No need to wash inside of vagina in istinjaa'

28-12-2017 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum. Thank you for your previous answer, but I want this part to be answered. "When I go out and use a public toilet, I only use water to wash and rub my private parts gently. I do not go to the inner part which is usually visible when I squat. However, squatting to clean the private part in public is difficult for me. So I estimate the place where impurities would mostly come out while not making sure that everything is clean." So do I have to clean that inner part where menstruation is checked (not inside of the - excuse me - vagina)? Or is it enough for me to wash the outer part? Thank you for your patience in answering my questions.

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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 is His slave and Messenger.

It is obligatory for a woman to wash the outer part of her vagina without the inner part when performing Istinjaa’ (cleaning oneself with water after answering the call of nature).

Istinjaa’ is achieved by thinking that you have most likely washed the place. Therefore, you have to pour water on the entire part (i.e. the outside part) until you feel that you have most likely cleaned it from impurity. Whichever way this is achieved is sufficient for you, but it is not sufficient to leave any part of the outer part of the vagina (that is stained with impurity) without washing it.

Allah knows best.