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I performed ghusl janabat by making niyyat, I gargles 3 times, sniffed water 3 times, then washed my head down to my shoulders, then I washed my right side of my body, then my left side. Is this sufficient? I learned recently that I might have left out the part where I have to wash my hands before washing my body but since I washed my body this included washing my hands so am I fine or must I redo my ghusl?
Thank you.
For having performed ghusl you must ensure that water has reached all parts of your body. Else your ghusl can't be considered as valid. The Qur'an itself only tells us the ruling of ghusl as an ordered act to clean oneself after janabah, menses or child birth. There are no details on how to do it, this implies that the general understanding applies which is that ghusl is equal to washing oneself in a manner that water reaches the whole body. Any other details come from the sunnah, see for example:
Jabir bin `Abdullah said to me, "Your cousin (Hasan bin Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiya) came to me and asked about the bath of Janaba. I replied, 'The Prophet (ﷺ) uses to take three handfuls of water, pour them on his head and then pour more water over his body.' Al-Hasan said to me, 'I am a hairy man.' I replied, 'The Prophet (ﷺ) had more hair than you'. " (Sahih al-Bukhari)
There are certainly other ahadith quoting other acts (which are recommended), but this one shows that the essential part of ghusl is to pour water over the (whole) body.
Sahih al-Bukhari » Book of Bathing (Ghusl) » Narrated Mother Aisha RTA
Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) took a bath after Janaba he started by washing his hands and then performed ablution like that for the prayer. After that he would put his fingers in water and move the roots of his hair with them, and then pour three handfuls of water over his head and then pour water all over his body.
Sahih al-Bukhari » Book of Bathing (Ghusl) » Narrated Abu Ja`far RTA
Jabir bin `Abdullah said to me, "Your cousin (Hasan bin Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiya) came to me and asked about the bath of Janaba. I replied, 'The Prophet (ﷺ) uses to take three handfuls of water, pour them on his head and then pour more water over his body.' Al-Hasan said to me, 'I am a hairy man.' I replied, 'The Prophet (ﷺ) had more hair than you'. "
Sahih al-Bukhari » Book of Bathing (Ghusl) » Narrated Maimuna RTA
The Prophet (ﷺ) took the bath of Janaba. (sexual relation or wet dream). He first cleaned his private parts with his hand, and then rubbed it (that hand) on the wall (earth) and washed it. Then he performed ablution like that for the prayer, and after the bath he washed his feet.
From all the above hadith, it is proved that washing hand in beginning is sunnah, but not a farz that if missed then you Ghusl is not correct.
Overall purpose is to make sure it is properly cleaned, and we all know the 3 Farz which you mention in your question.
