Explanation of Purity
Purity is a condition for prayer. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«لا تقبل صلاة بغير طهور»
“Prayer is not accepted without purity.”
And purity can be attained by two things:
① Water
② Soil if water is not available.
● Rules and Issues Regarding Water:
Water is pure and has the ability to purify. Thus, Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri رضي الله عنه says: It was asked from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: Can we perform ablution with بر بضاعہ? This is a well in which foul-smelling substances are thrown. The Noble Prophet ﷺ said:
«الماء طهور لا ينجسه شي.»
“Water is pure and has the ability to purify other things. Nothing makes it impure.”
↰ Note
بر بضاعہ It was on a slope, and when it rained, the water would wash away all those foul-smelling things and carry them away from the well. This made the water clean. Furthermore, when the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about performing ablution with seawater, he ﷺ said:
«هو الطهور ماء، الحل ميتته.»
“The sea water is pure and purifying, and its dead animals are lawful.”
● When does water become impure?
Water becomes impure in the following cases, and purity cannot be attained from it:
① When the water is limited in quantity and impurity falls into it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«إذا كان الماء قلتين فإنه لا ينجس»
“When water is two qullahs, it does not become impure.”
↰ Benefit
The people of Hijaz called a “Qullah” a type of pot used for storing water. Accordingly, after narrating the Hadith of Qultain, Imam Tirmidhi writes with reference to Muhammad bin Ishaq:
«القلة هي الجرار التى يستسقى فيها»
“A Qullah was a pot in which water was kept for drinking.”
The amount of water in two Qullahs is equivalent to five Miskahs according to current calculations, as Imam Tirmidhi mentioned after narrating the Hadith of Qultain, citing the names of Imam Shafi’i, Ahmad, and Ishaq:
«قالوا يكون نحوا من خمس قرب»
“They said that the quantity of two Qullahs is approximately five Miskahs.”
Allama Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri writes in the explanation of this narration:
«مقدار القلتين قريبا من خمس قرب وذلك نحو خمس مائة رطل»
“The quantity of two Qullahs is approximately five Miskahs of water, which is close to five hundred Ratl.”
Allama Ibn Qudamah also wrote something close to this.
If the water exceeds the mentioned quantity, it will be impure if due to the falling of any impurity, any one of its three characteristics (color, smell, or taste) changes.
There is consensus among the scholars on this issue.
② Water from which a dog drinks becomes impure. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«إذا ولغ الكلب فى إناء أحدكم فلبرقه، ثم ليغسله سبع مرار»
“When a dog licks your utensil, wash it and then wash it seven times.”
● Etiquettes and Issues of Relieving Oneself:
① Go far away for relieving yourself, where no one can see you. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to go far away for relieving himself and sit in concealment so that no one could see him.
↰ Note
In the context of contemporary issues and necessities, bathrooms are used, where a person sits in privacy; this also follows the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, in which it is stated that he used to go far away for relieving himself.
② Sit in a place where the splashes of urine do not fall on your body. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to go to the desert for relieving himself, and he would carry a spear with him.
↰ Note
The spear was taken to soften the ground so that the splashes of urine would not fall on the pure body.
③ Do not sit facing or with your back towards the Qiblah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When you go to relieve yourself, do not face the Qiblah nor turn your back to it.”
④ Avoid relieving oneself on pathways and under shady trees where people gather. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “Avoid two cursed things.” The Companions asked, “What are those two things?” He ﷺ replied: “Relieving oneself in the paths of people and under shady trees.”
⑤ Talking while relieving oneself is prohibited. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “When two people sit to relieve themselves, they should sit apart from each other and not talk, because Allah becomes displeased with that.”
● Supplication when entering the toilet:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to enter the toilet to relieve himself, he would say this supplication:
«اللهم إني أعوذ بك من الخبث والخبائث»
“O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the evil of the male and female jinn.”
● After exiting the toilet, recite this supplication:
It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (RA) that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would exit the toilet, he would recite this supplication:
«غفرانك»
● Issues related to Istinja (cleaning after relieving oneself):
① When water is available, it is sufficient to perform istinja with only water.
Sayyidina Anas bin Malik (RA) says:
«كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يستنجى بالماء»
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform istinja with water.”
② In the absence of water, cleaning with stones or clumps of soil is valid.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade cleaning with less than three stones.
The Prophet ﷺ ordered cleaning with an odd number of stones or clumps of soil.
③ The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ forbade performing istinja (cleaning oneself after relieving oneself) with dung and bones, and similarly forbade doing istinja with the right hand.
④ After performing istinja, it is recommended to touch the ground with the hand. Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه says that once the Prophet ﷺ finished relieving himself, he performed istinja with a vessel of water, then touched his right hand to the ground.
↰ Note
If soap is available, there is no need to touch the ground with the hand.
A Muslim must attain three types of purity for prayer:
⟐ Clean clothes.
⟐ Clean body.
⟐ Clean place of prayer.
Purification of the body is attained by either of two things:
⟐ Ghusl (full ritual bath)
⟐ Wudu (ablution)
● When does Ghusl become obligatory?
Ghusl is performed due to the occurrence of a major ritual impurity, that is, after janabah, menstruation, or the cessation of postpartum bleeding, it becomes obligatory to perform ghusl.
● Ghusl due to Janabah:
Janabah occurs due to two things.
⟐ Sexual intercourse
⟐ Nocturnal emission
● Ghusl due to Sexual Intercourse:
Ghusl becomes obligatory due to sexual intercourse, even if ejaculation does not occur. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«إذا جلس بين شعبها الأربع ثم جهدها فقد وجب عليه الغسل، وإن لم ينزل»
“When a man sits between the four parts of a woman to have intercourse and tries, ghusl becomes obligatory for both of them, even if ejaculation does not occur.”
● Ghusl due to Nocturnal Emission:
⟐ Wet dream is when semen is discharged with sexual excitement while sleeping or awake.
⟐ Wet dreams occur in both men and women, but men experience them more frequently than women.
⟐ Upon seeing signs of wet dream on clothes, one should perform ghusl (ritual bath), even if the wet dream is not remembered.
⟐ If wet dream is felt during sleep but there are no signs of semen on clothes, ghusl is not obligatory. As Sayyida Aisha (RA) states: “The Prophet ﷺ was asked about a person who sees wetness on his clothes but does not remember a wet dream, and he ﷺ said: He should perform ghusl. Then he was asked about a person who feels a wet dream during sleep but does not see wetness on his clothes, and he ﷺ said: He does not have to perform ghusl.”
⟐ The rulings for this ghusl are the same as those for the ghusl after sexual intercourse.
● The ruling on madhiy and wadi:
Mazi: It is the thin fluid that comes out at the time of desire.
Wadi: It is the thick white fluid that is discharged before or after urination; it is a disease commonly known as dribbling.
⟐ One should perform istinja and wudu after the discharge of “Mazi and Wadi”; performing ghusl is not obligatory because of them.
⟐ If this disease occurs in women, it is called leukorrhea in medical terminology. Its ruling is the same.
● Other Ghusls:
After the ghusl of janabah, the circumstances in which ghusl is obligatory, recommended, or mustahabb are mentioned.
● Ghusl for accepting Islam:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Qais bin Asim (RA) that when he embraced Islam, the Prophet ﷺ ordered him to perform ghusl with water and berry leaves.
● Ghusl of the one who washes the deceased:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Whoever washes the deceased should also perform ghusl (ritual purification) himself.
And Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (RA) states: We used to wash the deceased; some of us would perform ghusl and some would not.
↰ Note
It is permissible not to perform ghusl after washing the deceased, but performing ghusl is preferable.
● Ghusl for Friday Prayer:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
«إذا جاء أحدكم الجمعة فليغتسل»
“When any one of you comes for Friday prayer, he should perform ghusl.”
Due to necessity, if a person performs only wudu instead of ghusl, it is also permissible. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«من توضأ فبها ونعمت ، ومن اغتسل فهو أفضل»
“Whoever performs wudu on the day of Jumu’ah, it is correct and good, and whoever performs ghusl, it is better.”
● Ghusl on the days of Eidain:
Imam Nafi’ (RA) says that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (RA) used to perform ghusl on the day of Eid al-Fitr.
Sayyiduna Ali (RA) says: One should perform ghusl on the days of Jumu’ah, Arafah, Qurbani, and Eid al-Fitr.
● Ghusl for Ihram:
Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thabit (RA) says:
«أنه رأى النبى تجرد لا هلاله واغتسل»
“Indeed, I saw the Prophet ﷺ performing ghusl before putting on the Ihram.”
● Ghusl before entering Makkah:
Imam Nafi’ (may Allah be pleased with him) says: “Our master Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to spend the night in the valley of Dhi Tuwa before entering Makkah until he performed the Fajr prayer and took a bath, then he would enter Makkah during the daytime, and he said: ‘The Noble Prophet ﷺ used to do the same.'”
● Method of obligatory ghusl:
Sayyida Maimunah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that when the Beloved Messenger ﷺ intended to perform ghusl, he first washed both hands, then washed the private parts, then washed the left hand with which he washed the private parts, rubbed it on the ground, and then washed it again. Then he rinsed his mouth and put water into his nose, then washed his face, then washed his hands up to the elbows, then poured water over his head and reached the roots of the hair. He poured water over his head three times, then poured water over the entire body, then moved away from the place where he performed ghusl and washed his feet.
● Ghusl of a woman:
A woman’s ghusl (ritual bath) is the same as that of a man, except that if she is performing the purification bath after menstruation, she should leave her hair open, whereas opening the hair is not necessary otherwise. Umm al-Mu’minin Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she said: O Messenger of Allah! I tie my hair very tightly; should I untie it for the ghusl of janabah (major ritual impurity)? And in one narration, the ghusl for both janabah and purification from menstruation is mentioned. The Prophet ﷺ replied: No! It is sufficient for you to pour water over your head three times.
● Explanation of Menstruation and Postpartum Bleeding:
⟐ Menstruation is the darkish blood that comes to adult women every month, usually lasting from three to seven days.
⟐ Postpartum bleeding (Nifas) is the blood that flows after the birth of a child. According to the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ and the great Followers (Tabi‘in), the maximum duration of postpartum bleeding is forty days.
⟐ A ritual bath (Ghusl) becomes obligatory after menstruation and postpartum bleeding. It should be performed when the bleeding stops. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«فإذا أقبلت الحيضة فدعى الصلاة، وإذا أدبرت فاغتسلي وصلى.»
“When menstruation begins, leave the prayer. And when it ends, perform Ghusl and pray.”
● Prohibited acts during menstruation and postpartum bleeding:
The following four acts are prohibited during menstruation and postpartum bleeding:
⟐ Performing prayer.
⟐ Fasting.
⟐ Sexual intercourse.
⟐ Circumambulation (Tawaf).
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“When a woman is menstruating, she neither prays nor fasts.”
⟐ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Lady Aisha رضي الله عنها: “Do not perform Tawaf until you become pure.”
Allah Almighty says:
فَاعْتَزِلُوا النِّسَاءَ فِي الْمَحِيضِ
“Keep away from women during menstruation.”
● Essential Issues Regarding Menstruation and Postpartum Bleeding:
⟐ A woman who is menstruating or in postpartum bleeding can perform all other acts. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«إن المؤمن لا ينجس.»
“Indeed, a believer is not impure.”
⟐ The missed obligatory fasts and obligatory Tawaf must be made up, but the missed prayers are not made up. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Lady Aisha رضي الله عنها:
«أن لا تطوفى بالبيت حتى تطهرى»
“Do not perform Tawaf until you become pure.”
A woman named Mu’adhah رضي الله عنها asked Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها, what is the reason that a menstruating woman makes up the fasts but not the prayers? Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها said: “During the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when we used to have menstruation, we were commanded to make up the fasts but were not commanded to make up the prayers.”
⟐ When the blood of menstruation or postpartum bleeding ends, all restrictions end and prayer and fasting become obligatory. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When menstruation begins, leave the prayer, and when it ends, perform ghusl and pray.”
● Can a menstruating woman recite the Holy Quran?
Sheikh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“It is permissible for women who are menstruating or in postnatal bleeding to read books containing supplications during Hajj, and according to the correct Islamic school of thought, such women can also recite the Quran without touching it. There is no authentic and explicit text that prohibits such women from reciting the Holy Quran. The hadith narrated from Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding this matter is only about a person in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah), stating that he should not recite the Quran while in that state.”
As for a woman who is menstruating or in postnatal bleeding, the following narration from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported:
«لا تقرأ الحائض ولا الجنب شيئا فى القرآن.»
“A menstruating or postnatal bleeding woman should not recite anything from the Quran.”
However, this hadith is weak because Ismail bin Iyash narrated it from the people of Hijaz, and his narration from the people of Hijaz is considered weak.
However, a menstruating woman can recite the Quran verbally without touching it. As for a person in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah), it is not permissible for them to touch the Quran or recite it verbally. The difference between the two is that the period of janabah is short. Therefore, it is possible for a janabah person to perform ghusl immediately after finishing, as the duration is not long; they can perform ghusl whenever they want. If they are unable to use water, they can perform tayammum and pray, and they can also recite the Quran. But for a menstruating or postpartum woman, this is not possible because the matter is not in their control but in Allah’s control. The duration of menstruation and postpartum bleeding lasts several days. Therefore, reciting the Quran has been permitted for them so that they do not forget it and do not miss out on the reward of reciting the words. Since it is permissible for them to recite the Book of Allah and learn the Shariah rulings from it, it is even more permissible to read books containing supplications based on the Quran and Hadith. This opinion is the most correct among the statements of knowledgeable scholars.
Allama Nawawi states: “Tasbeeh, Tahmeed, Takbeer, and other supplications and remembrances are permissible for a junub (one in a state of major ritual impurity) after intercourse.”
Sayyida Aisha (RA) narrates: I became menstruating during the days of Hajj, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Except for the Tawaf of the Kaaba, do everything else that a pilgrim does.”
Sayyida Umm Atiyah (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed menstruating women to go to the Eid gathering on the day of Eid so that they could say Takbeers along with the people and supplicate with their prayers, but not perform the prayer.
● The Issue of Istihada Blood:
Istihada blood is the blood that flows after the usual days of menstruation, which is brownish or yellowish in color. It is considered a medical condition.
● Important Issues Regarding Istihada:
⟐ A woman with istihadah (prolonged bleeding) is like a pure woman. After the days of menstruation, she should perform ghusl (ritual bath) and start praying. It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (RA) that Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh (RA) came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: O Messenger of Allah! I have istihadah blood and I do not become pure because of this blood of istihadah. Should I stop praying? He ﷺ said: No, the blood of istihadah flows from an internal vein and it is not menstrual blood. So when you have menstrual blood, stop praying, and when the menstrual blood stops and the istihadah blood starts, wash the blood of istihadah and pray.
⟐ A woman with istihadah should clean the blood at the time of every prayer and perform wudu (ablution). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to a woman with istihadah, Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh (RA):
«توفني لكل صلوة.»
“Perform wudu for every prayer.”
⟐A menstruating woman should clean the blood and perform ablution at the time of every prayer.
⟐If a menstruating woman wishes to perform one ghusl for two prayers, she should combine the two prayers, meaning she should delay Zuhr and advance Asr, similarly delay Maghrib and advance Isha to combine them, and perform the Fajr prayer separately.
● Arrangement of Miswak:
Among the emphasized blessed Sunnahs is to remove bad breath and keep the teeth clean with miswak, and this is established from the Prophet ﷺ. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If I did not consider it difficult for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to delay the Isha prayer and to use miswak before every prayer.”
Sayyiduna Hudhaifah (RA) says: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would get up for Tahajjud at night, he would use a miswak.”
● Miswak as a Means to Attain the Pleasure of Allah:
“Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyidah Aisha Siddiqah (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Miswak is a cause of purification for the mouth and a means to attain the pleasure of Allah.'”
