Major and minor ritual impurity

Sheikh `Abdur-Rahman As-Sa`d said in Manhaj As-Salikin: "The one inflicted by a minor impurity should not perform Salah, circumambulate the Ka`bah, and should not touch the Mushaf. As for those inflicted by major ritual impurity, add to the mentioned the following: He should not recite any portion of the Qur'an, and should not stay in the masjid without performing ablution. As for the menstruating and women of post childbirth blood, they should not fast, should not engage in sexual intercourse, and should not be divorced during her period.

Explanation:

Ritual impurity is divided into two categories:

1- Minor ritual impurity which requires ablution.

2- Major ritual impurity which requires Ghusl (full ritual bath).

First, whomever inflicted by a minor impurity should avoid the following:

1- Salah because of the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah does not accept prayer of anyone of you if he does Hadath (passes wind) till he performs the ablution (anew)."[1]

[2] Touching Mushaf[2] because of the Hadith of `Abdullah ibn Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) it was written in the book which the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent to `Amr ibn Hazm: "None should touch the Qur'an but while he is pure."[3]

3- Circumambulation:

According to the view of the author, a person should not perform Tawaf except after performing ablution.

However, the preponderant view is:

Performing ablution for Tawaf is a Sunnah not an obligation, consequently, it is permissible for those who want to perform Tawaf to perform it without performing ablution because there is no proof to the obligation of performing ablution for Tawaf.

Shaykh-ul-Islam (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said in his book Al Fatwa: "Those who obligated ablution before Tawaf have no proof, for none has reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) an authentic or even a weak chain of transmission on the obligation of ablution, but it was authentically proven in authentic Sunnah that when he had circumambulated, he performed ablution, and this is not a proof to the obligation.[4]

Second, those inflicted by a major ritual impurity should avoid the following:

1- Reciting the Glorious Qur'an: Whoever inflicted by Janabah (major ritual impurity related to sexual discharge) should not recite any portion of the Qur'an until he performs Ghusl.

The proof to that is the Hadith reported in Sunan Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhy "that nothing prevented the Prophet (peace be upon him) from the recitation of the Qur'an but Janabah."[5]

It was said: Reciting the Glorious Qur'an for a Junub (a person in the state of major ritual impurity) is permissible because there is no proof to the obligation of being pure. As for the previous Hadith, it narrates the action of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and action does not indicate obligation but desirability.

2- Staying in a masjid without ablution: It is not permissible for a Junub to stay in the masjid but after performing ablution, then he may sit in the masjid since impurity is reduced by ablution.

3- Performing Salah and fasting for menstruating and women of post-childbirth blood

due to the Hadith of Abu Sa`id Al Khudy (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Is not it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?" [6]

However, they should compensate the missed days unlike the missed Salah.

4- It is not permissible for menstruating and women of post-childbirth blood to engage in sexual intercourse because of Allah's Saying: "Therefore keep away from women during menses." [Surat Al Baqarah: 222].

As for the divorce of a menstruating woman, it is an innovation, but shall be effective according to the majority of scholars.

Case: Anyone performs dry ablution due to the non-existence of water then finds water thereafter shall have the following cases:

First, to find water before he starts Salah, and that invalidates his dray ablution according to the consensus of scholars.

Second, to find water during Salah, which is controversial among scholars, but the preponderant view is:

His dry ablution shall be nullified, so he has to interrupt his Salah, perform ablution then start Salah because of Allah's Saying: "and you find no water." And this person has found water. And the Hadith of Abu Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Clean earth is a means for ablution for a Muslim, even for ten years (he does not find water); but when you find water, you should make it touch your skin, for that is better."[7]

Third, to find water after Salah, and this does not invalidate his dry ablution; and all of them should not repeat their Salah according to the consensus of scholars.

Taken from Bidayt Al Mutafaqqihin Fi Sharh Minhaj As-Salikin (The book of purification).

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[1] Reported by Al Bukhari No. (6954) and reported by Muslim No. 225 .

[2] The meaning of touching the Qur'an is to hold it without barrier, but if he or she turns the pages with a barrier such as a stick or a pen, or wearing gloves, there is no harm .

[3] Reported by An-Nasa'y (8 /75) and Ibn Hibban No. (6559) and Al Albany graded it as authentic .

[4] See Al Fatwa (12 /273).

[5] Reported by Abu Dawud No. 229, and reported by At-Tirmidhy No. 146 .

[6] Reported by Al Bukhari No. (304) and reported by Muslim No. 80 .

[7] Reported by Imam Ahmad No. (21305) reported by Abu Dawud No. (332), and was also reported by At-Tirmidhy No. (124).