1/124. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 641 — Ghusl After Menstruation
How a menstruating woman should bathe
Ghusl After Menstruation: Undoing Braids and Bathing
Sunan Ibn Majah : 641
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 641
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ لَهَا وَكَانَتْ حَائِضًا " انْقُضِي شَعْرَكِ وَاغْتَسِلِي " . قَالَ عَلِيٌّ فِي حَدِيثِهِ " انَقُضِي رَأْسَكِ " .
A'isha Narrated from:
The Prophet said to her, when she was menstruating: "Undo your braids and bathe." (Sahih) (A narrator) 'Ali said in his narration: "Undo your head."
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 641In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 375English translation : Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 641
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 641
This hadith about ghusl after menstruation is short, but its message is clear. Aishah was menstruating, and the Prophet told her, “Undo your braids and bathe.” The main focus is the bath connected to purity after menses. The wording does not give a long list of steps, so the explanation should stay simple: the instruction points to taking the bath seriously and not treating it as a light rinse. The mention of undoing braided hair shows attention to the hair during this bath. For anyone searching for hadith about menstrual ghusl, this narration gives a direct prophetic instruction in plain words.
What we learn from this hadith
- Menstrual ghusl is treated as an important act of purification.
- The Prophet’s instruction was practical and easy to understand.
- Hair care is mentioned directly in this narration through undoing the braids.
- The text teaches careful bathing without adding extra details beyond the report.
