🕌 Worship in the home · #29
When taking the obligatory bath, must a woman undo her braids or bun?
It is not obligatory to undo them if water can reach the scalp and the roots of the hair; what is obligatory is spreading water over all the skin and hair.
Umm Salama r.a. asked the Prophet ﷺ whether she had to undo her braids for the bath after janabah, and he replied: no, it is enough to pour water over your head three times and then pour water over your whole body (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Haid). But if the braid is so tight that water does not reach the scalp, it must be loosened. Other things that block water, such as glue, wax or some hair products, must be removed. The sunnah method is to wash the hands, clean the private parts, perform wudu, then pour water over the head and the whole body starting with the right side (Sahih al-Bukhari 248). The intention for the obligatory bath must be made at the start. See Wudu & the obligatory bath.
Umm Salama r.a. asked the Prophet ﷺ whether she had to undo her braids for the bath after janabah, and he replied: no, it is enough to pour water over your head three times and then pour water over your whole body (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Haid). But if the braid is so tight that water does not reach the scalp, it must be loosened. Other things that block water, such as glue, wax or some hair products, must be removed. The sunnah method is to wash the hands, clean the private parts, perform wudu, then pour water over the head and the whole body starting with the right side (Sahih al-Bukhari 248). The intention for the obligatory bath must be made at the start. See Wudu & the obligatory bath.
Sources
Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-HaidSahih al-Bukhari 248Surah al-Ma'idah 5:6