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How can one distinguish between mani (spermatic fluid) and madhi (pre-seminal fluid)? Does mani exit due to lustful thoughts? What is the ruling on the fluid that exits after waking up or due to thinking, and changes color upon examination? What is the ruling on mani that exited by hand due to a slip from Satan?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Semen is discharged with or without desire. However, its discharge without desire does not necessitate ghusl according to the majority of scholars, in contrast to the Shafi'is. The difference between semen (mani) and prostatic fluid (madhy) regarding desire is that semen is discharged with pleasure, whereas prostatic fluid is discharged when desire occurs but without pleasure. If wetness is found upon waking and it is unclear whether it is semen or prostatic fluid, it is considered semen and necessitates ghusl according to the Hanbalis and Malikis, and this is the more cautious approach. The thick, white fluid discharged due to thinking is considered semen necessitating ghusl. Also, whatever is found after sleep, characterized by thickness and a foul odor, is also considered semen.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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