Abu Bakr (ibn al-Mundhir) said:

• One. When you wish to bathe then conceal yourself from public view. Maymoonah (RA) said, "I concealed the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) while he was bathing from major impurity." {29}
• Two. Take the container of water and pour water over your right hand and wash it. Then pour water over your private parts and wash them with your left hand.
• Three. Strike the earth with your left hand and then wash it. {30}
• Four. Then perform ritual ablution as you would for the prayer.
• Five. Then immerse your fingers in the water and pass them through your hair until it is wet to the roots.
• Six. Then pour water over your head three times making sure it passes over all of your body.
• Seven. It is sufficient for the one who has a lot of hair to make sure that all of his hair is wet to its roots.
• Eight. While washing, the water should be poured over the right side before the left.
• Nine. The woman washes in the same way as the man.
• Ten. The menstruating woman [after her menses] washes in the same way as the one who has major impurity with the exception that she perfumes herself with [light smelling] musk by rubbing it over the place that had been soiled with blood in compliance with the Sunnah. {31}

NOTES

{28} Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 1/166 no. 272], Muslim [Eng. Trans.], Abu Daawood [Eng. Trans.], at-Tirmidhee [no. 104], an-Nasaa`ee [1/134], al-Bayhaqee [1/173], ibn Khuzaymah [no. 242], ibn Hibbaan [no. 1183], Ahmad [6/56, 101], Abu Awaanah [1/296], Maalik [Eng. Trans.], Abdur-Razzaaq [1/260], ibn Abee Shaybah [1/63] and ibn al-Jaarood [no. 99]
{29} Muslim [Eng. Trans.], an-Nasaa`ee [1/200] and al-Bayhaqee [1/197].
{30} Due to the hadeeth reported in Saheeh Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 1/161 no. 260] from Maymoonah (RA) that "the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) took a bath from major impurity. He first cleaned his private parts with his hand and then rubbed his hand on the wall (earth) before washing it. Then he performed ritual ablution like that for the prayer and after the bath he washed his feet."
- {Trans.}
{31} Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 1/186 no. 311], Muslim [Eng., Trans.], Abu Daawood [Eng. Trans.], an-Nasaa`ee [1/135], ibn Maajah [1/210] and others from Aa`ishah (RA) with the wording "a woman asked the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) about the bath which is taken after completion of the menses. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) told her what to do and said, 'purify yourself with a piece of cloth scented with musk.' The woman asked, 'how should I purify myself?' He said, 'Glory by to Allaah! Purify yourself with it.' I pulled her to myself and said, 'rub the place soiled with blood with it.'"

CHAPTER TWELVE : Mention of Purifying the Clothes and Bodies

13. Muhammad bin Abdullaah narrated to us; Ibn Wahb narrated to us; Yahya bin Abdullaah bin Saalim, Maalik bin Anas and `Amr bin al-Haarith informed me; from Hishaam bin `Urwah; from Faatimah bin al-Mundhir; from Asmaa bint Abu Bakr that she said: