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Is ghusl required after intercourse if there was no ejaculation of semen?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Scholars have agreed upon the obligation of ghusl (ritual bath) after intercourse, even if no semen is discharged. So, if a man has intercourse with his wife, ghusl becomes obligatory upon both of them. This is what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, stipulated: "When he sits between her four parts and exerts himself upon her, ghusl becomes obligatory upon him." (Narrated by Bukhari), and Muslim added: "Even if he does not ejaculate." The meaning of the hadith is that the obligation of ghusl does not depend on the discharge of semen; rather, whenever the glans disappears into the vagina, ghusl becomes obligatory upon both the man and the woman. This is the consensus today. Among the other things that necessitate ghusl are: the emission of semen during sleep, the discharge of semen while awake with pleasure, even without intercourse, and a woman's menstruation and postpartum bleeding (nifas).

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

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