women who washed his daughter; the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did not instruct them to perform ghusl (1).
The response to this is:
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The absence of a command in a particular incident does not necessarily negate a command transmitted through another route, if that route is authentic.
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We do not hold that this ghusl is obligatory. Thus, the absence of a command in its proper context indicates that it is not obligatory, but it does not negate its being prescribed altogether when there is another authentic report to establish it.
Or he regains consciousness after insanity or fainting …
His statement, “Or he regains consciousness after insanity or fainting”: this is the second and third of the recommended ritual baths.
Insanity is the loss of reason, and epilepsy is included in it, for it is a type of insanity.
Fainting literally means covering, from which comes the cloud that covers the sky …
Thus, fainting is the covering of the mind, not its loss. It has various causes, including severe illness, as happened to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. During his illness, he fainted and then regained consciousness, whereupon he asked, “Have the people prayed?” They replied, “No; they are waiting for you.” He then ordered that water be brought in a basin—something resembling a large dish—and performed ghusl. He then tried to rise, but fainted a second time. When he regained consciousness, he asked, “Have the people prayed?” They replied, “No; they are waiting for you” (2), in the hadith.
This proves that one should perform ghusl after fainting, though not as an obligation, because the Prophet’s act by itself does not indicate obligation.