ONE HADITH A DAY
Narrated by Muslim · Authentic hadith
عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه : أن أم سُلَيم حدَّثَت أنَّها سألت نَبِي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن المرأة تَرى في مَنَامِها ما يَرى الرَّجل، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «إذا رَأَت ذلك المرأة فَلْتَغْتَسِل» فقالت أم سُلَيْم: واسْتَحْيَيْتُ من ذلك، قالت: وهل يَكون هذا؟ فقال نَبِي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : «نعم، فمِن أين يَكُون الشَّبَه؟ إنَّ ماء الرَّجُل غَليِظ أبْيَض، وماء المرأة رقِيق أصْفَر، فَمِنْ أَيِّهِمَا عَلَا، أو سَبَقَ، يَكُونُ مِنْه الشَّبَهُ».
“Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Umm Sulaym said that she asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about a woman who sees in a dream what a man sees (a wet dream). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "If the woman sees that, she must take a ritual bath." Umm Sulaym said: "I was bashful on account of that and said: 'Does that happen?'" Upon this, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes (it does happen), otherwise where does resemblance come from? Man's discharge (i. e. semen) is thick and white, and the discharge (vaginal fluid) of a woman is thin and yellow, and the resemblance (of the child) comes from the one that dominates or precedes."”
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informs us about his mother, Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her) that she asked the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) about a woman who sees what a man sees while dreaming; meaning: a wet dream. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "If the woman sees that, she must take a ritual bath;" meaning: if a woman has a wet dream in her sleep, then she must take a bath. What is meant here is if she sees the vaginal fluid, as mentioned in Al-Bukhāri: "He said: 'Yes, if she sees the vaginal fluid;'" meaning: seeing it after waking up. However, if she has a wet dream but does not see any vaginal fluid, then she will not have to take a bath, because the ruling of making ritual bath is conditional upon the discharge of the vaginal fluid. Hence, when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about a man who finds himself wet and does not recall having a wet dream, he said: "Let him make ritual bath." Regarding the man who recalls having a wet dream but does not find semen, he said: "He does not have to take a ritual bath." So Umm Sulaym said: "If a woman sees that, does she have to bathe?" He replied: "Yes, women are peers to men." [Ahmad and Abu Dawūd] When Umm Sulaym heard the response from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) she was bashful and asked: "Does that happen?" Meaning: is it possible that a woman has a wet dream and that she wets herself like a man does? The Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upo…