Is the Sweat of a Person in a State of Janābah Impure? Sharʿī Ruling
Written by: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amrpuri
Is the sweat of a person in the state of Janābah (major ritual impurity) considered impure in Islam?
The impurity of a person in the state of Janābah is ḥukmī (ritual) — not physical. Therefore, their body is not physically impure, and consequently, their sweat is not impure either. There is ijmāʿ (consensus) on this matter.
① Ḥaḍrat Ḥudhayfah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Indeed, the believer does not become impure."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 372)
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② It is reported about Ḥaḍrat ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
“While in a state of Janābah, he would sweat in his clothes and then perform Ṣalāh in those same clothes.”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/191 – Chain is Ṣaḥīḥ)
—
③ ʿAṭāʾ ibn Abī Rabāḥ رحمه الله said:
“There is no harm if a person in Janābah or a menstruating woman sweats in her clothes and then prays in them.”
(Sunan al-Dārimī: 1067 – Chain is Ḥasan)
—
④ ʿAlāʾ ibn al-Musayyib رحمه الله said:
“I asked Ḥammād about a menstruating woman who sweats in her clothes — should she wash them?”
He replied: ‘Only the Magians do such a thing.’”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/191 – Chain is Ṣaḥīḥ)
—
⑤ Imām Nawawī رحمه الله (d. 676 AH) wrote:
“Her leftover water and sweat are both pure, and there is consensus on this. Ibn Jarīr رحمه الله transmitted the ijmāʿ of the Muslims on this matter, and the evidences from authentic ḥadīths are clear and well-known.”
(Al-Majmūʿ: 2/543)
Note: The ruling for a menstruating woman and a person in Janābah is the same in this regard.
✔ The sweat of a person in Janābah is not impure.
✔ The body of such a person remains physically pure, even though they are required to perform ghusl before certain acts of worship.
✔ This is affirmed by authentic aḥādīth, statements of the Salaf, and the consensus of scholars.
Written by: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amrpuri❖ Question:
Is the sweat of a person in the state of Janābah (major ritual impurity) considered impure in Islam?
❖ Answer:
The impurity of a person in the state of Janābah is ḥukmī (ritual) — not physical. Therefore, their body is not physically impure, and consequently, their sweat is not impure either. There is ijmāʿ (consensus) on this matter.
✿ Evidences from Ḥadīth and Athār:
① Ḥaḍrat Ḥudhayfah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Indeed, the believer does not become impure."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 372)
—
② It is reported about Ḥaḍrat ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
“While in a state of Janābah, he would sweat in his clothes and then perform Ṣalāh in those same clothes.”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/191 – Chain is Ṣaḥīḥ)
—
③ ʿAṭāʾ ibn Abī Rabāḥ رحمه الله said:
“There is no harm if a person in Janābah or a menstruating woman sweats in her clothes and then prays in them.”
(Sunan al-Dārimī: 1067 – Chain is Ḥasan)
—
④ ʿAlāʾ ibn al-Musayyib رحمه الله said:
“I asked Ḥammād about a menstruating woman who sweats in her clothes — should she wash them?”
He replied: ‘Only the Magians do such a thing.’”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/191 – Chain is Ṣaḥīḥ)
—
⑤ Imām Nawawī رحمه الله (d. 676 AH) wrote:
“Her leftover water and sweat are both pure, and there is consensus on this. Ibn Jarīr رحمه الله transmitted the ijmāʿ of the Muslims on this matter, and the evidences from authentic ḥadīths are clear and well-known.”
(Al-Majmūʿ: 2/543)
Note: The ruling for a menstruating woman and a person in Janābah is the same in this regard.
Conclusion:
✔ The sweat of a person in Janābah is not impure.
✔ The body of such a person remains physically pure, even though they are required to perform ghusl before certain acts of worship.
✔ This is affirmed by authentic aḥādīth, statements of the Salaf, and the consensus of scholars.
