Understanding Ritual Bath Practices in Islam: Clarifying Myths and Traditions

Ritual Baths in Islam: What You Need to Know About Menstruation and Postpartum Practices

Question: When a girl reaches puberty, she is given a ritual bath (ghusl) on the 7th, 9th, and 11th days of her menstruation. Similarly, during postpartum bleeding (nifas), she is given a bath on the 9th, 11th, and 21st days. If a girl is born, the mother is given a bath on the 35th day, and if a boy is born, on the 40th day. Is this practice correct?

Answer: In Islam, there is no specific ritual bath for reaching puberty, neither for boys nor for girls. A bath (ghusl) is required only when a person experiences a major ritual impurity (janabah or menstruation/postpartum bleeding). When a girl starts menstruating, it is a sign of her puberty, but she should perform the ritual bath only when she becomes pure from menstruation, just like any other woman who menstruates. There is no specific ritual bath for puberty or for a girl who has just reached puberty. The practice of giving a bath on the 7th, 9th, and 11th days of menstruation is a cultural tradition and has no basis in Islam. Similarly, in the case of postpartum bleeding, a woman should perform the ritual bath when she becomes pure from nifas. The practice mentioned in the question of giving a bath on the 9th, 11th, or 21st day, or on the 35th day if a girl is born, and on the 40th day if a boy is born, is also a cultural tradition and has no basis in Islam. We should only follow what is proven from the Quran and Sunnah.

 Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi, Jeddah Dawah Center, Hayy Al-Salamah, Saudi Arabia