Asma (daughter of Shakal) asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about washing after menstruation. He said: Everyone amongst you should use water (mixed with the leaves of) the lote-tree and cleanse herself well, and then pour water on her head and rub it vigorously till it reaches the roots of the hair. Then she should pour water on it. Afterwards she should take a piece of cotton smeared with musk and cleanse herself with it. Asma' said: How should she cleanse herself with the help of that? Upon this he (the Messenger of Allah) observed: Praise be to Allah, she should cleanse herself. 'A'isha said in a subdued tone that she should apply it to the trace of blood. She (Asma) then further asked about bathing after sexual intercourse. He (the Holy Prophet) said: She should take water and cleanse herself well or complete the ablution and then (pour water) on her head and rub it till it reaches the roots of the hair (of her) head and then pour water on her. 'A'isha said: How good are the women of Ansar (helpers) that their shyness does not prevent them from learning religion.  

أَنَّ أَسْمَاءَ سَأَلَتِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ عَنْ غُسْلِ الْمَحِيضِ فَقَالَ تَأْخُذُ إِحْدَاكُنَّ مَاءَهَا وَسِدْرَتَهَا فَتَطَهَّرُ فَتُحْسِنُ الطُّهُورَ ثُمَّ تَصُبُّ عَلَى رَأْسِهَا فَتَدْلُكُهُ دَلْكًا شَدِيدًا حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ شُئُونَ رَأْسِهَا ثُمَّ تَصُبُّ عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ ثُمَّ تَأْخُذُ فِرْصَةً مُمَسَّكَةً فَتَطَهَّرُ بِهَا فَقَالَتْ أَسْمَاءُ وَكَيْفَ تَطَهَّرُ بِهَا فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ تَطَهَّرِينَ بِهَا فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ كَأَنَّهَا تُخْفِي ذَلِكَ تَتَبَّعِينَ أَثَرَ الدَّمِ وَسَأَلَتْهُ عَنْ غُسْلِ الْجَنَابَةِ فَقَالَ تَأْخُذُ مَاءً فَتَطَهَّرُ فَتُحْسِنُ الطُّهُورَ أَوْ تُبْلِغُ الطُّهُورَ ثُمَّ تَصُبُّ عَلَى رَأْسِهَا فَتَدْلُكُهُ حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ شُئُونَ رَأْسِهَا ثُمَّ تُفِيضُ عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ نِعْمَ النِّسَاءُ نِسَاءُ الأَنْصَارِ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَمْنَعُهُنَّ الْحَيَاءُ أَنْ يَتَفَقَّهْنَ فِي الدِّينِ  

Asma' asked the Prophet ﷺ and then narrated the rest of the tradition to the same effect. He (the Prophet) said: "a musk-scented piece of cloth." She (Asma') said: How should I purify with it ? He said: By glory of Allah ! Purify with it, and he covered his face with the cloth. This version also adds: "She asked about the washing because of sexual defilement." He said: Take your water and purify yourself as best as possible. Then pour water over yourself. 'Aishah said: The best of the women are the women of the Ansar. Shyness would not prevent them from inquiring about religion and from acquiring deep understanding in it.  

أَنَّ أَسْمَاءَ سَأَلَتِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ بِمَعْنَاهُ قَالَ فِرْصَةً مُمَسَّكَةً قَالَتْ كَيْفَ أَتَطَهَّرُ بِهَا قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ تَطَهَّرِي بِهَا وَاسْتَتِرِي بِثَوْبٍ وَزَادَ وَسَأَلَتْهُ عَنِ الْغُسْلِ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ فَقَالَ تَأْخُذِينَ مَاءَكِ فَتَطَهَّرِينَ أَحْسَنَ الطُّهُورِ وَأَبْلَغَهُ ثُمَّ تَصُبِّينَ عَلَى رَأْسِكِ الْمَاءَ ثُمَّ تَدْلُكِينَهُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ شُئُونَ رَأْسِكِ ثُمَّ تُفِيضِينَ عَلَيْكِ الْمَاءَ قَالَ وَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ نِعْمَ النِّسَاءُ نِسَاءُ الأَنْصَارِ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَمْنَعُهُنَّ الْحَيَاءُ أَنْ يَسْأَلْنَ عَنِ الدِّينِ وَيَتَفَقَّهْنَ فِيهِ  

Asma asked the Messenger of Allah about bathing after ones's period. He said: "One of you should take her water and lote leaves, and purify herself well, or thoroughly. Then she should pour water over her head and rub it vigorously so that the water reaches the roots of her hair. Then she should take a piece of cotton perfumed with musk and purify herself with it." Asma said: "How should I purify myself with it?" He said: "Subhan Allah! Purify yourself with it!" 'Aishah said, as if whispering to her: "Wipe away the traces of blood with it." Then she (Asma) asked him about bathing to cleanse oneself from sexual impurity. He said: "One of you should take her water, and purify herself, and purify herself well, or thoroughly. She should pour water over her head and rub it so that the water reaches the roots of her hair, then she should pour water over her body." 'Aishah said: "How good were the women of the Ansar! For they did not let shyness keep them from understanding their religion properly."  

أَنَّ أَسْمَاءَ سَأَلَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنِ الْغُسْلِ مِنَ الْمَحِيضِ فَقَالَ تَأْخُذُ إِحْدَاكُنَّ مَاءَهَا وَسِدْرَهَا فَتَطْهُرُ فَتُحْسِنُ الطُّهُورَ أَوْ تَبْلُغُ فِي الطُّهُورِ ثُمَّ تَصُبُّ عَلَى رَأْسِهَا فَتَدْلُكُهُ دَلْكًا شَدِيدًا حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ شُئُونَ رَأْسِهَا ثُمَّ تَصُبُّ عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ ثُمَّ تَأْخُذُ فِرْصَةً مُمَسَّكَةً فَتَطْهُرُ بِهَا قَالَتْ أَسْمَاءُ كَيْفَ أَتَطَهَّرُ بِهَا قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ تَطَهَّرِي بِهَا قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ كَأَنَّهَا تُخْفِي ذَلِكَ تَتَبَّعِي بِهَا أَثَرَ الدَّمِ قَالَتْ وَسَأَلَتْهُ عَنِ الْغُسْلِ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ فَقَالَ تَأْخُذُ إِحْدَاكُنَّ مَاءَهَا فَتَطْهُرُ فَتُحْسِنُ الطُّهُورَ أَوْ تَبْلُغُ فِي الطُّهُورِ حَتَّى تَصُبَّ الْمَاءَ عَلَى رَأْسِهَا فَتَدْلُكُهُ حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ شُئُونَ رَأْسِهَا ثُمَّ تُفِيضُ الْمَاءَ عَلَى جَسَدِهَا فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ نِعْمَ النِّسَاءُ نِسَاءُ الأَنْصَارِ لَمْ يَمْنَعْهُنَّ الْحَيَاءُ أَنْ يَتَفَقَّهْنَ فِي الدِّينِ  

[Machine] "When Surah An-Nur was revealed, we (the women) were ordered to go to our designated areas, so we separated from one another. We used our head coverings as waist wraps and one woman among us went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him about the purification from menstruation. He said, 'Let one of you take water and lotus leaves, then purify herself and enhance her purification, then pour the water over her head and let it flow through the strands of her hair, and then rub it (the water) into her head. This is purification. Then pour some water over her body and take a piece of cloth, dampen it, and use it to purify herself with it.' She (the woman) said, 'O Messenger of Allah, how can I purify myself with it?' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ demonstrated it, and then Aisha followed the traces of blood. He (the Messenger of Allah) said, 'Purify yourself with water and put some drops of water on your head and then rub it (water) into your head.' Aisha said, 'I followed the traces of blood.' He (the Messenger of Allah) said, 'Cleanse yourself with water.' He continued to motion calmly to his hose."  

وَقَالَتْ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ سُورَةُ النُّورِ عَمَدْنَ إِلَى حُجَزِ أَوْ حُجُوزِ مَنَاطِقِهِنَّ فَشَقَقْنَهُ ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْنَ مِنْهُ خُمُرًا وَأَنَّهَا دَخَلَتْ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الطُّهُورِ مِنَ الْمَحِيضِ؟ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ لِتَأْخُذْ إِحْدَاكُنَّ مَاءَهَا وَسِدْرَتَهَا فَلْتَطَّهَّرْ ثُمَّ لِتُحْسِنِ الطُّهُورَ ثُمَّ تَصُبَّ عَلَى رَأْسِهَا ثُمَّ تُلْزِقْ بِشُؤُونِ رَأْسِهَا ثُمَّ تَدْلُكْهُ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ طُهُورٌ ثُمَّ تَصُبَّ عَلَيْهَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ ثُمَّ تَأْخُذْ فِرْصَةً مُمَسَّكَةً فَلْتَطَّهَّرْ بِهَا قَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ كَيْفَ أَتَطَهَّرُ بِهَا؟ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُكْنِي عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ تَتْبَعُ بِهَا أَثَرَ الدَّمِ قَالَ عَفَّانُ ثُمَّ لِتَصُبَّ عَلَى رَأْسِهَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ وَلْتُلْصِقْ شُؤُونَ رَأْسِهَا فَلْتَدْلُكْهُ قَالَ عَفَّانُ إِلَى حُجَرٍ أَوْحُجُورٍ  

Asma asked the Messenger of Allah about bathing after ones's period. He said: "One of you should take her water and lote leaves, and purify herself well, or thoroughly. Then she should pour water over her head and rub it vigorously so that the water reaches the roots of her hair. Then she should take a piece of cotton perfumed with musk and purify herself with it." Asma said: "How should I purify myself with it?" He said: "Subhan Allah! Purify yourself with it!" 'Aishah said, as if whispering to her: "Wipe away the traces of blood with it." Then she (Asma) asked him about bathing to cleanse oneself from sexual impurity. He said: "One of you should take her water, and purify herself, and purify herself well, or thoroughly. She should pour water over her head and rub it so that the water reaches the roots of her hair, then she should pour water over her body." 'Aishah said: "How good were the women of the Ansar! For they did not let shyness keep them from understanding their religion properly." (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 642)   

أَنَّ أَسْمَاءَ تَعْنِي بِنْتَ شَكَلٍ سَأَلَتِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ عَنِ الْغُسْلِ مِنَ الْمَحِيضِ؟ فَقَالَ تَأْخُذُ إِحْدَاكُنَّ مَاءَهَا وَسِدْرَتَهَا فَتَطَهَّرُ فَتُحْسِنُ الطُّهُورَ ثُمَّ تَصُبُّ عَلَى رَأْسِهَا الْمَاءَ وَتَدْلُكُهُ دَلْكًا شَدِيدًا حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ شُئُونَ رَأْسِهَا ثُمَّ تَصُبُّ عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ ثُمَّ تَأْخُذُ فِرْصَةً مُمَسَّكَةً تَطَّهَّرُ بِهَا قَالَتْ كَيْفَ أَتَطَهَّرُ بِهَا؟ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ تَطَهَّرِي بِهَا وَاسْتَتِرِي قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ تَتَبَّعِي بِهَا أَثَرَ الدَّمِ وَسَأَلَتْهُ عَنِ الْغُسْلِ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ؟ فَقَالَ تَأْخُذِينَ مَاءَكِ فَتَطَهَّرِينَ أَحْسَنَ الطُّهُورِ وَأَبْلَغَهُ ثُمَّ تَصُبِّينَ عَلَى رَأْسِكِ الْمَاءَ ثُمَّ تَدْلُكِينَهُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ شُئُونَ رَأْسِكِ ثُمَّ تُفِيضِينَ عَلَيْكِ الْمَاءَ وَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ نِعْمَ النِّسَاءُ نِسَاءُ الْأَنْصَارِ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَمْنَعُهُنَّ الْحَيَاءُ أَنْ يَسْأَلْنَ عَنِ الدِّينِ وَيَتَفَقَّهْنَ فِيهِ  

"نِعْم النِّسَاءُ نِسَاء الأَنْصَار لَم يكُنْ يَمْنَعهُنَّ الْحَيَاءُ أَنْ يَتَفَقَّهْنَ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَنْ يَسْأَلْنَ عَنْهُ وَلَمَّا نَزَلَت سُورَة النُّورِ شققن حُجَزَ مناطقهن فَاتَخَذْنَهَا خُمُرًا وَجَاءَتْ فُلَانَة

فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُول اللهِ إنَّ الله لَا يَسْتَحِيى مِنَ الحَقِّ كَيْفَ أَغْتَسِلُ مِنَ الحَيضِ، قَالَ: لِتَأخُذْ إِحْداكُنَّ سِدْرَتَهَا وَمَاءَهَا ثُمَّ تَطْهُر فلتحسن الطُّهورَ، ثُمَّ لتُفِض عَلَى رَأَسِهَا ولتلصِق بشُئُونِ رأسهَا ثُمَّ لتفِضْ عَلَى جَسَدِهَا وَلتأخُذ فِرْصة مُمسكةً فَلتَطهر بِهَا، قَالَت: كَيْفَ أَتَطَهَّر بِهَا؟ فَاسْتحيى رَسُولُ الله ﷺ ، وَاسْتَتر مِنْهَا وَقَالَ: سُبْحَانَ الله تَطَهَّرِي بِهَا فَتَلَمَّحتُ الَّذِي قَالَ فَأَخَذْتُ بِجَنْبِ درْعِهَا فَقُلْتُ: تَتَبَّعِي بِهَا أَثَر الدَّمِ".