Permanent Retainers and Ghusl

6th July 2022

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: A person has permanent retainers fitted in. They had the option of the removable retainers but got these fitted in. The reason is so their teeth don’t move out of place. They are asking: 1) Does their wudhu and ghusl get done? 2) When they pass away, do they have to be taken out?

 

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer: In reference to your query, the ruling of gargling the mouth differs in the Hanafi school for ghusl and wudhu. For ghusl it is a fardh to wash the entire mouth and for wudhu, a sunnah. Permanent retainers consist of a metal wire with a bonding composite used to attach the wire to the teeth, hence water can’t reach parts of the teeth. If the individual was advised by an orthodontist to get permanent retainers fitted in, then due to it being a necessity it is permissible. Wudhu and ghusl would be complete as the individual cannot remove the retainers without a lot of difficulty[1]. When the individual passes away, it is unlikely that these fitted retainers can be easily removed. Therefore, it is best to leave them in.[2] If they can be easily removed, then one should.

 

[Allāh Knows Best]

 

Written by: Graduate from Tākhāssus fil Fiqh course

 

 

[1] Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, Jadeed Fiqhi Masail, vol 1, p. 94

 

Fatawe Hindiyyah, Kitabu Taharat, vol 1, page 6

ﻭﺣﺪ اﻟﻤﻀﻤﻀﺔ اﺳﺘﻴﻌﺎﺏ اﻟﻤﺎء ﺟﻤﻴﻊ اﻟﻔﻢ ﻭﺣﺪ اﻻﺳﺘﻨﺸﺎﻕ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺼﻞ اﻟﻤﺎء ﺇﻟﻰ اﻟﻤﺎﺭﻥ. ﻛﺬا ﻓﻲ اﻟﺨﻼﺻﺔ.

 

[2] Durrul Mukhtār wa Hashiyah Ibn Ābideen Shāmi, Kitābul Hadhar wa Ibaha, vol 2, page 198

 (ﻗﻮﻟﻪ: ﺃﻱ ﻳﻜﺮﻩ ﺗﺤﺮﻳﻤﺎ)

ﻟﻤﺎ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻘﻨﻴﺔ ﻣﻦ ﺃﻥ اﻟﺘﺰﻳﻴﻦ ﺑﻌﺪ ﻣﻮﺗﻬﺎ ﻭاﻻﻣﺘﺸﺎﻁ ﻭﻗﻄﻊ اﻟﺸﻌﺮ ﻻ ﻳﺠﻮﺯ ﻧﻬﺮ، ﻓﻠﻮ ﻗﻄﻊ ﻇﻔﺮﻩ ﺃﻭ ﺷﻌﺮﻩ ﺃﺩﺭﺝ ﻣﻌﻪ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻜﻔﻦ ﻗﻬﺴﺘﺎﻧﻲ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻌﺘﺎﺑﻲ