Removing Impurities

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he and a servant of similar age would follow the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he went to relieve himself. They would carry a stick with a pointed end like a spearhead, which he would insert in the ground to hang a covering as a screen for his privacy or as a Sutrah (barrier) for his prayer, and would carry as well a small leather vessel filled with water. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished relieving himself, one of them would hand him the water vessel, and he would cleanse himself with it.

1. A Muslim arranges his cleaning supplies beforehand when relieving himself, to avoid having to move and get dirty afterward.
2. Concealing one's ‘Awrah (private parts) while relieving oneself, so that no one may see it, because looking at ‘Awrah is forbidden. Thus, he (the Prophet) would fix the stick in the ground and drape a covering garment over it as a screen.
3. Teaching Islamic manners to children and raising them upon these values, so they may inherit them.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 42) (152). صحيح مسلم (1/ 227) (271). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لعبد الله البسام (ص40). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (1/ 43). الإفهام في شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن باز (ص84).

Harshness and ignorance are natural habits of the Bedouins because they live in isolation from learning what Allah, the Almighty, revealed unto His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Once, while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was with his Companions in the mosque, a Bedouin entered and urinated in one corner of the mosque assuming it was an open space. His action offended the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), due to the mosque's sanctity. As a result, they rebuked him while he was urinating. Knowing the habits of the Bedouins, however, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who was sent with ease and glad tidings ordered them to stop rebuking him, otherwise he would urinate on a larger spot in the mosque, or make his clothes impure, and to avoid harm had he been interrupted during passing urine. Moreover, he would be more inclined that way to accept the advice of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he advises him. He ordered them to purify the place where he urinated by pouring a bucket of water over it.

تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام للبسام، حققه وعلق عليه وخرج أحاديثه وصنع فهارسه: محمد صبحي بن حسن حلاق، ط10، مكتبة الصحابة، الأمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، 1426 هـ. تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة لأحكام لابن عثيمين، ط1، مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات، 1426هـ. صحيح البخاري، تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، ط1، دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) met Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) on one of the streets of Madīnah. Abu Hurayrah was in a state of Janābah (major ritual impurity). Out of his profound respect for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he disliked sitting with him and conversing while in that state, believing himself to be impure. So he discreetly went away and performed Ghusl (ritual bath), then returned and sat down. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him where he had gone. He informed him of his condition and that he had disliked sitting with him while in a state of impurity from Janābah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) responded with surprise, saying: "Verily, the believer is pure and never becomes impure under any circumstance—whether alive or dead."

1. Janābah only prevents one from praying, touching the Qur’an, and staying in the mosque. It does not prevent sitting with or meeting other Muslims, nor does it render the person impure.
2. The believer is pure, whether alive or dead.
3. Honoring the people of virtue, knowledge, and righteousness—and keeping their company in the best manner.
4. The legitimacy of a follower seeking permission from their leader before departing—for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reproached Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) for leaving without his knowledge. Indeed, seeking permission is a sign of good manners.
5. Saying: Subānallāh (Glory be to Allah) upon astonishment.
6. The permissibility of a person speaking about private matters concerning themselves, when there is a legitimate benefit.
7. The disbeliever is impure, but his impurity is spiritual, stemming from the corruption of his beliefs.
8. An-Nawawi said: "This Hadīth also contains etiquettes, that when a scholar notices something from their student that they fear may contradict correct practice, they should inquire about it, explain the proper way, and clarify the ruling to them, and Allah knows best."

صحيح البخاري (1/ 65) (285). صحيح مسلم (1/ 282) (371). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (1/ 46). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، للبسام (ص61). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (1/ 74).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the one who wants to relieve himself by urinating or defecating from facing the Qiblah and the direction of the Ka‘bah and from turning his back to it by making it behind his back. Rather, he should turn away from that direction towards the east or the west in case his Qiblah is like that of the people of Madīnah. Then, Abu Ayyūb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that when they went to the Levant, they found the lavatories, which were set up for answering the call of nature, built facing the direction of the Ka‘bah. So, they used to divert their bodies from the Qiblah and seek forgiveness from Allah despite that.

1. The rationale behind this is to show veneration and respect for the honorable Ka‘bah.
2. Seeking Allah's forgiveness after coming out of the place of answering the call of nature.
3. The good teaching of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because when he mentioned what is forbidden, he guided to what is permissible.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 88) (394). صحيح مسلم (1/ 224) (264). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، للبسام (ص37). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (1/ 39).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that a vessel be washed seven times if a dog puts its tongue into it. The first of these times should be accompanied by dirt, followed by water, so that it is completely clean from its impurity and harm.

1. The dog's saliva is extremely impure.
2. When a dog licks a vessel, this makes it and the water in it impure.
3. The command to cleanse a utensil with dust and repeat this seven times is only related to the dog's licking, apart from its urine and excrement and anything else it has made dirty.
4. How to wash a pot with dirt: Put water in the pot and add dirt to it, and then wash the pot with this mixture.
5. Apparently, the Hadīth applies to all dogs, including those sanctioned by the Shariah to be acquired, like hunting and guard dogs and those associated with cattle.
6. Soap and potash may not replace dust in this regard, because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) specifically mentioned dust.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 45) (172). صحيح مسلم (1/ 234) (279). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (1/ 14). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، للبسام (ص24).

‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he would frequently experience the discharge of Madhi, which is a thin and sticky whitish fluid that seeps out of the penis upon sexual arousal or before sexual intercourse. He did not know what he should do about it and was too shy to ask the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because he was the husband of Fātimah, daughter of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, he asked Al-Miqdād ibn al-Aswad to ask the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied: He should wash his penis, then, perform ablution.

1. The merit of ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) who was not prevented by shyness from posing the question through an intermediary.
2. Permissibility of delegating someone to seek Fatwa on one's behalf.
3. Permissibility of revealing something personal, about which one feels embarrassed, for the sake of some interest.
4. Madhi is impure and must be washed off the body and the clothes.
5. The discharge of Madhi is among the invalidators of ablution.
6. It is obligatory to wash the penis and the testicles based on another Hadīth.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 62) (269). صحيح مسلم (1/ 247) (303). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (1/ 39). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، للبسام (ص53). خلاصة الكلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص29).

’Umm Qays bint Mihsan (may Allah be pleased with her) brought her son, who had not yet eaten solid food for being too young, to the Prophet (ﷺ). He (ﷺ) seated the boy on his lap, and the boy urinated on the Prophet's garment. Thereupon, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked for some water, sprinkled it over his garment, and did not wash it.

1. The noble character and great humility of the Prophet (ﷺ).
2. Encouragement to show good companionship, humility, and gentleness with children, and to comfort the hearts of adults by honoring their children, seating them on one's lap, and similar acts of kindness.
3. The urine of a male infant is impure, even if he has not yet eaten solid food out of desire for it.
4. The action of the Prophet (ﷺ) is called Nad'h (sprinkling), and it applies specifically to a male infant who has not yet begun eating solid food. As for a female infant, her urine must be washed, even if she is a small infant.
5. The excrement of a male infant who is nourished by his mother's milk must be washed, just like other impurities.
6. Washing requires something additional beyond merely letting the water reach the area.
7. It is preferable to hasten in purifying the place of impurity, both to quickly cleanse oneself from filth and to avoid forgetting it.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 54) (223). صحيح مسلم (1/ 238) (287). الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (1/ 42). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، للبسام (ص55). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (1/ 68).

A Bedouin man got up and started to urinate inside the Prophet’s Mosque. So, the people attacked him with their tongues, not with their hands; i.e. they shouted at him in scorn. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked them to leave him alone, and when the man finished urinating, the Prophet ordered them to pour a bucket of water over the place where he urinated, and explained to them that they were callers to facilitating matters, not to making matters difficult and thus causing people to turn away from guidance.

الجامع المسند الصحيح (صحيح البخاري), تأليف: محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري, تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر, دار طوق النجاة ترقيم محمد فؤاد عبدالباقي, ط 1422. رياض الصالحين-النووي-تعليق وتحقيق: الدكتور ماهر ياسين الفحل الناشر: دار ابن كثير للطباعة والنشر والتوزيع، دمشق - بيروت-الطبعة: الأولى، 1428 هـ - 2007 م. بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين, تأليف: سليم بن عيد الهلالي, دار ابن الجوزي. إرشاد الساري لشرح صحيح البخاري, تأليف: أبو العباس أحمد بن محمد القسطلاني, الناشر: المطبعة الكبرى الأميرية, ط7 عام 1323.