Water is the purification tool we know best. Yet in Shafi’i fiqh there is also soil for tayammum, stones for istinja, and tanning agents for the hide of carrion. The question is this: if the general purifier is only water, what is the standing of these three? This article answers from Asna al-Mathalib by Shaykh … Read more
Blood on the body, clothing, prayer garments, bedding, or a mattress can raise three different questions: is blood impure, is it excused, and does it invalidate wudu? These questions must not be merged. Blood may be legally impure, while a small trace can still be excused in prayer. Likewise, contact with blood does not automatically … Read more
Human bodily fluids do not all have the same ruling in Shafi‘i fiqh. Some are najis—physical impurities that must be removed from the body, clothes, or prayer place. Others remain pure even though people may regard them as unpleasant. Each case should be read through three questions: Is the fluid najis? Does its discharge invalidate … Read more
Queefing is the term commonly used for air leaving a woman’s private part. It may also be called vaginal air, air from the front, or simply a sound from the vagina that resembles passing gas. So, does queefing break wudu? In the Shafi’i school, yes—when a woman is certain that air has actually exited through … Read more
Direct answer: in the Shāfiʿī school, human semen is pure, not impure (najis). So the answer to “is semen impure?”, “is semen najis?”, or “is sperm impure?” is no—provided that the fluid is actually semen and has not come into contact with another impurity. This article addresses the legal status of semen as a substance … Read more
This article explains the Shafi’i ruling on dogs in the chapter of ritual purity. Its focus is the legal status of dogs as najis mughallazhah—major impurity—what may transfer impurity, and how an affected object is purified. It does not attempt to cover every question about keeping dogs, hunting with dogs, or guard dogs. Those subjects … Read more
Najis mutawassithah, often written as najis mutawasitah, refers to a moderate impurity. Its classification falls between a light impurity (najis mukhaffafah) and a heavy (or severe) impurity (najis mughallazhah). The primary discussion revolves not only around its “moderate” status but also its physical state. Najis mutawassithah is divided into two categories: najis ‘ainiyah, which still … Read more
Water is used for ablution, ritual bathing, and removing impurity. Yet water is not judged only by how clear it looks. In Shafi’i fiqh, its ruling depends on its original state, contact with impurity, changes in its qualities, and its amount. This article explains impure water, commonly called mutanajjis water, according to Shafi’i fiqh. It … Read more
Sun-heated water, known in classical fiqh as mushammas water or al-mā’ al-mushammas, is water warmed by direct sunlight. In Shafi‘i fiqh, it remains pure and purifying, but its use on the body can be disliked when specific conditions are present. This topic often raises practical questions. Can sun-heated water be used for wudu? Is water … Read more
Thaharah means purification according to Islamic law. It is not merely physical cleanliness, a pleasant smell, or tidy clothing. In fiqh, thaharah is the state of ritual purity needed for acts of worship, especially prayer. The scriptural proofs of thaharah come from the Qur’an and the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ. These proofs explain wudu, … Read more