The Demand for Evidence by Ahl-e-Haq and the Issue of Urine of Halal Animals
Ahl-e-Haq always present their arguments with evidence and also demand evidence for others’ statements. However, there are some people who include every kind of statement in their books without investigation, even if it involves disrespecting the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them). There is no explicit evidence from Deobandi scholars declaring the urine of halal animals as impure, which is discussed below.
Statement of Sheikh Anwar Shah Kashmiri
Mr. Yousuf Banuri has cited Sheikh Anwar Shah Kashmiri where he narrates a story under a hadith that the Holy Prophet ﷺ, after the burial of a pious companion, asked his wife about his deeds. The wife said that he used to graze goats and did not avoid urine. The Prophet ﷺ said to avoid urine because most of the punishment in the grave is due to this reason. Kashmiri Sahib did not accept this story and said that if this is proven, it would become a decisive argument.
Statement of Muhammad Taqi Usmani
Muhammad Taqi Usmani, citing a hadith, said that Hazrat Gangohi mentioned regarding the companion who grazed livestock that he did not avoid urine. Usmani says that he did not find this incident in any book, but if it is proven, it holds the status of a clear text in this matter.
Statement of Zafar Ahmad Thanvi
Zafar Ahmad Thanvi wrote that he did not find this incident in Mustadrak, and perhaps Imam Hakim quoted it in some other book.
The Hadith of Jalalah and Its Meaning
Taqi Usmani Sahib cited the hadith of Jalalah, where the Prophet ﷺ forbade eating the meat and drinking the milk of Jalalah (animals that eat filth). Taqi Usmani Sahib deduces from this hadith that the urine and dung of halal animals are also impure. However, Jalalah refers to an animal that eats impurity and develops a foul odor in its body. Imam Nawawi states that if the animal does not emit a bad smell, it will not be called Jalalah.
Ibn Hazm’s Criticism
Ibn Hazm has strongly criticized Abu Hanifa’s stance, where he said that declaring the urine of halal animals as impure is illogical and has no basis in the Quran and Hadith. According to Ibn Hazm, declaring all urine as impure and then not considering the urine of some animals impure is contradictory.
Review of the Traditions of the Companions
It cannot be proven from the traditions related to the Companions that the urine of halal animals was considered impure. For example, the Hadith of the punishment of the grave in Sahih Bukhari specifically concerns human urine, not the urine of halal animals.
The Tradition of Līd in Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah
In Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, there is a tradition in which Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ declared the līd (urine) of a donkey to be impure.
Explanation of Urine and Impurity in Hanafi Fiqh
It is written in Hanafi Fiqh that if an impurity equal to the size of a dirham is on the cloth, the prayer is valid, and the urine of halal animals is not considered impure unless it is in a large quantity.
Conclusion
There is no strong evidence from Deobandi and Hanafi scholars to declare the urine of halal animals as impure. The hadiths of the Companions and Muhaddithin clearly mention the purity of the urine of halal animals, as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed in the goat pens without indicating any impurity there.
