❖ 8 Essential Shari'ah Rulings on Impurity (Najāsah) in Light of Evidences ❖
Taken from: Fatāwā ad-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Volume 1, Page 326
If impurity is present on one’s clothing or body, and it is confirmed to be considered najāsah in Islamic law, then:
◈ Its removal becomes obligatory.
◈ Excuse is granted only in two situations:
① One is unaware of the impurity
② Or there is a genuine Shar’i or practical excuse in removing it.
Evidence:
﴿ وَثِيابَكَ فَطَهِّر ﴾ – Surah al-Muddaththir, Ayah 4
"And purify your clothes."
This command is general, with no limitation in terms of the amount (small or large) of impurity.
All prophetic narrations related to removing impurity also support this general command, without differentiating between small and large amounts.
Some jurists have proposed:
◈ Najāsah Khafīfah (Light Impurity): Excused up to one-fourth of the garment
◈ Najāsah Ghalīẓah (Heavy Impurity): Excused if up to the size of a dirham
However, such classifications are not supported by:
✔ Qur’ān
✔ Sunnah
✔ Ijmāʿ (consensus)
This ḥadīth is often cited in:
Narrated from Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه), the Prophet ﷺ reportedly said:
“Repeat the prayer if impurity is equal to the size of a dirham.”
Another version states:
“If a dirham-sized amount of blood stains your clothes, wash it and repeat the prayer.”
◈ Rūḥ ibn Ghuṭayf is in the chain—he is a rejected narrator
◈ Imām al-Bukhārī (رحمه الله) declared it false (al-Ḍuʿafāʾ al-ʿUqaylī 2/52)
◈ Ibn al-Jawzī (رحمه الله) included it in al-Mawḍūʿāt (fabricated reports)
◈ Imām al-Suyūṭī (رحمه الله) retained it in al-Laʾālī al-Maṣnūʿah
◈ Imām al-Zaylaʿī quoted Ibn Ḥibbān in Naṣb al-Rāyah (1/212):
“There is no doubt this ḥadīth is fabricated. It’s an invention of the people of Kūfah.”
Another chain of this ḥadīth includes Nūḥ ibn Abī Maryam, who is:
➤ Accused of lying
➤ Declared a liar by Ibn al-Jawzī
It is invalid to restrict najāsah ghalīẓah to the size of a dirham.
Avoiding impurity is obligatory, even if the amount is less than a dirham, because the evidences related to purification are general.
Some scholars divided impurity into two types:
◈ Wine (khamr)
◈ Flowing blood
◈ Flesh of carrion
◈ Urine of animals not permissible for consumption
◈ Dog’s feces
◈ Vomit, etc.
◈ Horse urine
◈ Urine of animals whose meat is lawful
◈ There is no clear evidence from Qur’an or Sunnah supporting this categorization.
◈ There is disagreement even on the impurity of:
➤ Wine (khamr):
◈ Strong opinion: Wine is ḥarām but not impure (Refer to Issue No. 144 for details)
➤ Blood:
◈ Not all types of blood are considered impure
➤ Vomit:
◈ No explicit evidence proves it to be impure (discussed in detail elsewhere)
➤ Urine of horses and lawful animals:
◈ Previously clarified—strong opinion is that it is pure
Every Muslim must:
◈ Base all rulings only on authentic Shar’i evidence
◈ Refer to opinions of classical scholars (a’immah) when backed by clear proof
◈ Avoid blind adherence to the majority or popular opinions without evidence
The truth is: No quantity of impurity—be it small or large—is excused without genuine evidence.
Purification remains obligatory, and believers must adhere to authentic evidence alone.
ھٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
Taken from: Fatāwā ad-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Volume 1, Page 326❀ The Ruling on Presence of Impurity on Clothes or Body
If impurity is present on one’s clothing or body, and it is confirmed to be considered najāsah in Islamic law, then:
◈ Its removal becomes obligatory.
◈ Excuse is granted only in two situations:
① One is unaware of the impurity
② Or there is a genuine Shar’i or practical excuse in removing it.
Evidence:
﴿ وَثِيابَكَ فَطَهِّر ﴾ – Surah al-Muddaththir, Ayah 4
"And purify your clothes."
This command is general, with no limitation in terms of the amount (small or large) of impurity.
All prophetic narrations related to removing impurity also support this general command, without differentiating between small and large amounts.
❖ Refutation of Specified Quantities for Impurity
Some jurists have proposed:
◈ Najāsah Khafīfah (Light Impurity): Excused up to one-fourth of the garment
◈ Najāsah Ghalīẓah (Heavy Impurity): Excused if up to the size of a dirham
However, such classifications are not supported by:
✔ Qur’ān
✔ Sunnah
✔ Ijmāʿ (consensus)
❖ Analysis of the Hadith of “Dirham Size” Impurity
This ḥadīth is often cited in:
- Dāraqutnī (1/401)
- Bayhaqī (2/404)
Narrated from Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه), the Prophet ﷺ reportedly said:
“Repeat the prayer if impurity is equal to the size of a dirham.”
Another version states:
“If a dirham-sized amount of blood stains your clothes, wash it and repeat the prayer.”
❖ Scholarly Evaluation of This Hadith
◈ Rūḥ ibn Ghuṭayf is in the chain—he is a rejected narrator
◈ Imām al-Bukhārī (رحمه الله) declared it false (al-Ḍuʿafāʾ al-ʿUqaylī 2/52)
◈ Ibn al-Jawzī (رحمه الله) included it in al-Mawḍūʿāt (fabricated reports)
◈ Imām al-Suyūṭī (رحمه الله) retained it in al-Laʾālī al-Maṣnūʿah
◈ Imām al-Zaylaʿī quoted Ibn Ḥibbān in Naṣb al-Rāyah (1/212):
“There is no doubt this ḥadīth is fabricated. It’s an invention of the people of Kūfah.”
Another chain of this ḥadīth includes Nūḥ ibn Abī Maryam, who is:
➤ Accused of lying
➤ Declared a liar by Ibn al-Jawzī
Additional References:
- Naṣb al-Rāyah (1/212)
- al-Laʾālī al-Maṣnūʿah by Suyūṭī (1/3)
- Silsilah al-Ḍaʿīfah by al-Albānī (1/180, Ḥadīth no. 148–149)
✔ Conclusion of This Discussion
It is invalid to restrict najāsah ghalīẓah to the size of a dirham.
Avoiding impurity is obligatory, even if the amount is less than a dirham, because the evidences related to purification are general.
❖ Classification of Impurities: Ghalīẓah vs. Khafīfah
Some scholars divided impurity into two types:
Najāsah Ghalīẓah (Heavy Impurity):
◈ Wine (khamr)
◈ Flowing blood
◈ Flesh of carrion
◈ Urine of animals not permissible for consumption
◈ Dog’s feces
◈ Vomit, etc.
Najāsah Khafīfah (Light Impurity):
◈ Horse urine
◈ Urine of animals whose meat is lawful
❖ Shar’i Evaluation of This Division
◈ There is no clear evidence from Qur’an or Sunnah supporting this categorization.
◈ There is disagreement even on the impurity of:
➤ Wine (khamr):
◈ Strong opinion: Wine is ḥarām but not impure (Refer to Issue No. 144 for details)
➤ Blood:
◈ Not all types of blood are considered impure
➤ Vomit:
◈ No explicit evidence proves it to be impure (discussed in detail elsewhere)
➤ Urine of horses and lawful animals:
◈ Previously clarified—strong opinion is that it is pure
✔ Shar’i Principle to Follow
Every Muslim must:
◈ Base all rulings only on authentic Shar’i evidence
◈ Refer to opinions of classical scholars (a’immah) when backed by clear proof
◈ Avoid blind adherence to the majority or popular opinions without evidence
Conclusion
The truth is: No quantity of impurity—be it small or large—is excused without genuine evidence.
Purification remains obligatory, and believers must adhere to authentic evidence alone.
ھٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
