Does Wearing a Condom Prevent the Obligation of Ghusl?

Question

As-Salamu ‘alaykum. I have come across a variety of verdicts from Hanafis and Hanbalis regarding whether ‘sexual  intercourse’ using a condom requires ghusl (that is if stopped before ejaculation). The issue seems to revolve around the question of whether the condom acts as a barrier preventing full intercourse. I wanted to know what the Shafi’i stance on this issue is.

Answer:

It is common belief that the condom is a creation of the 19th century. This belief is somewhat inaccurate. In his treatise on syphilis (a sexually transmitted disease), the 16^th century Italian anatomist, Falloppio, provides the earliest description of condom use. Wikipedia has his description as:

… linen sheaths soaked in a chemical solution and allowed to dry before use. The cloths he described were sized to cover the glans of the penis, and were held on with a ribbon.

With the usage of fabric condoms as early as the 16^th century, it was thus not strange to find our jurists discussing whether or not gusl will be required for one who wraps his genitals in a cloth before insertion. Imam Nawawi in as early as the 13^th century discusses the issue in his monumental work Rawdah at-Talibin. After mentioning the divergent opinions of the Ashab he states that the preponderant view is that gusl will become compulsory. Accordingly, ibn Hajar, 3 centuries later, writes in his Tuhfah:

… أو الذكر عليه خرقة كثيفة، بل ولو كان في قصبة

[Ghusl becomes compulsory when the head of the penis enters the vagina of a lady] even if the penis is covered in a thick cloth. In fact [Gusl will also be compulsory] even if the penis is covered in a pipe (qasbah).

In conclusion, the Shafi‘ī position vis-á-vis intercourse with condoms is that gusl will become compulsory.

And Allah knows best

Fatwa by Shaykh Abdurrahman Khan

for Shafiifiqh.com

1. 

   Abu Ibrahim says:

   February 26, 2010 at 1:35 am

   What is the reasoning behind this? Is it because the word “iltaqaa” in the hadith does not linguistically mean “to make direct contact?”

   Jazakum Allahu khayran.