Fiqh of Tahara-1Purification

Taught by : Hacene Chebbani

Chapter One: Al-Miyaah (Types of Water)

• Definition of Tahara: It is the removal of ritual and physical impurities.

• Ritual purity is a condition for the validity of the prayer, thus, every Muslim is enjoined to know how to achieve it and to learn about the different types of water that can be used to perform Tahara.

• Learning Objective: To recognize the types of pure and impure water.

Chapter One-Cont

• Important Statement:“Water was created pure and purifying, it purifies

from ritual impurities (al-hadath) and physical impurities (an-najasaat). Purity can not be attained with a different liquid.”

• Important Terms:1. Ritual Impurity: The state of being not able to

pray due to some nullifiers of Wudu’ or whatever makes Ghusl (ritual Bath) required.

Chapter One-Cont

• Ritual impurity can be divided into two types:– Al-hadath Al-Akbar or Janabah (major impurity)

which requires Ghusl (ritual Bath).– Al-hadath Al-Asghar (minor impurity) which

requires Wudu’.

Water, if available, must be used to remove both impurities. If it is not available , then the only alternative is Tayamum (Dry Ablution).

Chapter One-ContRulings of Water

• There two famous classifications of water.A. Three Types of Water:1. Tahur: Purifier (Pure and purifying)2. Tahir: Pure, but not purifying3. Najis: Impure (Filthy)B. Two types of Water:Tahur and Najis.

Chapter One-cont

• Matters of Agreement:1. Tahur Water: It is called (Mutlaq) plain water. It

includes the water of seas, rivers, lakes, snow, rain, hail, wells and springs.

Some Proofs:1) “... And We sent down from the heaven tahur water”

25/48 (Rain, snow and hail)2) The prophet said about the sea water “Its water is

pure and its dead creatures are permissible to eat” (Ibn Majah/Abu Dawoud/others.)

Chapter One-Cont

3) Narrated Abu Said Alkhudri (r): “It was said: O Messenger of Allah! May we make ablution from the well of Budhaa’ in spite of the fact that menstrual blood, dead dogs and other types of filth are thrown into it ? He (pbuh) said: “ Water is pure and nothing can make it impure” (Abu Dawood/Tirmithi/Nasai’)

Chapter One-Cont

2. Matter of Consensus: Water is still tahur when mixed with things that are usually seen in nature (mud/algae/tree leaves, etc...)Evidence:These things are pure and it is extremely difficult to keep them away from water.The proof here is Ijmaa’ (Consensus).

Chapter One- Cont

• Matters of Disagreement:1. Tahir Water (Pure/not Purifying)

It is clean in itself but can not be used to remove impurities. Does is it really exist?

First Opinion:They said that the tahur water loses its purifying quality if:

A. A pure substance is cooked there in.B. It is mixed with something pure and prevailed upon its

name (It is not called water anymore)C. It is used for ritual purification.

Chapter One-Cont

• Second Opinion:A. When a substance is cooked in water. The latter either

keeps its name with some changes or it loses its name (becomes coffee, tea, soup or chicken broth).In the first case, it is still water that changed when mixed with something pure. Then there is no evidence that this water is not Tahur.In the second case, water became something different, then there is no point in calling it “Tahir Water”.

Chapter One-Cont

• Proofs:1. “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and Maimunah

washed themselves from one (water) container that had a trace of dough in it. “ Reported by Ahmed from Um-Hani’.

2. “...And you find no water, perform Tayammum with clean soil” An-nisa’-43Allah (SWT) did not mention any liquid before soil, indicating that there is no replacement for water when it comes to ritual purity except by dry ablution.

Chapter One- Cont

• B- When water is mixed with something pure and prevailed upon its name (it is not called water anymore). There is no point in calling it a “Tahir Water”

• C- When used in a ritual purification (Used Water) ( Assuming it was collected after dripping from someone who made ritual ablution). This water is still Tahur.

Chapter One-cont

• Proofs:1. There is no evidence in Sharia that this water is

not Tahur.2. “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) wiped his head

with the extra water that was in his hand” Abu Dawood.

3. Water is to be considered Tahur by creation, and we need an acceptable evidence from Sharia to move it from this state and say it is not Tahur.

Chapter One-Cont

• Conclusion:– Water is to be divided into two types only:1. Tahur (Pure and Purifying)2. Najis (Impure)

What a Najis Water?If any quantity of water is mixed with an impure

substance (Najasah), and one of its three qualities is changed (color, taste or odour) , this water becomes najis.

Chapter One- Cont

• Proofs:1. “Verily, nothing makes water impure except

something that prevails over its smell, taste or odour” (Ibn Majah/others) {Weak Hadith}

2. The second proof is Ijama’ (consensus).

Chapter Two: Najasaat (Physical Impurities)

• Important Note:Essentially, all things are considered permissible and pure, so whoever wishes to claim that a particular thing is impure, then he must produce an evidence for it.If he is not able to do so, or he brings a proof that is not acceptable, then we must return to the original state of things.

Chapter Two: Types of Najasaat.

1. Human Urine2. Human Stool3. Al-madhi: It is white, thin, and sticky liquid,

which is emitted at times of sexual arousal. It is different from human sperm (Al-mani).Both men and women have it. It is considered najis. The private organ is to be washed when it occurs and Wudu’ is required. (The hadith of Ali (r) in Bukhari and Muslim).

Types of Najasaat-Cont

4. Al-wadi: It is a thick, white solution which is discharged after urination (by some men).It is najis, and should be treated exactly like urine.

5. The Excrement of animals whose flesh is not permissible to consume. (The hadith of Abdullah ibn Masou’d )

To be Continued Insha’Allah