2/32. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 288a — Semen on Clothes
The ruling on semen
Hadith About Semen on Clothes and Prayer
Sahih Muslim : 288a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 288a
وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْشَرٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، وَالأَسْوَدِ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، نَزَلَ بِعَائِشَةَ فَأَصْبَحَ يَغْسِلُ ثَوْبَهُ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ إِنَّمَا كَانَ يُجْزِئُكَ إِنْ رَأَيْتَهُ أَنْ تَغْسِلَ مَكَانَهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَرَ نَضَحْتَ حَوْلَهُ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنِي أَفْرُكُهُ مِنْ ثَوْبِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَرْكًا فَيُصَلِّي فِيهِ .
Alqama and Aswad Narrated from:
A person stayed in the house of A'isha and in the morning began to wash his garment. A'isha said: In case you saw it (i. e. drop of semen), it would have served the purpose (of purifying the garment) if you had simply washed that spot; and in case you did not see it, it would have been enough to sprinkle water around it, for when I saw that on the garment of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I simply scraped it off and he offered prayer, while putting that on.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 288aIn-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 134USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 2, Hadith 566
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 288a
This hadith about semen on clothes gives a practical answer to a real cleaning concern. A man staying with A’isha began washing his garment in the morning. A’isha explained that if he saw the spot, washing that place would be enough. If he did not see it, sprinkling water around it would be enough. She then shared what she had seen herself: she used to scrape it from the garment of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم), and he prayed while wearing that garment. The main point is about purifying clothes in Islam with care, without making the matter harder than the text makes it.
What we learn from this hadith
- A visible spot should be washed according to the wording of A’isha.
- If the spot is not seen, sprinkling around it was mentioned.
- A’isha scraped it from the Prophet’s garment.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayed in that garment after it was cleaned.
