Short answer
The sunnah ghusl, as Aisha and Maymuna described it, is: intention and bismillah, washing the hands, washing the private parts and any impurity, making wudu, then pouring water over the head three times and over the right and left sides. In the Hanafi school these are sunnah; only the mouth, nose and whole body are fard.
The sunnahs of ghusl are: intention, bismillah, washing both hands to the wrists, washing the private parts and any impurity on the body, a full wudu, then pouring water over the whole body three times, starting with the head, then the right shoulder, then the left, and rubbing the body. If you stand where water collects, delay washing the feet to the end.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Intention is fard, not sunnah. The other steps are sunnah.
- Maliki
- Intention, rubbing the body (dalk) and washing without long pauses are fard. The other steps are sunnah or recommended.
- Hanbali
- Intention is fard, and bismillah is wajib for one who remembers, as in wudu.
Explanation
Aisha described the Prophet's ﷺ ghusl from janabah: he washed his hands, made wudu as for prayer, ran his wet fingers through the roots of his hair, then poured water over his head three times and over his whole body. Maymuna added that he first washed his private parts, rubbed his hand on the ground to clean it, and at the end moved aside to wash his feet.
The steps in order:
- Make the intention in your heart to lift janabah, and say bismillah before you undress or enter the shower area.
- Wash both hands up to the wrists three times.
- Wash your private parts, and any impurity anywhere on the body.
- Make wudu as for prayer. If your feet are standing in collected water, leave them for the end.
- Pour water over your head three times, working it into the roots of the hair.
- Pour water over your right side three times, then your left side three times, rubbing the body.
- Move to a clean spot and wash your feet, if you delayed them.
Rinsing the mouth and nose comes in the wudu step, but for a Hanafi it is also fard for the ghusl itself, so do not skip it. A ghusl done this way also gives you wudu, so you can pray straight after it (see does ghusl count as wudu).
The manners are part of the sunnah too: cover yourself where others could see, do not face the qiblah while undressed, do not talk without need, and do not waste water. A bucket of water is enough for a complete ghusl. If you only have time for the minimum, see the fard of ghusl.
The evidence
Sahih al-Bukhari 248
Sahih... ثم يدخل أصابعه في الماء فيخلل بها أصول شعره ...
"Then he would put his fingers in the water and run them through the roots of his hair."
Part of Aisha's description of the sunnah ghusl.
Sahih al-Bukhari 259
Sahih... ثم تنحى فغسل قدميه ...
"Then he moved aside and washed his feet."
Maymuna's report, the basis for washing the feet last when standing in used water.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Kitab al-Taharah, section on the sunnahs of ghusl. Lists the sunnahs and their order.
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Taharat, chapter on ghusl. Describes the sunnah method from the hadith of Maymuna.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.