Impurities and Their Rulings

Definition

Lexically, impurities or al-najaasah means something filthy. Something becomes   impure when it is tarnished by something filthy.

In  the terminology  of Islamic  law, impurity  refers  to a specific   amount   of  particular substances,  such as urine,  blood and  alcohol, whose presence  prohibits  one from being  able to perform  the prayer.

The Types of Impurities

There   are two types of impurities.  One is something that   is impure due to its essence and the second is impure with respect to its ruling.  The first category includes those articles that are impure   in and of themselves such that they cannot be made   pure, such as dogs and pigs. The second category covers those   things that are impure due to an impure substance coming upon something otherwise pure.

The Categories of Impurities

Impurities   can  be  divided   into  three  categories: (1) those substances  concerning  which there  is agreement  that they are impure; (2)  those  substances  concerning  which  there is a disagreement   that  they  are  impure;    and (3) those  substances that are pardoned  or overlooked  by Islamic  law.

(1)  Agreed Upon Impurities

(1)  Carrion of all land animals [except for locusts]. Dead sea-animals are considered pure and permissible to eat.

(2)  Blood that has been poured forth, that is the blood that pours forth from a land animal when it is slaughtered.

(3) Pig flesh [and other parts of the pig].

(4) Human urine.

(5) Human feces.

(6) Seminal fluid.

(7)  AI-wadi [an uncommon white substance that flows from the male private part due to a medical condition].

(8)  Meat from an animal that one is not allowed to consume.

(9)  [Flesh or bones] cut off from   a live animal. For example,    if one were to cut off the foreleg of a live sheep, that foreleg would be considered impure.

(10) Menstrual blood.

(11) Post-partum blood.

(12)  Blood   from   a prolonged flow from the woman's private part.

(13) Al-madhi or prostatic fluid which is a fluid that flows out of the sexual parts due to sexual stimulation.

(2)  Impurities Concerning Which There Is Some Disagreement

(1) The urine of an animal that one is permitted to eat.

(2) The feces of an animal that one is permitted to eat.

(3) Sperm.

(4) Dog's saliva,

(5) Vomit.

(6) Dead animals that do not have flowing blood, such as ants, cockroaches, fleas and so forth.

(3) Impurities Pardoned by the Shari’ah

(1) Mud found in the streets.

(2) Small amounts of blood.

(3) Pus from a human or from an animal one is permitted to eat.

The Manner of Purifying (or Removing) Impurities

Impurities are purified [or removed] by washing, moistening, scrubbing or wiping, as follows:

The purification of clothing having impurities: If the impurity has some  body or weight to it, it is to be rubbed and scraped   off and then washed.  If the impurity is wet or moist, then it is to be washed.

The urine of a weaning boy who does not yet eat solid foods needs simply to be moistened.

Impurities on the ground are to be physically removed and then water is poured over any liquid impurity.

Shoes are made pure by rubbing them or walking over pure areas.

Finished or polished items, such as glass, knives, tiles and similar items are cleaned by wiping them.

If a dog licks into a bowl, the bowl is to be washed seven times, one of them being with dirt.