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Fatwa CenterShaving Pubic Hair Has Nothing to Do with Ghusl
Question
I always experience ill thoughts, and when I think about masturbating, I ward off these thoughts and perform ghusl (i.e. ritual bath) for janabah (i.e. state major ritual impurity). Is this the right thing to do given that no pre-ejaculatory fluid was discharged? Do I need to shave my pubic hair when performing ghusl? When I finish the ghusl, I might find some unshaved pubic hair and feel that my ghusl was invalid, so I perform ghusl again and shave with firmer strokes and end up with some cuts. Note that I am always haunted with ill thoughts.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
These ill thoughts are from Satan, who devises evil plots in his attempt to spoil the worship of the believer and confuse him. A man came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have thoughts of such (an ill) nature that I would rather fall from the sky than speak about them.” He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, “Allah is Great! Allah is Great! Allah is Great! Praise be to Allah, Who reduced the guile of Satan to the mere prompting of evil.” [Ahmad]
You should turn to Allah, the Exalted, seeking His help and aid and rely on Him so that He will not allow Satan to have power or control over you. Allah, the Exalted, says (what means): {Indeed, there is for him no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord.} [Quran 16:99]
As for thinking about masturbating, you should ward off these thoughts because masturbation is impermissible in Islam, and the masturbator is regarded as a transgressor. Allah, the Exalted, says (what means): {But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors.} [Quran 23:7]
However, it is not incumbent upon you to perform ghusl for janabah just because you thought about masturbating as long as no semen was discharged. Moreover, shaving your pubic hair has nothing to do with performing ghusl and is not obligatory at the time of ghusl. All of what you are currently doing regarding ghusl and shaving your pubic hair is neither necessary nor obligatory upon you; these are merely ill thoughts. Therefore, you should remember Allah, the Exalted, and frequently supplicate and implore Him, especially at times when supplications are most likely accepted. You should preoccupy yourself with doing what benefits you in the life of this world and the Hereafter. You should be heedful of any spare time because it calls for ill thoughts and helps Satan haunt you with his whisperings. We ask Allah, the Exalted, to safeguard you from them.
Allah knows best.
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