PURIFICATION:Vomiting of a person, urine, and excrement

There is agreement among the scholars that these objects are impure. But, a slight amount of vomit (Commonly understood as a small amount of liquid) and the urine of an unweaned male baby are overlooked and pardoned. It is sufficient just to sprinkle water over the urine of an unweaned male baby. This is based on the hadith of UmmQais. She came to the Messenger of Allah with her unweaned son. After a while, the baby urinated in the Prophet’s lap. The Prophet, upon whom be peace, called for some water, which he sprinkled over his clothes, and did not give them a complete washing. This is related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

‘Ali narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “The urine of a baby boy should have water sprinkled upon it. The urine of a baby girl is to be washed off.” Says Qatadah, “This refers to a male baby that has not yet begun to eat. If he already eats, then the garment is to be washed.”

This hadith is related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmizhi and Ibn Majah. In al-Fath, Ibn Hajr says its chain is sahih.

Sprinkling is sufficient as long as the boy is still nursing. If he eats solid food, his urine must be washed from the clothes and body. There is no disagreement on this latter point. Perhaps the reason for this exemption to the male baby’s urine is that people have a tendency to carry their male babies around, and it would have been difficult to clean the clothes after their frequent urinations.

Al-Wadi

Wadi is a thick white secretion discharged (by some people) after urination. It is considered impure. ‘Aishah said,” Wadi comes out after urination. The person should wash the private parts and perform ablution. It is not necessary to perform ghusl.

 This is related by Ibn al-Munzhir. Ibn’Abbas related that “Mani (sperm) requires ghusl. As for mazhi (semen) and wadi they require a complete purification.” This is related by al-Athram. Al-Baihaqi has it with the wording, “Concerning mazhi (prostatic fluid) and wadi, he said, ‘Wash your sexual organs and perform the same type of ablution as you perform for prayer.”’

Al-Mazhi or prostatic fluid

This is a white sticky fluid that flows from the sexual organs because of thinking about sexual intercourse or foreplay, and so on. The person is usually not aware of when exactly it is secreted. It comes from both the male and the female sexual organs, although the amount from the latter is usually more than the former’s. Scholars are agreed that it is impure. If it gets on the body, it is obligatory to wash it off. If it gets on the clothes, it suffices to sprinkle the area with water, as it is very hard to be completely protected from this impurity, especially for the young, single person. ‘Ali said, “I used to excrete mazhi, so I asked a man to ask the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, about it. I was shy to do so because of my position with respect to his daughter (‘Ali was the Prophet’s son-in-law). He said, ‘Make ablution and wash your penis.” This is related by al-Bukhari and others. Sahl ibn Hanif said, “I used to suffer from excessive amounts of mazhi. I used to make lots of ghusl because of it. So I mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, and he said, ‘It is sufficient to take a handful of water and sprinkle it over your clothes wherever the fluid appears.”

The hadith is related by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmizhi. The latter says, “The hadith is Hassan sahih. In the chain is Muhammad ibn Ishaq, who is considered weak when he relates in mu’an’an (handed-down) form because of his reputation as one who committed Tadlis. But in this narration, he makes it clear that he heard the hadith directly.” Al-Athram narrated the same hadith with the wording, “I was bothered by a great deal of mazhi, so I went to the Prophet, upon whom be peace, and informed him of this. He said ‘It is sufficient for you to take a handful of water and sprinkle it over (the mazhi).”’

Sperm, Al-Mani

Some scholars say that sperm is impure, but apparently it is pure, for it is only recommended to wash it off if it is still wet, and to scratch it off if it is dry. Said ‘Aishah, “I used to scratch the sperm off the Messenger of Allah’s clothes if it was dry, and wash it off if it was still wet.” (This is related by ad-Daraqutni, Abu’Awanah and al-Bazzar). It is also related that Ibn ‘Abbas said, “I asked the Messenger of Allah about sperm on clothes. He said, ‘It is the same as mucus and spittle. It is sufficient to rub the area with a rag or cloth.”’The hadith was related by ad-Daraqutni, al-Baihaqi and at-Tahawi. There is a difference in the narration over whether it should be in marfu’or mauqoof form.

The urine and stools of animals that are permissible to eat

Both of these are considered impure. Ibn Mas’ud related that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, went to answer the call of nature. He asked ‘Abdullahibn Mas’ud to bring three stones. ‘Abdullah said, “I could not find three stones, so I found two stones and animal dung and brought them to him.

He took the two stones and threw away the dung saying, ‘It is impure.”’ The hadith is related by al-Bukhari, Ibn Majah, and Ibn Khuzaimah. In one narration it states, “It is impure.

It is the stool of a donkey.” A little amount of it is pardoned though; as it is very difficult to completely protect one’s self from it. Al-Waleed ibn Muslim says, “I said to al-Auza’i, ‘what about the urine of animals whose meat is not eaten, like the mule, donkey and horse?’ He said that they used to come into contact with these during their battles, and that they did not wash it off their bodies or clothes. As for the urine and stools of animals whose meat is permissible, Malik, Ahmad and a group of the Shaifiyyah says that it is pure. Commenting on the subject, Ibn Taimiyyah says, “None of the companions held that it is impure. In fact, the statement that it is impure is of recent origin and not from the early generations of the companions.”

Said Anas, “A group of people from the tribes of Ukul or ‘Uraina came to Madinah and became ill in their stomach. The Prophet ordered them to get A milking she-camel and drink a mixture of its milk and urine.” This hadith is related by Ahmad, al-Bukhari and Muslim and points to a camel’s urine as being pure. Therefore, by analogy, other permissible animals’ urine may also be considered pure. Says Ibn al-Munzhir, “Those who claim that was permissible only for those people are incorrect. Specification is only confirmed by some specific proof.” He also says, “The scholars permit, without any objection, the sale of sheep’s stools and the use of camel’s urine in their medicine, both in the past and in the present, again without any objection. This shows that they are considered pure.” Says ash-Shaukani, “Apparently, the urine and stools of every living animal permissible to eat is pure.” There is nothing to prove otherwise.

Jallalah

Jallalah refers to an animal that eats the waste or flesh of other animals, such as camels, cows, sheep, chickens, geese, and so on. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah forbade the drinking of such animals’ milk.

This hadith is related by “the five, “except for Ibn Majah.  At-Tirmizhi grades it as shih. In one narration it states, “It is also prohibited to ride upon a Jallalah. (Related by Abu Dawud) ‘Amr ibn Shu’aib related on the authority of his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah prohibited the meat of domestic donkeys. As for the Jallalah, he prohibited riding or eating them.”(Related by Ahamad, an-Nasa’i and Abu Dawud).

 If the Jallalah animal is kept away from the other animals for some time and is given clean food to eat, then it becomes pure and is no longer called jallalah. If this is the case, it becomes permissible to eat, as the reason for its prohibition was the change it underwent due to eating filth, a state which would no longer be present. 

To be continued