Are three scoops of water sufficient for the water to reach the skin of the head?
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The questioner : There is a hadith from some of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that she used to tie her hair... Are these scoops sufficient?
The Shaykh : The water must reach the roots of the hair, and this can be achieved by rubbing the hair until the water reaches them. As for the claim that it is obligatory to untie the hair for the ghusl of menstruation but not for the ghusl of major ritual impurity, as is the well-known position in the school of thought, and the reasoning that obligating the untying for the ghusl of major ritual impurity involves hardship, the correct view is that it is not obligatory to untie the hair, neither for the ghusl of major ritual impurity nor for the ghusl of menstruation.
The questioner : How do we reconcile this hadith?
The Shaykh : Which hadith?
The questioner : The hadith of Umm Salama.
The Shaykh : This is necessary. We interpret it in a way that does not involve ambiguity. We have already given you the benefit of an important rule: when clear hadiths are accompanied by ambiguous hadiths, the ambiguous hadiths are interpreted in light of the clear ones, and the same applies to the Qur'an.
The questioner : Which hadith is interpreted in light of it?
The Shaykh : The hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to part his hair, and also the hadiths in the Sunan that there is major ritual impurity under every hair.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Is it obligatory? No, it is a recommended practice. We said that it is a recommended practice.
The Shaykh : The water must reach the roots of the hair, and this can be achieved by rubbing the hair until the water reaches them. As for the claim that it is obligatory to untie the hair for the ghusl of menstruation but not for the ghusl of major ritual impurity, as is the well-known position in the school of thought, and the reasoning that obligating the untying for the ghusl of major ritual impurity involves hardship, the correct view is that it is not obligatory to untie the hair, neither for the ghusl of major ritual impurity nor for the ghusl of menstruation.
The questioner : How do we reconcile this hadith?
The Shaykh : Which hadith?
The questioner : The hadith of Umm Salama.
The Shaykh : This is necessary. We interpret it in a way that does not involve ambiguity. We have already given you the benefit of an important rule: when clear hadiths are accompanied by ambiguous hadiths, the ambiguous hadiths are interpreted in light of the clear ones, and the same applies to the Qur'an.
The questioner : Which hadith is interpreted in light of it?
The Shaykh : The hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to part his hair, and also the hadiths in the Sunan that there is major ritual impurity under every hair.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Is it obligatory? No, it is a recommended practice. We said that it is a recommended practice.