Salaam: The Three Kinds of Vaginal Discharge a Woman May Notice

Assalamu Alaikum - a simple explanation about the types of discharge women may experience, shared here so sisters can know what to do in daily worship. By Asma bint Shameem 1) If the discharge happens together with sexual climax - during lawful intimacy with your husband, from touching that leads to orgasm, or from a wet dream - this is maniy (ejaculatory fluid). It necessitates ghusl (a full ritual bath) before performing prayer or other acts that require ritual purity. 2) If the discharge comes with sexual arousal or foreplay but you do not reach climax, it is madhī (pre-ejaculatory fluid). Madhī requires washing the private area and renewing wudhu before prayer. 3) If the discharge appears without sexual arousal or desire - the common light everyday moisture or wetness - the strongest scholarly view is that it is tahir (pure). It does not break wudhu and it is not necessary to wash it off before praying. Many scholars compare it to saliva or sweat and treat it as pure. Scholars who explained this include Shaykh Ahmad al-Khaleel, Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaasim, Shaykh Ahmad Ibn Yahyaa an-Najmee, and Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, who indicated that routine vaginal wetness is best understood as pure and does not require ghusl, wudhu, or washing of clothes in most cases. The rulings above reflect the views considered most correct by these scholars, while noting there are some differences of opinion on the third type. If you are unsure in a specific situation, consult a knowledgeable local scholar or trusted imam for guidance in light of your circumstances. And Allah knows best.