Question: Is it obligatory for the married couple to take a ghusl after sexual intercourse, even if ejaculation did not occur?
Response: Yes. It is obligatory for them both to take a ghusl, even if ejaculation occurred or not. This is according to the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (radhi-yallaahu ‘anhu) that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said:
((If he (the husband) sits amidst her (the wife) four parts, then had intercourse with her, then ghusl becomes obligatory)), the authenticity of this hadeeth is agreed upon by bothImaam al-Bukhaaree and Imaam Muslim.
And in Imaam Muslim’s transmission it (additionally) states:
((and even if he did not ejaculate)).
And this (narration) is clear in the obligation of ghusl even without ejaculation, and this is little known to many people, so that which is obligatory is to beware and take heed of this.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen