For new parents, dealing with diapers and bedwetting is often an everyday occurrence. Amidst the busyness of caring for a little one, Islam provides ease in various aspects of worship, including the matter of purification or thaharah. One of the concessions frequently asked about concerns the urine of baby boys.
Many have heard that cleaning up after a baby boy’s urine is “easier.” But how easy is it? Is wiping with a wet wipe sufficient, or is it necessary to use water?
In this article, we will dissect the original text from the classic fiqh book Al-Iqna’ fi Hall Alfaz Abi Shuja’ to understand what najis mukhaffafah is and how to handle it correctly so that our worship remains valid.
What is Najis Mukhaffafah?
In the fiqh of the Shafi’i school, impurity is divided into three levels: severe (mughallazhah), moderate (mutawassithah), and light (mukhaffafah).
Najis Mukhaffafah is a specific term for the urine of a male infant who has not consumed anything other than breast milk (ASI) and is not yet two years old. Remember, the key lies in the gender, type of intake, and age.
Why is this important? Because the way to purify it is much simpler than ordinary najāsah. This is a form of compassion from Islamic law towards parents who may be overwhelmed with caring for a baby.
Read also: The Definition of Impurity in Language and Terminology
An Examination of the Text of Al-Iqna’ Regarding Minor Impurities
Let us look directly at what the scholars say. Here is a quote from the book Al-Iqna’ (Volume 1, Page 90) along with its explanation.
Original Arabic Text
القَوْل فِي النَّجَاسَة المخففة وإزالتها ثمَّ شرع فِي حكم النَّجَاسَة المخففة فَقَالَ (إِلَّا بَوْل الصَّبِي الَّذِي يَأْكُل الطَّعَام) أَي للتغذي قبل مُضِيّ حَوْلَيْنِ (فَإِنَّهُ يطهر برش المَاء عَلَيْهِ) بِأَن يرش عَلَيْهِ مَا يعمه ويغمره بِلَا سيلان بِخِلَاف الصبية وَالْخُنْثَى لَا بُد فِي بولهما من الْغسْل على الأَصْل ويتحقق بالسيلان
Translation and Meaning
The author explains that this ruling specifically applies to: “Except for the urine of a male infant who has not consumed solid food (for nutritional/satiety purposes) before the age of two years.”
The method of purifying it is explained very clearly: “Then indeed it is purified by sprinkling water over it. That is, by sprinkling water evenly and saturating it without it necessarily flowing.”
Here’s the key point. Unlike washing ordinary dirty clothes where water must flow and be wrung out, in this case, water only needs to be sprinkled until the contaminated area is evenly wet. It is not necessary for water to drip onto the floor.
Conversely, this book also affirms the different treatment for baby girls: “Unlike baby girls and Khuntsa (Hermaphrodite/Intersex), it is obligatory to perform a full bath (al-ghusl) on their urine according to the original ruling, and this is realized by the flow of water.”
Main Requirements to Be Considered “Sufficiently Sprinkled”
Not all urine of baby boys is automatically considered minor impurity. There are guidelines that must be followed as explained in the text above.
1. Must Be a Male Infant
The first absolute requirement is the male gender. If the baby is female or khuntsa (having ambiguous or dual genitalia), then their urine is considered moderately impure (mutawassithah). The method of washing it must be by pouring water over it until the water flows and the smell, color, and taste are gone.
2. Has Not Consumed Supplementary Food
The baby only consumes breast milk. The meaning of “eating food” in the Arabic text above is consuming for the purpose of nutrition or satiety (li at-taghazzi). Therefore, once the baby starts complementary foods (Solids/Complementary Feeding) such as porridge, biscuits, or bananas, the status of their urine changes to ordinary impurity.
So, what about infant formula? The majority of scholars opine that infant formula is considered “food” due to its nature as a nutritional substitute that is satiating. Therefore, the urine of a baby who drinks infant formula must be washed (watered), not merely sprinkled.
3. Under Two Years of Age
The deadline is two Hijri years. If the child is over two years old, even if they are still breastfeeding and unwilling to eat rice, their urine is still considered ordinary impurity that must be washed away.
Exceptions: Tahnik and Medicine are Not Considered Eating
Parents often wonder, “My baby was given syrup medication when they had a fever, does their urine then become mughalazah (major impurity)?”
The good news is that the book Al-Iqna’ provides an exception. The text reads: “Excluded with the limitation ‘for nutrition’ is the process of tahnik with a type of date and consuming a type of medicine for the improvement of the body.”
Therefore, objects that enter a baby’s mouth not for the purpose of satiation, but for other purposes, do not change their impure status.
- Tahnik: Chewing dates and then applying the chewed dates to the baby’s palate.
- Medications: Fever-reducing syrup, vitamin drops, or powdered medicine.
These things do not prevent the permissibility of simply sprinkling water when cleaning up urine.
Why is There a Distinction Between Men and Women?
This is a frequently asked question. Aren’t they both babies? The book Al-Iqna’ cites the reason or hikmah behind this rule based on a hadith of the Prophet SAW.
From Ummu Qais, that she came bringing her young son who had not yet eaten solid food, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) seated him on his lap, then the baby urinated on him. So he asked for water and sprinkled it, but did not wash it. (Reported by Bukhari & Muslim)
The logical explanation mentioned in the book is the factor of interaction and physicality:
- Frequency of Carrying: It was said that male babies at that time were more often taken out and carried by many people. If the clothes had to be washed thoroughly wet (flushed with water) every time they urinated, it would certainly be very troublesome (masyaqqah).
- Characteristics of Urine: It is mentioned that the urine of male infants is thinner (araqqu) than that of female infants. Because it is thinner, it does not adhere too strongly to the fibers of cloth, making it easier to clean with just a splash.
Proper Cleansing Techniques (Step-by-Step)
To avoid any doubt during practice, here are the steps to cleanse najis mukhaffafah on carpets, mattresses, or clothing:
- Remove Impurity: If urine is pooled (e.g., on a ceramic floor), wipe it first with a dry cloth or tissue until dry.
- Take Holy Water: Prepare clean water in a container or scoop.
- Sprinkling or Thin Pouring: Sprinkle water onto the area previously soiled by urine. Ensure the volume of water sprinkled is greater than or at least equal to the area affected by the urine.
- Ensure Thoroughness: The splashing water must reach the entire area that is impure. The terminology in the texts is ya’ummuhu (thoroughly) and yaghmaruhu (to inundate/cover).
- No Need to Rinse Excessively: You do not need to pour water until it floods or wring out the cloth. Allow the water to soak in and cover the impurity, then dry it as usual.
Important Notes Regarding Smell and Color
Must the smell of urine be completely eliminated? In the book Al-Iqna’, it is stated: “And it is obligatory in the process of sprinkling to eliminate the characteristics of impurity (such as smell, color, and taste) as with other impurities.”
Although the method is light (splashing), the target remains the same: cleanliness. However, the smell of a baby’s urine who only consumes breast milk is usually not too pungent and easily removed by simply splashing with water. If after splashing there is still a slight odor that is difficult to remove, according to the opinion of some scholars such as Imam Az-Zarkashi, it is excusable. But the stronger opinion suggests ensuring the impurity is completely removed to have a more peaceful heart during prayer.
Final Words
Understanding the types of impurities, especially najis mukhaffafah, is very helpful for Muslim parents in maintaining the cleanliness of the house and clothes used for prayer. Islam does not make things difficult for its people. By knowing that the urine of a baby boy (specifically breastfed) is sufficient to be sprinkled with water, the daily laundry load can be slightly reduced without reducing the validity of our worship.
So, if a newborn baby wets your clothes just before prayer, don’t panic. Simply take some water, sprinkle it evenly, and you are ready to continue your worship. May this explanation from the book Al-Iqna’ be beneficial for your daily life.
Reference
Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Khaṭīb ash-Shirbīnī, al-Iqnāʿ fī Ḥall Alfāẓ Abī Shujāʿ, ed. Maktab al-Buḥūth wa ad-Dirāsāt (Beirut: Dār al-Fikr, n.d.), 1:90.
