This kind of water is considered pure because of its
inherent purity and as such, it can be used by an individual
to purify him or herself. It consists of the following
categories:
These substances are pure because Allah says so: "And
sent down water from the sky upon you, that thereby He might
purify you..." (al-Anfal 1), and "We send down
purifying water from the sky" (al-Furqan 48). This is
also supported by the following hadith: Abu Hurairah reported
that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, used to be
silent between the (opening) takbir of the prayer and the
verbal Qur'anic recitation. Abu Hurairah asked him, "O
Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for
you, why do you remain silent between the takbir and the
recital? What do you say (silently during that time)?" He
said, "I say, 'O Allah, make a distance between me and my
sins similar to the distance you have made between the East
and the West. O Allah, cleanse me of my sins in the manner
that a white garment (is cleansed) from dirt. O Allah, wash my
sins from me with snow, water, and hail."' This hadith is
related by the "group", except for at-Tirmizhi.
Sea water's purity is based on the following hadith: Abu
Hurairah related that a man asked the Messenger of Allah, upon
whom be peace, "O Messenger of Allah, we sail on the
ocean and we carry only a little water. If we use it for
ablution, we will have to go thirsty. May we use sea water for
ablution?" Said the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be
peace, "Its (the sea) water is pure and its dead
(animals) are lawful (i.e., they can be eaten without any
prescribed slaughtering)." This hadith is related by
"the five." At-Tirmizhi calls it hassan sahih, and
al-Bukhari says it is sahih.
'Ali narrated that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be
peace, called for a bucket that contained water from the well
of Zamzam. He drank from the bucket, then made ablution (with
its water). This hadith is related by Ahmad.
This involves water whose form has been altered because of
its being in a place for a long period of time, or because of
the place in which it is located, or because of its being
mixed with a substance that cannot be completely removed from
it (i.e., water mixed with algae, tree leaves, and so on). The
scholars agree that this type of water falls under the heading
of mutlaq water.
The rationale is simple: everything that falls under the
general term of water, without any further qualifications, is
considered pure, for the Qur'an says, "...and if you find
not water, then go to clean, high ground..." (al-Ma'idah
6).
This category refers to water which drips from the person
after he performs ablution or ghusl. It is considered pure
because it was pure before its use for ablution, and there is
no basis to think that it has lost its purity. This statement
is supported by the hadith of Rab'i bint Mu'wazh which
describes the ablution of the Messenger of Allah. She states,
"He wiped his head with (the water) remaining on his
hands from his ablution." This hadith is related by Ahmad
and Abu Dawud. Abu Dawud's version is, "The Messenger of
Allah, upon whom be peace, wiped his head with the extra water
that was in his hand." Abu Hurairah also reported that
the Messenger of Allah met him alone in the streets of Madinah
while he was in post-sex impurity. He therefore slipped away,
made ghusl and returned. The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be
peace, asked him "Where have you been, Abu Hurairah?"
He answered, "I was in post-sex impurity and did not want
to sit with you while I was in that condition." The
Prophet replied, "Glory be to Allah. The believer does
not become impure." This is related by "the
group."
This is based on the rationale that since a believer never
becomes impure, the water he uses for purification also does
not become impure. Thus, a pure object touching a pure object
cannot result in one's becoming impure. Ibn al-Munzhir said
that it is related that 'Ali, Ibn 'Umar, Abu Umamah, 'Ata, al-Hassan,
Makhul and anNakha'i said that if a person forgot to wipe his
head while making ablution, it is sufficient for him to wipe
his head with any water remaining in his beard. Ibn al-Munzhir
stated that this proves that they took "used water"
as pure. This opinion comes from one of the narrations
attributed to Malik and ash-Shaf'i. Ibn Hazm ascribes it to
Sufyan al-Thauri, Abu Thaur, and all scholars of the Zhahiri
school of thought.
This category includes water that has been mixed with
substances like soap, saffron, flowers, and so on, that is,
objects considered pure by the shari'ah. Such water is
considered pure as long as it has not been so mixed with other
substances that one can no longer call it water. If this is
the case, the water is still considered pure, but it cannot be
used for purification. Umm 'Atiyah narrated that the Messenger
of Allah, upon whom be peace, entered her house after the
death of his daughter Zainab and said, "Wash her three or
five or more times--if you see fit to do so--with water and
dry tree leaves. For the final washing, use some kafoor or
something from kafoor. When you are finished, inform me."
She did so, after which he gave the women his outer garment
and told them to wrap Zainab in it. This was related by
"the group."
The deceased should be washed with something that may
purify a live person. Ahmad, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Khuzaimah
record from Umm Hani that the Messenger of Allah and Maimunah
washed themselves from one (water) container that had a trace
of dough in it. In both of these hadith, we find that the
water was mixed with another substance, but since the other
substance was not substantial enough to alter its nature, it
remained fit for consumption.
We can divide this category into two sub-categories:
-1- The impure substance alters the taste, color or odor of
the water. In this case, it can not be used for purification.
According to Ibn al-Munzhir and Ibn al-Mulaqqin, there is a
consensus on this point.
-2- The liquid is still considered water, meaning that the
impure substance has not altered its taste, color or odor.
Such water is considered pure and may be used for
purification. This is based upon the following hadith: Abu
Hurairah reported that a Bedouin urinated in the mosque. The
people stood to get him (and stop him). The Prophet said,
"Leave him and pour a bucket of water or a container of
water over his urine. You have been raised to be easy on the
people, not to be hard on them." This hadith is narrated
by "the group," except for Muslim.
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri asked the Prophet, "Can we make
ablution from the well of Buda'ah (i.e., a well in Madinah)?"
The Prophet, upon whom be peace, told him, "Water is pure
and nothing makes it impure."
This hadith is related by Ahmad, ash-Shaf'i, Abu Dawud,
anNasa'i and at-Tirmizhi, who classified it as hassan. Ahmad
said, "This hadith is sahih and Yahya ibn Ma'een and
Muhammad ibn Hazm classified it as such." This is also
the opinion of Ibn 'Abbas, Abu Hurairah, al-Hassan al-Basri,
Ibn al-Musayyab, 'Ikrimah, Ibn Abu Laila, al-Thauri, Dawud
azh-Zhahiri, an-Nakha'i, Malik and others. Says al-Ghazzali,
"I wish ash-Shaf'i's opinion was like Malik's."
There is also a hadith from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar in which
the Messenger of Allah is reported to have said, "If
there are at least two buckets of water, it will not carry any
impurity." This hadith is related by the
"five." However, this hadith is muzhtarab in its
chain of narrators and text. Ibn 'Abdul-Barr said in at-Tamheed,
"As to the opinion of ash-Shaf'i which is based on this
hadith, it is weak on scrutiny and is not confirmed by
historical reports."
According to the shari'ah, such water is considered pure
regardless of whether the one who drank from the pot was a
Muslim, an unbeliever, a person in post-sex impurity or a
menstruating woman.
Although Allah says in the Qur'an, "Verily, the idol
worshippers are impure" (at-Taubah) this is a reference
not to their physical state, but to their false beliefs and
creed. They may come into contact with dirt or impurities, but
this does not mean that their possessions or bodies are
impure. In fact, they used to mix with the Muslims. Their
emmissaries and delegations used to visit the Messenger of
Allah and enter his mosque. The Prophet, upon whom be peace,
did not order that the objects they touched be cleansed. As
for mensturating women, 'Aishah said, "I used to drink
(from a container) while I was menstruating. I would then pass
it to the Messenger of Allah and he would drink from the same
spot where I had put my lips." (Related by Muslim.)
Such water is considered pure. Since the animal qualifies
for consumption, its saliva is also pure. Abu Bakr ibn al-Munzhir
said, "The scholars are agreed that such water is
permissible to drink or use for ablution."
Such water is also considered pure, based on the hadith of
Jabir in which the Messenger of Allah was asked about making
ablution with drinking water left by donkeys. The Prophet,
upon whom be peace, answered, "Yes, and from the drinking
water left by any of the beasts of prey." This hadith was
related by ash-Shaifi, ad-Daraqutni and al-Baihaqi who said,
"When its different chains are put together they become
strong." It has also been related from Ibn 'Umar that the
Messenger of Allah went out at night while he was on a
journey. He passed by a man who was sitting by a pond. Said 'Umar,
"Did a beast of prey drink from your pond tonight?"
The Messenger of Allah told him, "O owner of the pond, do
not inform him. It is not necessary, for him (the beast of
prey) is what he carried in his stomach and for us is what he
left, water to be used for drinking and purifying." This
is related by ad-Daraqutni. Yahya ibn Sa'eed reported that
once 'Umar was among a group that included 'Amr ibn al-'Aas
and, when they came upon a pond, 'Amr said, "O owner of
the pond, have the beasts of prey discovered your pond?"
'Umar said, "Do not inform us, since the people drink
after the wild beasts and the wild beasts after the
people." This is related by Malik in al-Muwatta.
Such water is also considered pure. This is proven by the
hadith of Kabshah bint Ka'b who, when she was under the care
of Abu Qatadah, entered the room to pour some water for him. A
cat came, drank some of the water, and Qatadah proceeded to
tilt the container so the cat could drink more. Kabshah said,
"He noticed that I was watching him." He asked,
"Are you surprised, O niece?" I answered,
"Yes." He said, "The Messenger of Allah, upon
whom be peace, said, 'It (the cat) is not impure. They
intermingle with you."'
Such water is considered impure and must be avoided. Al-Bukhari
and Muslim have recorded, on the authority of Abu Hurairah,
that the messenger of Allah said, "If a dog drinks from
one of your containers, wash it seven times." Ahmad and
Muslim also have this addition, "Cleanse one of your
containers if a dog licks it by washing it seven times, the
first washing being with dirt." As for the leftover water
of a pig, it is clearly considered filth and impure.
Najasah refers to impure substances that the Muslim must
avoid and wash off if they should happen to contaminate his
clothes, body and so on. Says Allah in the Qur'an,
"Purify your raiment" (alMudathar 4); and,
"Allah loves those who repent and who purify
themselves" (al-Baqarah 222). The Messenger of Allah also
said, "Purity is half of the faith."
This refers to animals which die from "natural
causes," that is, without the proper Islamic way of
slaughtering. It also includes anything that is cut off of a
live animal. Abu Waqid al-Laithy reported that the Prophet,
upon whom be peace, said, "What is cut off of a live
animal is considered dead," i.e., it is considered like
an animal that has not been properly slaughtered. This is
related by Abu Dawud and by at-Tirmizhi, who classifies it as
hassan and says that the scholars act according to this hadith.
Ibn 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah said,
"Two types of dead animals and two types of blood have
been made lawful for us. The types of dead animals are seafood
and locusts. The two types of blood are the (blood of the)
liver and the spleen."
This is related by Ahmad, ash-Shaf'i, al-Baihaqi and
adDaraqutni. The hadith is weak, but Imam Ahmad says that it
is authentic in mauqoof form. Abu Zar'ah and Abu Hatim have
said the same. Such a report has the implication of a marfu'
hadith because a companion saying, "This was allowed for
us" or "This was forbidden for us" is like one
of them saying, "We were ordered to do this," or
"We were forbidden to do this," and so on. (Such
statements are considered marfu' with respect to their
regulations). And we have already mentioned the Prophet's
statement concerning the ocean, "Its water is pure and
its 'dead animals' are allowable (to eat.)."
(That is) bees, ants, and so on. They are considered pure.
If they fall into some substance and die, the substance will
not become impure. Ibn al-Munzhir said, "I do not know of
any disagreement concerning the purity of such water save what
has been related from ash-Shaf'i. It is well-known that he
views them as being impure. Nevertheless, it does not bother
him if the object falling into a substance does not alter it
(in any way)."
All of these are considered pure. Concerning the bones of
dead animals, az-Zuhri said, "I have met some scholars of
the preceeding generations who used such objects for combs and
pots for oil, and they did not see anything wrong in
that." This is related by al-Bukhari. Said Ibn 'Abbas,
"The client of Maimunah was given a sheep as charity, and
it died. The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, passed by
it and said, 'Why do you not remove its skin, treat it and put
it to use?' She said, 'It is dead' (i.e., it has not been
slaughtered properly). He said to her, 'Only eating it is
forbidden."' This is related by the group. Ibn Majah
attributes the incident to Maimunah and her client. Al-Bukhari
and an-Nasa'i do not mention treating the skin. It is reported
from Ibn 'Abbas that he recited: "Say (O Muhammad):
"In all that has been revealed to me, I do not find
anything forbidden to eat; if one wants to eat thereof, unless
it be carrion, or blood poured forth, or swine flesh..."
(al-An'am 145). Then he said, "What is forbidden is its
meat. As for its skin, skin used for waterskins, teeth, bones,
fur and wool, they are permissible." This is narrated by
Ibn Munzhir and Ibn Hatim. Similarly, its rennet and milk are
considered pure. This is supported by the fact that when the
companions conquered Iraq, they ate the cheese of the Magians
which was made from rennet, although their slaughtered animals
were considered the same as 'dead animals.' It is confirmed
from Salman al-Farsi that when he was asked about cheese,
clarified butter and pelts, he said, "What is permissible
is what Allah made permissible in His book. What is forbidden
is what Allah made forbidden in His book. What he omits, He
has pardoned for you." It is well-known that he was being
asked about the cheese of the Magians, as Salman was 'Umar's
deputy in Mada'in, Iraq.
This includes blood that pours forth from an animal's body,
such as blood from a slaughtered animal, or from menstruation,
except for what small amounts are overlooked. Ibn Juraij said
about the Qur'anic verse "...or blood poured
forth..." (al-An'am 145), that this is the blood that
flows out. The blood that does not flow out, but remains in
the veins, is permissible. This is related by Ibn al-Munzhir.
And it is also related from Abu Majlizn in his discourse on
blood that he was asked, "What about the blood that
remains in the slaughtered sheep or at the top of the cooking
pot?" He answered, "There is no problem with it.
What is forbidden is the blood that flows out (of the animal
at the time of slaughtering)." This was recorded by 'Abd
ibn Hameed and by Abu ash-Shaikh. It is also related from 'Aishah
that she said, "We used to eat the meat when the blood
was streaking the pot." Al-Hassan said, "The Muslims
always prayed, even while they were bleeding." This was
mentioned by al-Bukhari. It is confirmed that 'Umar prayed
while his wound was bleeding. Elucidating the point, Ibn Hajr
says in Fath al-Bari (a commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari):
"Abu Hurairah did not see anything wrong in a drop or two
of blood during the prayers. Based on this report from Abu
Hurairah, the blood of a flee or the blood that comes from a
pimple are to be overlooked. Abu Majlizn was asked about pus
that gets on the body or the clothes. He said, 'There is
nothing wrong with them. Allah mentions only the blood, not
the pus."'
Commenting on the subject, Ibn Taimiyyah says, "It is
obligatory to clean the clothes from pus, purulent matter or
similar fluids." He also says, "There is no proof
concerning its impurity." It is preferred for the person
to avoid contact as much as possible with these substances.
According to the verse (al-An'am 145) quoted earlier, items
mentioned therein are impure. The pronoun 'they' refers to all
three of the mentioned items. It is, however, allowed to knit
with the hair of a pig according to most of the scholars.
There is agreement among the scholars that these objects
are impure. But, a slight amount of vomit (commonly understood
as a small amount of liquid) and the urine of an unweaned male
baby are overlooked and pardoned. It is sufficient just to
sprinkle water over the urine of an unweaned male baby. This
is based on the hadith of Umm Qais. She came to the Messenger
of Allah with her unweaned son. After a while, the baby
urinated in the Prophet's lap. The Prophet, upon whom be
peace, called for some water, which he sprinkled over his
clothes, and did not give them a complete washing. This is
related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
'Ali narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "The
urine of a baby boy should have water sprinkled upon it. The
urine of a baby girl is to be washed off." Says Qatadah,
"This refers to a male baby that has not yet begun to
eat. If he already eats, then the garment is to be
washed."
This hadith is related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmizhi and
Ibn Majah. In al-Fath, Ibn Hajr says its chain is sahih.
Sprinkling is sufficient as long as the boy is still
nursing. If he eats solid food, his urine must be washed from
the clothes and body. There is no disagreement on this latter
point. Perhaps the reason for this exemption to the male
baby's urine is that people have a tendency to carry their
male babies around, and it would have been difficult to clean
the clothes after their frequent urinations.
Wadi is a thick white secretion discharged (by some people)
after urination. It is considered impure. 'Aishah said, "
Wadi comes out after urination. The person should wash the
private parts and perform ablution. It is not necessary to
perform ghusl. This is related by Ibn al-Munzhir. Ibn 'Abbas
related that "mani (sperm) requires ghusl. As for mazhi
(semen) and wadi they require a complete purification."
This is related by al-Athram. Al-Baihaqi has it with the
wording, "Concerning mazhi (prostatic fluid) and wadi, he
said, 'Wash your sexual organs and perform the same type of
ablution as you perform for prayer."'
This is a white sticky fluid that flows from the sexual
organs because of thinking about sexual intercourse or
foreplay, and so on. The person is usually not aware of when
exactly it is secreted. It comes from both the male and the
female sexual organs, although the amount from the latter is
usually more than the former's. Scholars are agreed that it is
impure. If it gets on the body, it is obligatory to wash it
off. If it gets on the clothes, it suffices to sprinkle the
area with water, as it is very hard to be completely protected
from this impurity, especially for the young, single person.
'Ali said, "I used to excrete mazhi, so I asked a man to
ask the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, about it. I
was shy to do so because of my position with respect to his
daughter ('Ali was the Prophet's son-in-law). He said, 'Make
ablution and wash your penis." This is related by al-Bukhari
and others. Sahl ibn Hanif said, "I used to suffer from
excessive amounts of mazhi. I used to make lots of ghusl
because of it. So I mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah,
upon whom be peace, and he said, 'It is sufficient to take a
handful of water and sprinkle it over your clothes wherever
the fluid appears."
The hadith is related by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmizhi.
The latter says, "The hadith is hassan sahih. In the
chain is Muhammad ibn Ishaq, who is considered weak when he
relates in mu'an'an (handed-down) form because of his
reputation as one who commited tadlis. But in this narration,
he makes it clear that he heard the hadith directly." Al-Athram
narrated the same hadith with the wording, "I was
bothered by a great deal of mazhi, so I went to the Prophet,
upon whom be peace, and informed him of this. He said 'It is
sufficient for you to take a handful of water and sprinkle it
over (the mazhi)."'
Some scholars say that sperm is impure, but apparently it
is pure, for it is only recommended to wash it off if it is
still wet, and to scratch it off if it is dry. Said 'Aishah,
"I used to scratch the sperm off the Messenger of Allah's
clothes if it was dry, and wash it off if it was still
wet." (This is related by ad-Daraqutni, Abu 'Awanah and
al-Bazzar). It is also related that Ibn 'Abbas said, "I
asked the Messenger of Allah about sperm on clothes. He said,
'It is the same as mucus and spittle. It is sufficient to rub
the area with a rag or cloth."'
The hadith was related by ad-Daraqutni, al-Baihaqi and
atTahawi. There is a difference in the narration over whether
it should be in marfu'or mauqoof form.
Both of these are considered impure. Ibn Mas'ud related
that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, went to
answer the call of nature. He asked 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud to
bring three stones. 'Abdullah said, "I could not find
three stones, so I found two stones and animal dung and
brought them to him. He took the two stones and threw away the
dung saying, 'It is impure."'
The hadith is related by al-Bukhari, Ibn Majah, and Ibn
Khuzaimah. In one narration it states, "It is impure. It
is the stool of a donkey." A little amount of it is
pardoned though, as it is very difficult to completely protect
one's self from it. Al-Waleed ibn Muslim says, "I said to
al-Auza'i, 'What about the urine of animals whose meat is not
eaten, like the mule, donkey and horse?' He said that they
used to come into contact with these during their battles, and
that they did not wash it off their bodies or clothes. As for
the urine and stools of animals whose meat is permissible,
Malik, Ahmad and a group of the Shaifiyyah says that it is
pure. Commenting on the subject, Ibn Taimiyyah says,
"None of the companions held that it is impure. In fact,
the statement that it is impure is of recent origin and not
from the early generations of the companions."
Said Anas, "A group of people from the tribes of Ukul
or 'Uraina came to Madinah and became ill in their stomach.
The Prophet ordered them to get a milking she-camel and drink
a mixture of its milk and urine." This hadith is related
by Ahmad, al-Bukhari and Muslim and points to a camel's urine
as being pure. Therefore, by analogy, other permissible
animals' urine may also be considered pure. Says Ibn al-Munzhir,
"Those who claim that that was permissible only for those
people are incorrect. Specification is only confirmed by some
specific proof." He also says, "The scholars permit,
without any objection, the sale of sheep's stools and the use
of camel's urine in their medicine, both in the past and in
the present, again without any objection. This shows that they
are considered pure." Says ash-Shaukani,
"Apparently, the urine and stools of every living animal
permissible to eat is pure." There is nothing to prove
otherwise.
Jallalah refers to an animal that eats the waste or flesh
of other animals, such as camels, cows, sheep, chickens,
geese, and so on. Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of
Allah forbade the drinking of such animals' milk.
This hadith is related by "the five," except for
Ibn Majah. At-Tirmizhi grades it as sahih. In one narration it
states, "It is also prohibited to ride upon a jallalah.
(Related by Abu Dawud.) 'Amr ibn Shu'aib related on the
authority of his father, from his grandfather, that the
Messenger of Allah prohibited the meat of domestic donkeys. As
for the jallalah, he prohibited riding or eating them."
(Related by Ahamad, an-Nasa'i and Abu Dawud.) If the jallalah
animal is kept away from the other animals for some time and
is given clean food to eat, then it becomes pure and is no
longer called jallalah. If this is the case, it becomes
permissible to eat, as the reason for its prohibition was the
change it underwent due to eating filth, a state which would
no longer be present.
According to most scholars, alcohol is impure. Says Allah
in the Qur'an, "Alcohol, games of chance, idols and
divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork."
Some scholars say that it is pure, for they take the meaning
of rajis in its abstract sense as describing alcohol and
whatever is related to it. This is not labeled as impure in a
definite, sensory way. Says Allah, "Stay away from the
impurities of idols." Idols are impure in the abstract
sense, and they are considered impure if one touches them. The
explanation of the preceding verse is that they are a tool of
Satan, for they cause enmity and hatred and keep people away
from the remembrance of Allah and pra.yer. In Subul as-Salaam
it says, "Their origin is pure and their being prohibited
does not mean that the object itself is impure. For example,
hashish is prohibited but it is pure. But, something impure is
not necessarily prohibited. Every impure thing is prohibited,
but not vice-versa. That is because of the ruling that
something impure cannot be touched under any circumstances. If
a ruling says that something is impure, it is also prohibited.
This differs from a ruling that something is prohibited. For
example, it is forbidden to wear silk and gold, but they are
absolutely pure by consensus." If one understands that,
then the prohibition of alcohol does not necessarily entail
its also being considered impure: it needs some other evidence
to prove that it is impure. If not, then we are left with the
original position that it is pure. If one claims other than
that, he must substantiate it.
If the clothes or body are contaminated with impurities, it
is obligatory to wash them with water until they are cleansed
of the impurities. This is especially the case if the impurity
is visible, such as blood. If there are some stains that
remain after washing which would be extremely difficult to
remove, they can be overlooked. If the impurity is not
visible, such as urine, it is sufficient to wash it one time.
'Asma bint Abu Bakr related that a woman came to the Prophet,
upon whom be peace, and said, "Our clothes are
contaminated with menstrual blood. What should we do about
this?" He said, "Scrape it, rub it with water, pour
water over it and then pray in it." (This is related by
al-Bukhari and Muslim) If impurities get on the lower portion
of a woman's dress, it is purified by dust as she trails
along. A woman said to Umm Salamah, "I have a long dress
that drags on the ground, even when I walk through places that
contain filth. What should I do about it?" Umm Salamah
answered her, "The Messenger of Allah said, 'What comes
after it purifies it."' This is related by Ahmad and Abu
Dawud.
Dogs are considered impure. Any container that a dog has
licked must be washed seven times, the first time with dirt.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenager of Allah, upon whom
be peace, said, "Purifying a container that a dog has
licked is done by washing it seven times, the first washing
being with dirt (that is, water mixed with dirt until it
becomes muddy)." This was related by Muslim, Ahmad, Abu
Dawud, and al-Baihaqi. If a dog licks a pot that has dry food
in it, what it touched and what surrounds it must be thrown
away. The remainder may be kept, as it is still pure. As for a
dog's fur, it is considered pure.
If there are impurities on the ground, it is purified by
pouring water over it. This is proven by Abu Hurairah's hadith,
mentioned earlier, about the bedouin who urinated in the
mosque. The Prophet, upon whom be peace, said all that needed
to be done for purification was to pour water over it. Said
Abu Qulabah, "The drying of the ground is its
purification." 'Aishah said, "The purification of
the ground is its becoming dry." (Related by Ibn Abi
Shaibah.) This, of course, refers to the case where the
impurity is a liquid. If the impurity is a solid, the ground
will only become pure by its removal or decay.
Ibn 'Abbas relates from Maimunah that the Prophet, upon
whom be peace, was asked about a mouse that fell into a pot of
clarified butter. He said, "Take (the mouse) and what is
around it out, and throw it away. Then eat (the rest of) your
clarified butter." This is related by al-Bukhari.
Commenting on the subject, al-Hafezh Ibn Hajr says, "Ibn
'Abdul Barr reported that there is agreement that if a dead
animal falls into a solid matter, what the dead animal touches
and what is around it must be thrown away, provided that one
can make sure that the animal did not touch the remainder. As
for a liquid substance, there is some difference of opinion.
The majority say that the entire liquid becomes impure;
az-Zuhri, al-Auza'i, and some others disagree with that
opinion.
Tanning purifies the skin and the fur of a dead animal.
This is based on the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas, in which the
Prophet said, "If the animal's skin is tanned, it is
purified." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
Mirrors, knives, swords, nails, bones, glass, painted pots
and other smooth surfaces that have no pores are purified by
simply wiping them and removing any impure remains. The
companions of the Prophet used to pray while wearing swords
smeared with blood, and they used to just wipe the swords to
purify them.
Shoes may be purified by rubbing them against the ground,
as long as the remains of the impurity are removed. Abu
Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be
peace, said, "If one of you stepped in some filth, the
dirt will purify his shoes." Related by Abu Dawud. In
another narration it states, "If one of you steps in some
filth with his shoes on, the dirt will purify them." Abu
Sa'eed reported the Prophet, upon whom be peace, saying,
"When a person comes to the mosque, he should look at his
shoes. If he finds any filth on them, he should wipe them
against the ground and pray in them." (Related by Ahmad
and Abu Dawud.) Since shoes are repeatedly exposed to filth,
it is sufficient just to wipe them against the ground. This is
similar to the case of defecation. In fact, it is stronger
than that case, as defecation usually occurs only two or three
times a day.
Rope used for hanging clothes with impurities on them may
afterwards be used for hanging pure clothes.
If a liquid falls on a person and he does not know if it
was water or urine, he need not inquire about it. If he does
inquire, the one who is asked need not answer him even if he
knows that the liquid is impure. In that case, the person need
not wash his clothes.
If a person finds something moist on his body or clothes at
night, and he does not know what it is, he need not smell it
to discover what it might be. It is related that 'Umar passed
by a gutter (and got wet). 'Umar's companion asked the owner
of the gutter if the water was pure or impure. 'Umar told the
owner not to answer the question, and went on his way.
Clothes that have street mud on them need not be washed.
Reported Kamyal ibn Ziyad, "I saw 'Ali wading through the
mud, after which he entered the mosque and prayed without
washing his legs."
If a person finishes his prayer and sees some impurities on
his clothes or body of which he was not previously aware, or
he was aware of them but forgot about them, or he did not
forget about them but he was not able to remove them, then his
prayer is still valid and he need not repeat it. This opinion
is supported by Allah's statement, "And there is no sin
for you in the mistakes you make unintentionally." (al-Ahzab
5). Many of the companions and those of the following
generation gave this legal verdict.
If a person can not determine what part of his clothes
contain the impurity, he should wash the whole garment. This
is based on the axiom, "If an obligation cannot be
fulfilled except by performing another related act, then that
act also becomes obligatory."
If a person mixes his pure clothes with his impure clothes
(and gets confused between them), he should investigate the
matter and pray once in one of the clothes. This is similar to
the question of the exact direction of the qiblah. It does not
matter if the proportion of pure clothes was large or small.
It is not proper for one to carry something that has
Allah's name upon it (unless he is afraid of losing it or
having it stolen), while he is going to the bathrom. Anas
related that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, had a
ring engraved with Muhammad Rasool-ullah, (Muhammad the
Messenger of Allah), which he would remove when he went to the
bathroom. Ibn Hajr says that this hadith is malul (a type of
weak hadith having a defect) and Abu Dawud says it is m unkar,
(singularly related by people who are not trustworthy). The
first portion of the hadith is authentic, however.
This is especially true in the case of defecation, so
others can not hear noxious sounds or smell bad odors. Said
Jabir, "We were journeying with the Messenger of Allah,
upon whom be peace, and he would only relieve himself when he
was out of sight." (This is related by Ibn Majah.) Abu
Dawud records that, "When he wanted to relieve himself,
he would go where no one could see him." He also related,
"When the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, went
out he would go very far away."
Anas reported that when the Messenger of Allah, upon whom
be peace, entered the privy he would say, "In the name of
Allah. O Allah! I seek refuge in you from male and female
noxious beings (devils)." This is related by "the
group."
One should not respond to a greeting or repeat what the
caller to prayer is saying. He may speak if there is some
necessity (i.e., to guide a blind man who fears he may be
harmed). If he sneezes, he should praise Allah to himself and
simply move his lips (without making a sound). Ibn 'Umar
related that a man passed by the Prophet, upon whom be peace,
and greeted him while he (the Prophet) was urinating. The
Prophet did not return his greeting. (This is related by
"the group," except for al-Bukhari.) Abu Sa'eed
reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be
peace, say, "Isn't it true that Allah detests those who
converse while they relieve themselves?" This was related
by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah.
This hadith seems to support the position that it is
forbidden to talk. Many scholars, however, say that it is only
disliked, not forbidden.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah, upon
whom be peace, said, "When one of you relieves himself,
he should neither face the qiblah nor turn his back on
it." This was related by Ahmad and Muslim.
The prohibition implies that it is only disliked. As Ibn 'Umar
related that he once went to Hafsah's home, where he saw the
Messenger of Allah relieving himself while facing Syria with
his back to the Ka'bah. This is related by "the
group." Some reconciliate these hadith by saying that in
the desert it is forbidden to face or turn one's back on the
Ka'bah, while it is permitted in buildings. Said Marwan al-Asghar,
"I saw 'Umar sitting on his she-camel and facing the
qiblah while urinating. I said, 'O father of 'Abdurahman ...
is this not forbidden?' He said, 'Certainly not ... This has
been prohibited only in open areas. If there is a barricade
(or separator) between you and the qiblah, there is nothing
wrong with it."
This is related by Abu Dawud, Ibn Khuzaimah and al-Hakim.
Its chain is hassan as Ibn Hajr said in Fath al-Bari.
Abu Musa related that the Messenger of Allah came to a low
and soft part of the ground and urinated. He then said,
"When one of you urinates, he should choose the proper
place to do so."
This is related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud. One of its
narrators is unknown, but its meaning is sound.
Qatadah related from 'Abdullah ibn Sarjas who said,
"The Messenger of Allah forbade urination into a
hole." Said Qatadah, "What is disliked about
urinating into a hole?" Said he, "It is the
residence of the jinn."
This hadith is related by Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, Abu Dawud, al-Hakim
and al-Baihaqi. Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn as-Sakin classified it
as sahih.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah, upon
whom be peace, said, "Beware of those acts which cause
others to curse." They asked, "What are those
acts?" He said, "Relieving yourself in the people's
walkways or in their shade." This hadith is related by
Ahmad, Muslim and Abu Dawud.
'Abdullah ibn Mughaffal narrated that the Prophet said,
"None of you should urinate in a bathing place and then
make ablution in the water. The majority of waswas comes from
that." This is related by "the five," but the
statement, "and then make ablution in it" was only
related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud. Jabir said the Prophet forbade
urinating in still as well as running water. (Related by
Ahmad, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.) In Majma az-Zuwaid it states,
"This was related by at-Tabarani, and its narrators are
trustworthy."
If there is a drain in the bathing place, it is permissible
to urinate into it.
If a person can guarantee that no impurities will touch his
clothes, it is permissible to urinate while standing. Said 'Aishah,
"If someone relates to you that the Messenger of Allah
urinated while standing, do not believe him. He only urinated
while sitting." This hadith is related by "the
five," except for Abu Dawud. At-Tirmizhi's comment is,
"It is the best thing related on this point, and it is
the most authentic."
One should not forget that what 'Aishah said is based on
the knowledge that she had. Huzhaifah relates that the
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, went to a public
garbage dump and urinated while standing. Huzhaifah went away,
and the Prophet then called him over. The Prophet made
ablution and wiped over his shoes. This is related by
"the group."
Commenting upon the issue, an-Nawawi says, "To urinate
while sitting is most desirable in my opinion, but to do so
standing is permissible. Both acts are confirmed by the
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace.
To do so, he can use a rock, stone or any other pure
matter. One may use only water to clean the area, or any
combinations of purifying agents. 'Aishah reported that the
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said, "When one
of you goes to relieve himself, he should clean himself with
three stones." (Related by Ahmad, anNasa'i, Abu Dawud and
ad-Daraqutni).
Anas related that the Messenger of Allah would enter the
privy, and that Anas and another boy would carry the water
container and spear for him. The Prophet would clean himself
with water." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
Ibn 'Abbas related that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom
be peace, passed by two graves and said, "They are being
punished. But they are not being punished for a great matter
(on their part). One of them did not clean himself from urine
and the other used to spread slander." (Related by
"the group.")
Anas also related the Prophet as saying, "Purify
yourselves from urine, as most punishment in the grave is due
to it."
'Abdurahman ibn Zaid related that Salman was asked,
"Your Prophet teaches you everything, even how to relieve
yourselves?" Salman said, "Certainly ... He forbade
us from facing the qiblah while doing so, from cleaning
ourselves with our right hand, and from cleaning ourselves
with less than three stones. We also should not use an impure
substance or a bone to clean ourselves." (Related by
Muslim, Abu Dawud, and at-Tirmizhi.)
Hafsah reported, "The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be
peace, reserved his right hand for eating, drinking, putting
on his clothes, taking and giving. He used his left hand for
other actions." (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah,
Ibn Hibban, al-Hakim and al-Baihaqi).
Abu Hurairah said, "When the Messenger of Allah upon
whom be peace, relieved himself, I used to bring him a
container of water. He would cleanse himself, then rub his
hands against the soil." (Related by Abu Dawud,
an-Nasa'i, al-Baihaqi, and Ibn Majah.)
Make sure that he has cleansed himself. If one finds some
dampness in his clothes after so doing, he can content himself
by saying, "That is just water." This is based on
the hadith related by al-Hakim ibn Sufyan or Sufyan ibn
al-Hakim who said, "When the Messenger of Allah, upon
whom be peace, urinated, he would wash and sprinkle (his
penis)." In another narration it states, "I saw the
Messenger of Allah urinate, after which he sprinkled water
over his penis." Ibn 'Umar used to sprinkle his penis
until his underwear became wet.
One should enter the bathroom or a privy with his left
foot, and exit with his right foot, saying: "O Allah! I
seek your forgiveness." 'Aishah related that when the
Messenger of Allah left the bathroom, he would say this
supplication. (Related by "the five," except for
an-Nasa'i.) What 'Aishah stated is the soundest statement on
this topic. It is related through a number of weak chains that
the Prophet, upon whom be peace, used to say, "Praise be
to Allah who made the filth leave me and who has given me
health," and "Praise be to Allah who let me enjoy
it, kept for me its energy and relieved me of its harm."
Allah has chosen certain acts for all of His prophets and
their followers to perform. These acts distinguish them from
the rest of mankind, and are known as sunan al-fitra, (the
acts that correspond to the nature of mankind).
This prevents dirt from getting on one's penis, and also
makes it easy to keep it clean. For women, it involves cutting
the outer portion of the clitoris. Abu Hurairah reported that
the Messenger of Allah said, "Ibrahim circumcised himself
after he was eighty years old." (Related by al-Bukhari.)
Many scholars say that it is obligatory.'� The Shaf'iyyah
maintain that it should be done on the seventh day. Says
ash-Shaukani, "There is nothing that states explicitly
its time or indicates that it is obligatory."
Ibn 'Umar related that the Messenger of Allah said,
"Differ from the polytheists: let your beards
(grow)" and shave your moustache." (Related by
al-Bukhari and Muslim). Abu Hurairah reported that the
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said, "Five
things are part of one's fitra: Shaving the pubic hairs,
circumcision, trimming the moustache, removing the hair under
the arms and trimming the nails." (Related by "the
group.") It does not mention which one would specifically
fulfill the sunnah. One should make sure that his moustache is
not so long that food particles, drink and dirt accumulate in
it. Zaid ibn Arqam related that the Prophet, upon whom be
peace, said "Whoever does not take (off) some of his
moustache is not one of us." (Related by Ahmad, an-Nasa'i
and at-Tirmizhi, who classified it as sahih.) It is preferred
to cut the pubic hairs, pluck out the underarm hairs, cut the
nails and trim the moustache on a weekly basis, a practice
which is most hygenic. If some unnecessary hair is left on the
body for a longer period of time, it may disturb the person.
One may leave this action for forty days, but no longer. Said
Anas, "The time period for us to trim the moustache, cut
the nails, pluck out the underarm hairs and cut the pubic
hairs was forty nights." (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and
others).
This is a feature of dignity. It should not be cut so short
that it appears like a shaved beard, nor should it be left so
long that it becomes untidy. It is also a sign of manhood.
Says al-Bukhari, "Whenever Ibn 'Umar made the hajj or
'umrah, he would hold his beard in his fist and, whatever
exceeded his fist, he would cut off."
Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet, upon whom be peace, as
saying, "Whoever has hair should honor it." (Related
by Abu Dawud.)
Said 'Ata ibn Yasar, "A man came to the Prophet with
unkempt hair and an untidy beard. The Prophet pointed to him,
as if ordering him to straighten his hair and beard. He did so
and returned. Thereupon the Prophet observed, 'Is that not
better than one of you coming with his hair unkempt, as if he
were a devil?"' (Related by Malik.)
Abu Qatadah related that he had a great amount of hair. He
asked the Prophet, "O Messenger of Allah, I have lots of
hair. Should I comb it?" He answered, "Yes ... and
honor it." Abu Qatadah used to oil it twice a day due to
the Prophet's words, "... and honor it."
Cutting one's hair off is permissible, and so is letting it
grow if one honors it. Ibn 'Umar narrated that the Prophet,
upon whom be peace, said, "Shave it all or leave it
all." (Related by Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud and
an-Nasa'i). To shave part of it and leave part of it is
greatly disliked. Nafa' related from Ibn 'Umar that the
Messenger of Allah prohibited qiza'. Nafa' asked, "What
is qiza' ?" He said, "It is to shave off part of the
hair of a youth and to leave part." (AlBukhari and
Muslim.)
This applies to both men and women. 'Amr ibn Shu'aib
related on the authority of his father from his grandfather
that the Prophet said, "Do not pluck the grey hairs as
they are a Muslim's light. Never a Muslim grows grey in Islam
except that Allah writes for him, due to that, a good deed.
And he raises him a degree. And he erases for him, due to
that, one of his sins." (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud,
at-Tirmizhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.) And Anas said, "We
used to hate that a man should pluck out his white hairs from
his head or beard." (Related by Muslim. )
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace,
said, "The Jews and Christians do not dye, so differ from
them." (Related by "the group.") Abu Zharr
reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "The best
thing that one can use to change the color of grey hairs is
henna and katm (a reddish dye)." (Related by "the
five.")
There are some narrations that state that dying is
disliked, but it is obvious that these narrations conflict
with the sunnah and custom. It is related from some of the
companions that it is better not to dye, while others say it
is better to do it. Some used a yellow dye, while others used
henna or katm. Others used saffron, and a group of them used a
black dye. Ibn Hajr mentioned in Fath al-Bari that az-Zuhri
said, "We used black dye if our face was youthful, but if
wrinkles were present and the teeth were gone we would not use
it." Said Jabir, "Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr's father)
was brought to the Prophet during the conquest of Makkah while
his head was "white." The Prophet, upon whom be
peace, said, "Take him to one of his wives and let her
change the color of his hair with something, but she should
avoid (making his hair) black." (Related by "the
group," except for al-Bukhari and at-Tirmizhi). This
dealt with a certain incident, and cannot be generalized.
Furthermore, black would not be proper for someone as old as
Abu Quhafah.
These are pleasing to the soul and beautify the atmosphere.
Anas reported the Messenger of Allah as saying, "Among
the things of this world, I love women and perfume, and the
coolness of my eyes is prayer." (Related by Ahmad and
an-Nasa'i.) Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah
said, "If someone offers perfume, do not reject it, for
it is light to carry and has a sweet scent." (Related by
Muslim, an-Nasa'i and Abu Dawud.) Abu Sa'eed reported that the
Prophet said about musk, "It is the best of
perfumes." (Related by "the group," except for
al-Bukhari and Ibn Majah).
Nafa' narrated that Ibn 'Umar used to burn and inhale a
branch called aluwah that has a nice smell. He also used
camphor. He used to say, "This is the way the Messenger
of Allah inhaled such scents (that is, by burning them.)"
(Related by Muslim and an-Nasa'i.)
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