The shari'ah has divided water into four kinds:
1 Mutlaq water,
2 Used water (for purification),
3 Water mixed with pure elements and
4 Water mixed with impure elements. We shall discuss each of them separately.
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 Messenager 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."
"Leftover water" is what remains in a pot after some has been drunk. There are five
different types of leftover water.
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."
They are two sunan acts. If the hair is only trimmed or pulled out, it will suffice.
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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