Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 1: Purification

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 themseparately.

Volume 1, Page 1a: Mutlaq water

This kind of water is considered pure because of its inherent purityand as such, it can be used by an individual to purify him or herself.It consists of the following categories:

Volume 1, Page 1b: Rain water, snow, and hail

These substances are pure because Allah says so: “And sent downwater 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: AbuHurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, usedto be silent between the (opening) takbir of the prayer and the verbalQur’anic recitation. Abu Hurairah asked him, “O Messenger of Allah, maymy father and mother be sacrificed for you, why do you remain silentbetween the takbir and the recital? What do you say (silently duringthat time)?” He said, “I say, ‘O Allah, make a distance between me andmy sins similar to the distance you have made between the East and theWest. 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 forat-Tirmizhi.

Volume 1, Page 2: Sea water

Sea water’s purity is based on the following hadith: Abu Hurairahrelated that a man asked the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, “OMessenger of Allah, we sail on the ocean and we carry only a littlewater. If we use it for ablution, we will have to go thirsty. May weuse sea water for ablution?” Said the Messenger of Allah, upon whom bepeace, “Its (the sea) water is pure and its dead (animals) are lawful(i.e., they can be eaten without any prescribed slaughtering).” Thishadith is related by “the five.” At-Tirmizhi calls it hassan sahih, andal-Bukhari says it is sahih.

Volume 1, Page 2a: Water from the well of Zamzam

‘Ali narrated that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace,called for a bucket that contained water from the well of Zamzam. Hedrank from the bucket, then made ablution (with its water). This hadithis related by Ahmad.

Volume 1, Page 2b: Altered water

This involves water whose form has been altered because of its beingin a place for a long period of time, or because of the place in whichit is located, or because of its being mixed with a substance thatcannot be completely removed from it (i.e., water mixed with algae,tree leaves, and so on). The scholars agree that this type of waterfalls under the heading of mutlaq water.

The rationale is simple: everything that falls under the general termof water, without any further qualifications, is considered pure, forthe Qur’an says, “…and if you find not water, then go to clean, highground…” (al-Ma’idah 6).

Volume 1, Page 2c: Used water

This category refers to water which drips from the person after heperforms ablution or ghusl. It is considered pure because it was purebefore its use for ablution, and there is no basis to think that it haslost its purity. This statement is supported by the hadith of Rab’ibint Mu’wazh which describes the ablution of the Messenger of Allah.She states, “He wiped his head with (the water) remaining on his handsfrom his ablution.” This hadith is related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud. AbuDawud’s version is, “The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, wipedhis head with the extra water that was in his hand.” Abu Hurairah alsoreported that the Messenger of Allah met him alone in the streets ofMadinah 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 inpost-sex impurity and did not want to sit with you while I was in thatcondition.” The Prophet replied, “Glory be to Allah. The believer doesnot become impure.” This is related by “the group.”

This is based on the rationale that since a believer never becomesimpure, the water he uses for purification also does not become impure.Thus, a pure object touching a pure object cannot result in one’sbecoming 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 aperson forgot to wipe his head while making ablution, it is sufficientfor him to wipe his head with any water remaining in his beard. Ibnal-Munzhir stated that this proves that they took “used water” as pure.This opinion comes from one of the narrations attributed to Malik andash-Shaf’i. Ibn Hazm ascribes it to Sufyan al-Thauri, Abu Thaur, andall scholars of the Zhahiri school of thought.

Volume 1, Page 3: Water mixed with pure elements

This category includes water that has been mixed with substanceslike soap, saffron, flowers, and so on, that is, objects consideredpure by the shari’ah. Such water is considered pure as long as it hasnot been so mixed with other substances that one can no longer call itwater. If this is the case, the water is still considered pure, but itcannot be used for purification. Umm ‘Atiyah narrated that theMessenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, entered her house after thedeath of his daughter Zainab and said, “Wash her three or five or moretimes–if you see fit to do so–with water and dry tree leaves. For thefinal washing, use some kafoor or something from kafoor. When you arefinished, inform me.” She did so, after which he gave the women hisouter 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 liveperson. Ahmad, an-Nasa’i and Ibn Khuzaimah record from Umm Hani thatthe Messenager of Allah and Maimunah washed themselves from one (water)container that had a trace of dough in it. In both of these hadith, wefind that the water was mixed with another substance, but since theother substance was not substantial enough to alter its nature, itremained fit for consumption.

Volume 1, Page 3a: Water mixed with impure elements

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 Ibnal-Munzhir and Ibn al-Mulaqqin, there is a consensus on this point.

-2- The liquid is still considered water, meaning that the impuresubstance has not altered its taste, color or odor. Such water isconsidered pure and may be used for purification. This is based uponthe following hadith: Abu Hurairah reported that a bedouin urinated inthe mosque. The people stood to get him (and stop him). The Prophetsaid, “Leave him and pour a bucket of water or a container of waterover his urine. You have been raised to be easy on the people, not tobe hard on them.” This hadith is narrated by “the group,” except forMuslim.

Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri asked the Prophet, “Can we make ablution from thewell of Buda’ah (i.e., a well in Madinah)?” The Prophet, upon whom bepeace, told him, “Water is pure and nothing makes it impure.”

This hadith is related by Ahmad, ash-Shaf’i, Abu Dawud, anNasa’i andat-Tirmizhi, who classified it as hassan. Ahmad said, “This hadith issahih and Yahya ibn Ma’een and Muhammad ibn Hazm classified it assuch.” This is also the opinion of Ibn ‘Abbas, Abu Hurairah, al-Hassanal-Basri, Ibn al-Musayyab, ‘Ikrimah, Ibn Abu Laila, al-Thauri, Dawudazh-Zhahiri, an-Nakha’i, Malik and others. Says al-Ghazzali, “I wishash-Shaf’i’s opinion was like Malik’s.”

There is also a hadith from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar in which the Messengerof Allah is reported to have said, “If there are at least two bucketsof water, it will not carry any impurity.” This hadith is related bythe “five.” However, this hadith is muzhtarab in its chain of narratorsand text. Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr said in at-Tamheed, “As to the opinion ofash-Shaf’i which is based on this hadith, it is weak on scrutiny and isnot confirmed by historical reports.”

Volume 1, Page 4: Leftover water

“Leftover water” is what remains in a pot after some has been drunk.There are five different types of leftover water.

Volume 1, Page 4a: Water leftover after people havedrunk from the pot

According to the shari’ah, such water is considered pure regardlessof 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 areimpure” (at-Taubah) this is a reference not to their physical state,but to their false beliefs and creed. They may come into contact withdirt or impurities, but this does not mean that their possessions orbodies are impure. In fact, they used to mix with the Muslims. Theiremmissaries and delegations used to visit the Messenger of Allah andenter his mosque. The Prophet, upon whom be peace, did not order thatthe objects they touched be cleansed. As for mensturating women,’Aishah said, “I used to drink (from a container) while I wasmenstruating. I would then pass it to the Messenger of Allah and hewould drink from the same spot where I had put my lips.” (Related byMuslim.)

Volume 1, Page 5: Water left in a container after anallowable animal has drunk from it

Such water is considered pure. Since the animal qualifies forconsumption, its saliva is also pure. Abu Bakr ibn al-Munzhir said,”The scholars are agreed that such water is permissible to drink or usefor ablution.”

Volume 1, Page 5a: Water remaining in a pot after it hasbeen drunk by a donkey, mule, beasts of birds of prey

Such water is also considered pure, based on the hadith of Jabir inwhich the Messenger of Allah was asked about making ablution withdrinking water left by donkeys. The Prophet, upon whom be peace,answered, “Yes, and from the drinking water left by any of the beastsof prey.” This hadith was related by ash-Shaifi, ad-Daraqutni andal-Baihaqi who said, “When its different chains are put together theybecome strong.” It has also been related from Ibn ‘Umar that theMessenger of Allah went out at night while he was on a journey. Hepassed by a man who was sitting by a pond. Said ‘Umar, “Did a beast ofprey drink from your pond tonight?” The Messenger of Allah told him, “Oowner of the pond, do not inform him. It is not necessary, for him (thebeast of prey) is what he carried in his stomach and for us is what heleft, water to be used for drinking and purifying.” This is related byad-Daraqutni. Yahya ibn Sa’eed reported that once ‘Umar was among agroup 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 discoveredyour pond?” ‘Umar said, “Do not inform us, since the people drink afterthe wild beasts and the wild beasts after the people.” This is relatedby Malik in al-Muwatta.

Volume 1, Page 6: Water left in a pot after a cat hasdrunk from it

Such water is also considered pure. This is proven by the hadith ofKabshah 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 ofthe water, and Qatadah proceeded to tilt the container so the cat coulddrink more. Kabshah said, “He noticed that I was watching him.” Heasked, “Are you surprised, O niece?” I answered, “Yes.” He said, “TheMessenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said, ‘It (the cat) is notimpure. They intermingle with you.”‘

Volume 1, Page 6a: Water left in a pot after a pig ordog has drunk from it

Such water is considered impure and must be avoided. Al-Bukhari andMuslim have recorded, on the authority of Abu Hurairah, that themessenger 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 seventimes, the first washing being with dirt.” As for the leftover water ofa pig, it is clearly considered filth and impure.

Volume 1, Page 6b: Types of impurities

Najasah refers to impure substances that the Muslim must avoid andwash off if they should happen to contaminate his clothes, body and soon. 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 ofthe faith.”

Volume 1, Page 6c: Dead animals

This refers to animals which die from “natural causes,” that is,without the proper Islamic way of slaughtering. It also includesanything that is cut off of a live animal. Abu Waqid al-Laithy reportedthat the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said, “What is cut off of a liveanimal is considered dead,” i.e., it is considered like an animal thathas not been properly slaughtered. This is related by Abu Dawud and byat-Tirmizhi, who classifies it as hassan and says that the scholars actaccording to this hadith.

Volume 1, Page 7: Dead animals of the sea and deadlocusts

Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “Two types ofdead animals and two types of blood have been made lawful for us. Thetypes of dead animals are seafood and locusts. The two types of bloodare the (blood of the) liver and the spleen.”

This is related by Ahmad, ash-Shaf’i, al-Baihaqi and adDaraqutni. Thehadith is weak, but Imam Ahmad says that it is authentic in mauqoofform. Abu Zar’ah and Abu Hatim have said the same. Such a report hasthe implication of a marfu’ hadith because a companion saying, “Thiswas allowed for us” or “This was forbidden for us” is like one of themsaying, “We were ordered to do this,” or “We were forbidden to dothis,” and so on. (Such statements are considered marfu’ with respectto their regulations). And we have already mentioned the Prophet’sstatement concerning the ocean, “Its water is pure and its ‘deadanimals’ are allowable (to eat.).”

Volume 1, Page 7a: Dead animals that have no runningblood

(That is) bees, ants, and so on. They are considered pure. If theyfall into some substance and die, the substance will not become impure.Ibn al-Munzhir said, “I do not know of any disagreement concerning thepurity of such water save what has been related from ash-Shaf’i. It iswell-known that he views them as being impure. Nevertheless, it doesnot bother him if the object falling into a substance does not alter it(in any way).”

Volume 1, Page 7b: Bones, horns, claws, fur, feathers,and skin and so on of dead animals

All of these are considered pure. Concerning the bones of deadanimals, az-Zuhri said, “I have met some scholars of the preceedinggenerations who used such objects for combs and pots for oil, and theydid 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 itand 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). Hesaid to her, ‘Only eating it is forbidden.”‘ This is related by thegroup. Ibn Majah attributes the incident to Maimunah and her client.Al-Bukhari and an-Nasa’i do not mention treating the skin. It isreported from Ibn ‘Abbas that he recited: “Say (O Muhammad): “In allthat 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 pouredforth, or swine flesh…” (al-An’am 145). Then he said, “What isforbidden is its meat. As for its skin, skin used for waterskins,teeth, bones, fur and wool, they are permissible.” This is narrated byIbn Munzhir and Ibn Hatim. Similarly, its rennet and milk areconsidered pure. This is supported by the fact that when the companionsconquered Iraq, they ate the cheese of the Magians which was made fromrennet, although their slaughtered animals were considered the same as’dead animals.’ It is confirmed from Salman al-Farsi that when he wasasked about cheese, clarified butter and pelts, he said, “What ispermissible is what Allah made permissible in His book. What isforbidden is what Allah made forbidden in His book. What he omits, Hehas pardoned for you.” It is well-known that he was being asked aboutthe cheese of the Magians, as Salman was ‘Umar’s deputy in Mada’in,Iraq.

Volume 1, Page 8: Blood

This includes blood that pours forth from an animal’s body, such asblood from a slaughtered animal, or from menstruation, except for whatsmall amounts are overlooked. Ibn Juraij said about the Qur’anic verse”…or blood poured forth…” (al-An’am 145), that this is the bloodthat flows out. The blood that does not flow out, but remains in theveins, is permissible. This is related by Ibn al-Munzhir. And it isalso related from Abu Majlizn in his discourse on blood that he wasasked, “What about the blood that remains in the slaughtered sheep orat the top of the cooking pot?” He answered, “There is no problem withit. What is forbidden is the blood that flows out (of the animal at thetime of slaughtering).” This was recorded by ‘Abd ibn Hameed and by Abuash-Shaikh. It is also related from ‘Aishah that she said, “We used toeat the meat when the blood was streaking the pot.” Al-Hassan said,”The Muslims always prayed, even while they were bleeding.” This wasmentioned by al-Bukhari. It is confirmed that ‘Umar prayed while hiswound was bleeding. Elucidating the point, Ibn Hajr says in Fathal-Bari (a commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari): “Abu Hurairah did not seeanything wrong in a drop or two of blood during the prayers. Based onthis report from Abu Hurairah, the blood of a flee or the blood thatcomes from a pimple are to be overlooked. Abu Majlizn was asked aboutpus that gets on the body or the clothes. He said, ‘There is nothingwrong with them. Allah mentions only the blood, not the pus.”‘

Commenting on the subject, Ibn Taimiyyah says, “It is obligatory toclean the clothes from pus, purulent matter or similar fluids.” He alsosays, “There is no proof concerning its impurity.” It is preferred forthe person to avoid contact as much as possible with these substances.

Volume 1, Page 9: Pig’s meat

According to the verse (al-An’am 145) quoted earlier, itemsmentioned therein are impure. The pronoun ‘they’ refers to all three ofthe mentioned items. It is, however, allowed to knit with the hair of apig according to most of the scholars.

Volume 1, Page 9a: Vomiting of a person, urine, andexcrement

There is agreement among the scholars that these objects are impure.But, a slight amount of vomit (commonly understood as a small amount ofliquid) and the urine of an unweaned male baby are overlooked andpardoned. It is sufficient just to sprinkle water over the urine of anunweaned male baby. This is based on the hadith of Umm Qais. She cameto the Messenger of Allah with her unweaned son. After a while, thebaby urinated in the Prophet’s lap. The Prophet, upon whom be peace,called for some water, which he sprinkled over his clothes, and did notgive them a complete washing. This is related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

‘Ali narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “The urine of a babyboy should have water sprinkled upon it. The urine of a baby girl is tobe washed off.” Says Qatadah, “This refers to a male baby that has notyet begun to eat. If he already eats, then the garment is to bewashed.”

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 heeats solid food, his urine must be washed from the clothes and body.There is no disagreement on this latter point. Perhaps the reason forthis exemption to the male baby’s urine is that people have a tendencyto carry their male babies around, and it would have been difficult toclean the clothes after their frequent urinations.

Volume 1, Page 10: Al-Wadi

Wadi is a thick white secretion discharged (by some people) afterurination. It is considered impure. ‘Aishah said, ” Wadi comes outafter urination. The person should wash the private parts and performablution. It is not necessary to perform ghusl. This is related by Ibnal-Munzhir. Ibn ‘Abbas related that “mani (sperm) requires ghusl. Asfor mazhi (semen) and wadi they require a complete purification.” Thisis related by al-Athram. Al-Baihaqi has it with the wording,”Concerning mazhi (prostatic fluid) and wadi, he said, ‘Wash yoursexual organs and perform the same type of ablution as you perform forprayer.”‘

Volume 1, Page 10a: Al-Mazhi or prostatic fluid

This is a white sticky fluid that flows from the sexual organsbecause of thinking about sexual intercourse or foreplay, and so on.The person is usually not aware of when exactly it is secreted. Itcomes from both the male and the female sexual organs, although theamount from the latter is usually more than the former’s. Scholars areagreed that it is impure. If it gets on the body, it is obligatory towash it off. If it gets on the clothes, it suffices to sprinkle thearea with water, as it is very hard to be completely protected fromthis impurity, especially for the young, single person. ‘Ali said, “Iused 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 positionwith respect to his daughter (‘Ali was the Prophet’s son-in-law). Hesaid, ‘Make ablution and wash your penis.” This is related byal-Bukhari and others. Sahl ibn Hanif said, “I used to suffer fromexcessive 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, andhe said, ‘It is sufficient to take a handful of water and sprinkle itover your clothes wherever the fluid appears.”

The hadith is related by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmizhi. Thelatter says, “The hadith is hassan sahih. In the chain is Muhammad ibnIshaq, 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 thisnarration, he makes it clear that he heard the hadith directly.”Al-Athram narrated the same hadith with the wording, “I was bothered bya 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 ahandful of water and sprinkle it over (the mazhi).”‘

Volume 1, Page 11: Sperm, Al-Mani

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 toscratch it off if it is dry. Said ‘Aishah, “I used to scratch the spermoff the Messenger of Allah’s clothes if it was dry, and wash it off ifit was still wet.” (This is related by ad-Daraqutni, Abu ‘Awanah andal-Bazzar). It is also related that Ibn ‘Abbas said, “I asked theMessenger of Allah about sperm on clothes. He said, ‘It is the same asmucus and spittle. It is sufficient to rub the area with a rag orcloth.”‘

The hadith was related by ad-Daraqutni, al-Baihaqi and atTahawi. Thereis a difference in the narration over whether it should be in marfu’ormauqoof form.

Volume 1, Page 11a: The urine and stools of animalsthat are permissible to eat

Both of these are considered impure. Ibn Mas’ud related that theMessenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, went to answer the call ofnature. He asked ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud to bring three stones. ‘Abdullahsaid, “I could not find three stones, so I found two stones and animaldung and brought them to him. He took the two stones and threw away thedung saying, ‘It is impure.”‘

The hadith is related by al-Bukhari, Ibn Majah, and Ibn Khuzaimah. Inone narration it states, “It is impure. It is the stool of a donkey.” Alittle amount of it is pardoned though, as it is very difficult tocompletely protect one’s self from it. Al-Waleed ibn Muslim says, “Isaid to al-Auza’i, ‘What about the urine of animals whose meat is noteaten, like the mule, donkey and horse?’ He said that they used to comeinto contact with these during their battles, and that they did notwash it off their bodies or clothes. As for the urine and stools ofanimals whose meat is permissible, Malik, Ahmad and a group of theShaifiyyah says that it is pure. Commenting on the subject, IbnTaimiyyah says, “None of the companions held that it is impure. Infact, the statement that it is impure is of recent origin and not fromthe early generations of the companions.”

Said Anas, “A group of people from the tribes of Ukul or ‘Uraina cameto Madinah and became ill in their stomach. The Prophet ordered them toget 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 acamel’s urine as being pure. Therefore, by analogy, other permissibleanimals’ urine may also be considered pure. Says Ibn al-Munzhir, “Thosewho claim that that was permissible only for those people areincorrect. Specification is only confirmed by some specific proof.” Healso says, “The scholars permit, without any objection, the sale ofsheep’s stools and the use of camel’s urine in their medicine, both inthe past and in the present, again without any objection. This showsthat they are considered pure.” Says ash-Shaukani, “Apparently, theurine and stools of every living animal permissible to eat is pure.”There is nothing to prove otherwise.

Volume 1, Page 12: Jallalah

Jallalah refers to an animal that eats the waste or flesh of otheranimals, such as camels, cows, sheep, chickens, geese, and so on. Ibn’Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah forbade the drinking ofsuch animals’ milk.

This hadith is related by “the five,” except for Ibn Majah. At-Tirmizhigrades it as sahih. In one narration it states, “It is also prohibitedto ride upon a jallalah. (Related by Abu Dawud.) ‘Amr ibn Shu’aibrelated on the authority of his father, from his grandfather, that theMessenger of Allah prohibited the meat of domestic donkeys. As for thejallalah, he prohibited riding or eating them.” (Related by Ahamad,an-Nasa’i and Abu Dawud.) If the jallalah animal is kept away from theother animals for some time and is given clean food to eat, then itbecomes pure and is no longer called jallalah. If this is the case, itbecomes permissible to eat, as the reason for its prohibition was thechange it underwent due to eating filth, a state which would no longerbe present.

Volume 1, Page 12a: Alcohol

According to most scholars, alcohol is impure. Says Allah in theQur’an, “Alcohol, games of chance, idols and divining arrows are onlyan infamy of Satan’s handiwork.” Some scholars say that it is pure, forthey take the meaning of rajis in its abstract sense as describingalcohol and whatever is related to it. This is not labeled as impure ina definite, sensory way. Says Allah, “Stay away from the impurities ofidols.” Idols are impure in the abstract sense, and they are consideredimpure if one touches them. The explanation of the preceding verse isthat they are a tool of Satan, for they cause enmity and hatred andkeep people away from the remembrance of Allah and pra.yer. In Subulas-Salaam it says, “Their origin is pure and their being prohibiteddoes not mean that the object itself is impure. For example, hashish isprohibited but it is pure. But, something impure is not necessarilyprohibited. Every impure thing is prohibited, but not vice-versa. Thatis because of the ruling that something impure cannot be touched underany circumstances. If a ruling says that something is impure, it isalso prohibited. This differs from a ruling that something isprohibited. For example, it is forbidden to wear silk and gold, butthey are absolutely pure by consensus.” If one understands that, thenthe prohibition of alcohol does not necessarily entail its also beingconsidered impure: it needs some other evidence to prove that it isimpure. If not, then we are left with the original position that it ispure. If one claims other than that, he must substantiate it.

Volume 1, Page 13: Purifying the body and clothes

If the clothes or body are contaminated with impurities, it isobligatory to wash them with water until they are cleansed of theimpurities. This is especially the case if the impurity is visible,such as blood. If there are some stains that remain after washing whichwould be extremely difficult to remove, they can be overlooked. If theimpurity is not visible, such as urine, it is sufficient to wash it onetime. ‘Asma bint Abu Bakr related that a woman came to the Prophet,upon whom be peace, and said, “Our clothes are contaminated withmenstrual 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 isrelated by al-Bukhari and Muslim) If impurities get on the lowerportion 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 theground, even when I walk through places that contain filth. What shouldI do about it?” Umm Salamah answered her, “The Messenger of Allah said,’What comes after it purifies it.”‘ This is related by Ahmad and AbuDawud.

Volume 1, Page 13a: Dogs

Dogs are considered impure. Any container that a dog has licked mustbe washed seven times, the first time with dirt. Abu Hurairah reportedthat the Messenager of Allah, upon whom be peace, said, “Purifying acontainer that a dog has licked is done by washing it seven times, thefirst washing being with dirt (that is, water mixed with dirt until itbecomes muddy).” This was related by Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, andal-Baihaqi. If a dog licks a pot that has dry food in it, what ittouched and what surrounds it must be thrown away. The remainder may bekept, as it is still pure. As for a dog’s fur, it is considered pure.

Volume 1, Page 14: Purifying the ground

If there are impurities on the ground, it is purified by pouringwater over it. This is proven by Abu Hurairah’s hadith, mentionedearlier, about the bedouin who urinated in the mosque. The Prophet,upon whom be peace, said all that needed to be done for purificationwas to pour water over it. Said Abu Qulabah, “The drying of the groundis its purification.” ‘Aishah said, “The purification of the ground isits becoming dry.” (Related by Ibn Abi Shaibah.) This, of course,refers to the case where the impurity is a liquid. If the impurity is asolid, the ground will only become pure by its removal or decay.

Volume 1, Page 14a: Purifying clarified butter andother similar substances

Ibn ‘Abbas relates from Maimunah that the Prophet, upon whom bepeace, was asked about a mouse that fell into a pot of clarifiedbutter. He said, “Take (the mouse) and what is around it out, and throwit away. Then eat (the rest of) your clarified butter.” This is relatedby al-Bukhari.

Commenting on the subject, al-Hafezh Ibn Hajr says, “Ibn ‘Abdul Barrreported that there is agreement that if a dead animal falls into asolid matter, what the dead animal touches and what is around it mustbe thrown away, provided that one can make sure that the animal did nottouch the remainder. As for a liquid substance, there is somedifference of opinion. The majority say that the entire liquid becomesimpure; az-Zuhri, al-Auza’i, and some others disagree with thatopinion.

Volume 1, Page 15: Purifying the skin of dead animals

Tanning purifies the skin and the fur of a dead animal. This isbased on the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas, in which the Prophet said, “If theanimal’s skin is tanned, it is purified.” (Related by al-Bukhari andMuslim.)

Volume 1, Page 15a: Purifying mirrors and similarobjects

Mirrors, knives, swords, nails, bones, glass, painted pots and othersmooth surfaces that have no pores are purified by simply wiping themand removing any impure remains. The companions of the Prophet used topray while wearing swords smeared with blood, and they used to justwipe the swords to purify them.

Volume 1, Page 15b: Purifying shoes

Shoes may be purified by rubbing them against the ground, as long asthe remains of the impurity are removed. Abu Hurairah narrated that theMessenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said, “If one of you stepped insome filth, the dirt will purify his shoes.” Related by Abu Dawud. Inanother narration it states, “If one of you steps in some filth withhis shoes on, the dirt will purify them.” Abu Sa’eed reported theProphet, upon whom be peace, saying, “When a person comes to themosque, he should look at his shoes. If he finds any filth on them, heshould wipe them against the ground and pray in them.” (Related byAhmad and Abu Dawud.) Since shoes are repeatedly exposed to filth, itis sufficient just to wipe them against the ground. This is similar tothe case of defecation. In fact, it is stronger than that case, asdefecation usually occurs only two or three times a day.

Volume 1, Page 15c: Useful points that are greatlyneeded concerning purification

Rope used for hanging clothes with impurities on them may afterwardsbe used for hanging pure clothes.

If a liquid falls on a person and he does not know if it was water orurine, he need not inquire about it. If he does inquire, the one who isasked 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, andhe does not know what it is, he need not smell it to discover what itmight 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 pureor impure. ‘Umar told the owner not to answer the question, and went onhis way.

Clothes that have street mud on them need not be washed. ReportedKamyal ibn Ziyad, “I saw ‘Ali wading through the mud, after which heentered the mosque and prayed without washing his legs.”

If a person finishes his prayer and sees some impurities on his clothesor body of which he was not previously aware, or he was aware of thembut forgot about them, or he did not forget about them but he was notable to remove them, then his prayer is still valid and he need notrepeat it. This opinion is supported by Allah’s statement, “And thereis no sin for you in the mistakes you make unintentionally.” (al-Ahzab5). Many of the companions and those of the following generation gavethis legal verdict.

If a person can not determine what part of his clothes contain theimpurity, he should wash the whole garment. This is based on the axiom,”If an obligation cannot be fulfilled except by performing anotherrelated act, then that act also becomes obligatory.”

If a person mixes his pure clothes with his impure clothes (and getsconfused between them), he should investigate the matter and pray oncein one of the clothes. This is similar to the question of the exactdirection of the qiblah. It does not matter if the proportion of pureclothes was large or small.

Volume 1, Page 16: It is not proper for one to carrysomething that has Allah’s name upon it while he is going to thebathroom

It is not proper for one to carry something that has Allah’s nameupon it (unless he is afraid of losing it or having it stolen), whilehe 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 wentto the bathroom. Ibn Hajr says that this hadith is malul (a type ofweak hadith having a defect) and Abu Dawud says it is m unkar,(singularly related by people who are not trustworthy). The firstportion of the hadith is authentic, however.

Volume 1, Page 17: He should move and hide himself fromothers while going to the bathroom

This is especially true in the case of defecation, so others can nothear noxious sounds or smell bad odors. Said Jabir, “We were journeyingwith the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, and he would onlyrelieve himself when he was out of sight.” (This is related by IbnMajah.) Abu Dawud records that, “When he wanted to relieve himself, hewould go where no one could see him.” He also related, “When theMessenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, went out he would go very faraway.”

Volume 1, Page 17a: One should mention the name ofAllah and seek refuge in Him when entering the privy or removing hisclothes to relieve himself

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 seekrefuge in you from male and female noxious beings (devils).” This isrelated by “the group.”

Volume 1, Page 17b: One should not talk when going tothe bathroom

One should not respond to a greeting or repeat what the caller toprayer is saying. He may speak if there is some necessity (i.e., toguide a blind man who fears he may be harmed). If he sneezes, he shouldpraise Allah to himself and simply move his lips (without making asound). Ibn ‘Umar related that a man passed by the Prophet, upon whombe peace, and greeted him while he (the Prophet) was urinating. TheProphet did not return his greeting. (This is related by “the group,”except for al-Bukhari.) Abu Sa’eed reported that he heard the Messengerof Allah, upon whom be peace, say, “Isn’t it true that Allah deteststhose who converse while they relieve themselves?” This was related byAhmad, 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.

Volume 1, Page 18: One should neither face nor turn hisback on the qiblah while relieving himself

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom bepeace, said, “When one of you relieves himself, he should neither facethe qiblah nor turn his back on it.” This was related by Ahmad andMuslim.

The prohibition implies that it is only disliked. As Ibn ‘Umar relatedthat he once went to Hafsah’s home, where he saw the Messenger of Allahrelieving himself while facing Syria with his back to the Ka’bah. Thisis related by “the group.” Some reconciliate these hadith by sayingthat in the desert it is forbidden to face or turn one’s back on theKa’bah, while it is permitted in buildings. Said Marwan al-Asghar, “Isaw ‘Umar sitting on his she-camel and facing the qiblah whileurinating. I said, ‘O father of ‘Abdurahman … is this not forbidden?’He said, ‘Certainly not … This has been prohibited only in openareas. If there is a barricade (or separator) between you and theqiblah, there is nothing wrong with it.”

This is related by Abu Dawud, Ibn Khuzaimah and al-Hakim. Its chain ishassan as Ibn Hajr said in Fath al-Bari.

Volume 1, Page 18a: One should seek a soft and lowpiece of ground to protect himself from impurities

Abu Musa related that the Messenger of Allah came to a low and softpart of the ground and urinated. He then said, “When one of youurinates, he should choose the proper place to do so.”

This is related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud. One of its narrators isunknown, but its meaning is sound.

Volume 1, Page 18b: One should not use a hole in theground

Qatadah related from ‘Abdullah ibn Sarjas who said, “The Messengerof Allah forbade urination into a hole.” Said Qatadah, “What isdisliked about urinating into a hole?” Said he, “It is the residence ofthe jinn.”

This hadith is related by Ahmad, an-Nasa’i, Abu Dawud, al-Hakim andal-Baihaqi. Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn as-Sakin classified it as sahih.

Volume 1, Page 18c: One should avoid shaded places andthose places where people walk and gather

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom bepeace, said, “Beware of those acts which cause others to curse.” Theyasked, “What are those acts?” He said, “Relieving yourself in thepeople’s walkways or in their shade.” This hadith is related by Ahmad,Muslim and Abu Dawud.

Volume 1, Page 19: One should not urinate in bathingplaces or in still or running water

‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal narrated that the Prophet said, “None of youshould 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 byAhmad and Abu Dawud. Jabir said the Prophet forbade urinating in stillas 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 itsnarrators are trustworthy.”

If there is a drain in the bathing place, it is permissible to urinateinto it.

Volume 1, Page 19a: One may not urinate while standing

If a person can guarantee that no impurities will touch his clothes,it is permissible to urinate while standing. Said ‘Aishah, “If someonerelates to you that the Messenger of Allah urinated while standing, donot believe him. He only urinated while sitting.” This hadith isrelated 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 mostauthentic.”

One should not forget that what ‘Aishah said is based on the knowledgethat she had. Huzhaifah relates that the Messenger of Allah, upon whombe peace, went to a public garbage dump and urinated while standing.Huzhaifah went away, and the Prophet then called him over. The Prophetmade ablution and wiped over his shoes. This is related by “the group.”

Commenting upon the issue, an-Nawawi says, “To urinate while sitting ismost desirable in my opinion, but to do so standing is permissible.Both acts are confirmed by the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace.

Volume 1, Page 19b: One must remove any impurities fromhis clothes and body

To do so, he can use a rock, stone or any other pure matter. One mayuse only water to clean the area, or any combinations of purifyingagents. ‘Aishah reported that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom bepeace, said, “When one of you goes to relieve himself, he should cleanhimself with three stones.” (Related by Ahmad, anNasa’i, Abu Dawud andad-Daraqutni).

Anas related that the Messenger of Allah would enter the privy, andthat Anas and another boy would carry the water container and spear forhim. The Prophet would clean himself with water.” (Related byal-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 arenot being punished for a great matter (on their part). One of them didnot 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.”

Volume 1, Page 20: One should not clean himself with hisright hand

‘Abdurahman ibn Zaid related that Salman was asked, “Your Prophetteaches 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 cleaningourselves with less than three stones. We also should not use an impuresubstance or a bone to clean ourselves.” (Related by Muslim, Abu Dawud,and at-Tirmizhi.)

Hafsah reported, “The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, reservedhis right hand for eating, drinking, putting on his clothes, taking andgiving. He used his left hand for other actions.” (Related by Ahmad,Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, al-Hakim and al-Baihaqi).

Volume 1, Page 20a: One should remove any bad smellfrom his hands after cleaning himself

Abu Hurairah said, “When the Messenger of Allah upon whom be peace,relieved himself, I used to bring him a container of water. He wouldcleanse himself, then rub his hands against the soil.” (Related by AbuDawud, an-Nasa’i, al-Baihaqi, and Ibn Majah.)

Volume 1, Page 20b: One should sprinkle his penis andunderwear with water after urination

Make sure that he has cleansed himself. If one finds some dampnessin his clothes after so doing, he can content himself by saying, “Thatis just water.” This is based on the hadith related by al-Hakim ibnSufyan 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 tosprinkle his penis until his underwear became wet.

Volume 1, Page 20c: Entering the bathroom

One should enter the bathroom or a privy with his left foot, andexit with his right foot, saying: “O Allah! I seek your forgiveness.”‘Aishah related that when the Messenger of Allah left the bathroom, hewould say this supplication. (Related by “the five,” except foran-Nasa’i.) What ‘Aishah stated is the soundest statement on thistopic. 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 filthleave me and who has given me health,” and “Praise be to Allah who letme enjoy it, kept for me its energy and relieved me of its harm.”

Volume 1, Page 21: Acts that correspond to the Nature ofMankind

Allah has chosen certain acts for all of His prophets and theirfollowers to perform. These acts distinguish them from the rest ofmankind, and are known as sunan al-fitra, (the acts that correspond tothe nature of mankind).

Volume 1, Page 21a: Circumcision

This prevents dirt from getting on one’s penis, and also makes iteasy to keep it clean. For women, it involves cutting the outer portionof the clitoris. Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allahsaid, “Ibrahim circumcised himself after he was eighty years old.”(Related by al-Bukhari.) Many scholars say that it isobligatory.’ø The Shaf’iyyah maintain that it should be done onthe seventh day. Says ash-Shaukani, “There is nothing that statesexplicitly its time or indicates that it is obligatory.”

Volume 1, Page 21b: Shaving pubic hairs and pulling outunderarm hairs

They are two sunan acts. If the hair is only trimmed or pulled out,it will suffice.

Volume 1, Page 21c: Clipping one’s fingernails,trimming and shaving his moustache

Ibn ‘Umar related that the Messenger of Allah said, “Differ from thepolytheists: let your beards (grow)” and shave your moustache.”(Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim). Abu Hurairah reported that theMessenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said, “Five things are part ofone’s fitra: Shaving the pubic hairs, circumcision, trimming themoustache, removing the hair under the arms and trimming the nails.”(Related by “the group.”) It does not mention which one wouldspecifically fulfill the sunnah. One should make sure that hismoustache is not so long that food particles, drink and dirt accumulatein 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 ofus.” (Related by Ahmad, an-Nasa’i and at-Tirmizhi, who classified it assahih.) It is preferred to cut the pubic hairs, pluck out the underarmhairs, cut the nails and trim the moustache on a weekly basis, apractice which is most hygenic. If some unnecessary hair is left on thebody for a longer period of time, it may disturb the person. One mayleave this action for forty days, but no longer. Said Anas, “The timeperiod for us to trim the moustache, cut the nails, pluck out theunderarm hairs and cut the pubic hairs was forty nights.” (Related byAhmad, Abu Dawud and others).

Volume 1, Page 22: Letting one’s beard grow and becomethick

This is a feature of dignity. It should not be cut so short that itappears like a shaved beard, nor should it be left so long that itbecomes untidy. It is also a sign of manhood. Says al-Bukhari,”Whenever Ibn ‘Umar made the hajj or ‘umrah, he would hold his beard inhis fist and, whatever exceeded his fist, he would cut off.”

Volume 1, Page 22a: Oiling and combing one’s hair

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 andan untidy beard. The Prophet pointed to him, as if ordering him tostraighten his hair and beard. He did so and returned. Thereupon theProphet observed, ‘Is that not better than one of you coming with hishair unkempt, as if he were a devil?”‘ (Related by Malik.)

Abu Qatadah related that he had a great amount of hair. He asked theProphet, “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 aday due to the Prophet’s words, “… and honor it.”

Cutting one’s hair off is permissible, and so is letting it grow if onehonors it. Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Prophet, upon whom be peace,said, “Shave it all or leave it all.” (Related by Ahmad, Muslim, AbuDawud and an-Nasa’i). To shave part of it and leave part of it isgreatly disliked. Nafa’ related from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger ofAllah prohibited qiza’. Nafa’ asked, “What is qiza’ ?” He said, “It isto shave off part of the hair of a youth and to leave part.” (AlBukhariand Muslim.)

Volume 1, Page 23: Leaving grey hairs in place

This applies to both men and women. ‘Amr ibn Shu’aib related on theauthority of his father from his grandfather that the Prophet said, “Donot pluck the grey hairs as they are a Muslim’s light. Never a Muslimgrows grey in Islam except that Allah writes for him, due to that, agood deed. And he raises him a degree. And he erases for him, due tothat, 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 manshould pluck out his white hairs from his head or beard.” (Related byMuslim. )

Volume 1, Page 23a: Changing the color of grey hair byusing henna, red dye, yellow dye, and so on

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, “Thebest thing that one can use to change the color of grey hairs is hennaand katm (a reddish dye).” (Related by “the five.”)

There are some narrations that state that dying is disliked, but it isobvious that these narrations conflict with the sunnah and custom. Itis 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, whileothers used henna or katm. Others used saffron, and a group of themused a black dye. Ibn Hajr mentioned in Fath al-Bari that az-Zuhrisaid, “We used black dye if our face was youthful, but if wrinkles werepresent and the teeth were gone we would not use it.” Said Jabir, “AbuQuhafah (Abu Bakr’s father) was brought to the Prophet during theconquest of Makkah while his head was “white.” The Prophet, upon whombe peace, said, “Take him to one of his wives and let her change thecolor of his hair with something, but she should avoid (making hishair) black.” (Related by “the group,” except for al-Bukhari andat-Tirmizhi). This dealt with a certain incident, and cannot begeneralized. Furthermore, black would not be proper for someone as oldas Abu Quhafah.

Volume 1, Page 24: To use musk and other types ofperfume

These are pleasing to the soul and beautify the atmosphere. Anasreported the Messenger of Allah as saying, “Among the things of thisworld, I love women and perfume, and the coolness of my eyes isprayer.” (Related by Ahmad and an-Nasa’i.) Abu Hurairah reported thatthe Messenger of Allah said, “If someone offers perfume, do not rejectit, for it is light to carry and has a sweet scent.” (Related byMuslim, an-Nasa’i and Abu Dawud.) Abu Sa’eed reported that the Prophetsaid 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 calledaluwah 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.)