for He is All-Hearing, Ever Responsive. 

And Allah knows best.

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