He did ghusl then he realized that the water had not reached his foot

Question

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:

One of the conditions of wudoo’ and ghusl, that is essential
in order for them to be correct and acceptable, is removing everything that
may prevent the water from reaching the skin, such as creams, dyes and
colours that have any substance that could prevent the water from reaching
the skin.

Imam al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his
book al-Umm (1/44):

If there is on him any mastic or anything thick that will
prevent the water from reaching the skin, his washing of that part for
wudoo’ is not valid, unless he removes it or removes enough so that he knows
that there is no barrier to the water touching the skin. End quote.

This has been explained in the answer to question no.
69817.

Secondly:

If the person who is doing ghusl leaves out a part of his
body and the water does not reach it, or there is something preventing the
water from reaching part of his body, then he realizes that after some time
has passed, should he repeat the entire ghusl or is it sufficient to wash
the part that the water did not reach?

This question is based on the ruling on continuity in washing
the parts of the body in wudoo’. Continuity means that the parts are washed
one after the other with no lengthy interruption in between.

The majority of scholars are of the view that continuity is
not essential in ghusl.

It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (11/100-101):

It is not essential to wash the parts in order and one after
the other according to the majority of fuqaha’.

Al-Layth said: Continuity is essential.

Different opinions were narrated from Imam Ahmad, but the
view that takes precedence according to his companions is that continuity is
essential. This view was also favoured by some of the companions of Imam
al-Shaafa’i.

According to the majority view: If a person did not wash a
part of the body, or a spot on that part, he may wash it on its own later
on, whether it is a long time or a short time afterwards. End quote.

See also al-Mughni (1/220) and Minah al-Jaleel
(1/125).

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him)
favoured the view of the majority in Sharh al-‘Umdah (1/208-209). And
quoted a great deal of evidence to support it, including the following:

1 – The hadeeth narrated by Ibn ‘Abbaas from the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): that he noticed a spot that the
water did not reach after doing ghusl and he wrung out his (wet) hair onto
it.

Narrated by Ibn Majaah (663); classed as da’eef by Ibn Hajar
in al-Diraayah (1/55), Ibn al-Jawzi in al-‘Ilal (1/347),
al-Busayri in Misbaah al-Zujaajah and al-Albaani in Da’eef Ibn
Majaah.

2 – It was narrated that ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said:

A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) and said, “I did ghusl to cleanse myself from janaabah, and I
prayed Fajr, then I noticed a spot the size of a fingernail that the water
did not reach.” The Messenger of Allaah (S) said: “If you had wiped it that
would have been sufficient for you.”

Narrated by Ibn Majaah (664); classed as da’eef by al-Busayri
in Misbaah al-Zujaajah and al-Albaani in Da’eef Ibn Majaah

3 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) commanded the one who was junub to do wudoo’ as for prayer if he wanted
to sleep, eat or have intercourse again. The companions of the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would converse in
the mosque after doing wudoo’ even if they were junub. Were it not for the
fact that wudoo’ reduces the level of janaabah, there would have been no
benefit in doing wudoo’ after becoming junub. If the level of janaabah may
be reduced, then janaabah is divisible, and if it is divisible them then it
may be separated, unlike wudoo’ which is not divisible, rather impurity is
not removed from one part (in wudoo’) unless it is removed from all parts.

4 – Ibn ‘Abbaas said concerning one who forgets to rinse out
his mouth and nose when doing ghusl from janaabah and prays: He should go
and rinse out his mouth and nose and repeat the prayer. Narrated by Sa’eed
in his Sunan.

Also narrated by al-Daaraqutni in his Sunan (1/16). A
similar report was narrated from a number of the Salaf, as stated in
Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (1/224-225).

5 – Continuity is connected to sequence, and sequence has to
do with the order in which two or more parts are to be washed, and the body
of the person who is junub is like one part.

6 – Allowing for ghusl to be divided is needed a great deal
and may be required for one who is overweight, as he may forget a spot or
two or the roots of his hair, and it may be too difficult to repeat it, but
that rarely happens with wudoo’, which it is easy to repeat, so there is a
difference between the two.

End quote.

Based on this, if a person misses a part of his body and the
water did not reach it when he did ghusl, or there was some barrier on it
that prevented the water from reaching the body, it is sufficient for him to
wash only the part that was missed, and he does not have to repeat ghusl.

Imam al-Shaafa’i said in al-Umm (2/88):

If he misses a spot on his body – large or small – and prays,
he should wash the part that he missed on his body and repeat the prayer
after washing it. End quote.

See also question no.
9066 and
50320.