SELECTIONS FROM THE REVITALISATION OF THE SCIENCES OF RELIGION Al-Ghazali’s Ihya’ Ulum al-Din The Mysteries of Purity © 2013 www.Allah.com The Mosque of the Internet Vol. 1 IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MERCIFUL, THE MOST MERCIFUL The Mysteries of Purity Purity has four levels: The first level is purification from ahdath impurity and refuse. The second level is purification of all the senses from sin. The third level is purification of the heart from immorality and odious depravity. The fourth level is purification of the spirit from all others except Allah, the Almighty, it is the purification made by the Prophets and the truthful. Chapter One The Purification from Impurities Examining what is related to that, which is removed, what removes it and the action of removing it Firstly the matter that is removed: Filth. This is of three types, solid, animal and parts of animals. Solid matter is all pure except intoxicants, and anything, which has been brewed or distilled. Animals are all pure except dogs and pigs, and that, which is derived from them. If they are dead they are all impure, except five: the human, fish, locusts, and the worm of the apple, this means that any food whose nature has changed, and types of flies and beetles, etc., which do not contaminate water if it has contact with them. Parts of animals are of two kinds: first what is cut from them, this is classified as dead. Hair does not pollute whether cut off or fallen in death, while bones pollute. The second kind is any liquid matter, which exudes from inside, so whatever is unchanged or has been stored is pure, such as tears, sweat, saliva, sputum. Whatever is stored and changes is impure, except that, which is reproductive material, such as semen and ova. Pus, excrement, and urine are all impure from any kind of animal. The exemption from these impurities, whether great or small, are five: First cleansing by means of a stone after a call of nature, would be sufficient if nothing is passed afterwards. Second is the mud found in the streets and the dust of refuse on the roadways, these are exempt. You should know that if any of these accidentally falls upon your garment then the degree of its impurity is equal to the degree of your attempt to avoid it. The Third is the impure matter, which collects on the soles of your shoes from the roadways, it will be sufficient to rub it off. The Fourth is the blood of fleas whether a great or small amount, except where it is excessive, whether upon your clothes or the clothes of another person, which you wear. The Fifth is the blood of a boil and what comes out from it of pus. Ibn Umar - may Allah be pleased with him - had a boil on his face then he rubbed it so some blood issued from it and he prayed without washing. This means that it is confined to the blood, which is mixed with pus. This also applies to the blood of the menses. The Shariyah’s pardoning the people from these five impurities indicates the facilitation it affords us in everything concerning purity. And whatever has been invented in this regard has no foundation. Secondly: What Removes It: These are either solid or liquid. The solid is for example a stone, this is pure because it has been dried, on condition that it should be solid and completely dry. As for liquid the only liquid, which purifies impurity is water, however not all water, but only pure water, which has not been mixed with other impurities. What makes water impure; is when it has been polluted by any filth, and you would know this from its taste, color or smell. If it has not changed and its amount is equal to two water skins, it is not polluted. The Prophet said: “If the water reaches the amount of two water skins it is not polluted.” If it is less than that then it is polluted, according to Al Shafi’i. As to running water, if it is polluted, then only that part of it, which contains the pollutant is impure. Thus water is only impure from where the impurity runs into it, and not before that point. If the flow of the water is stronger than the flow of the impurity, then whatever is above the impurity is pure but what is below it is impure. No matter the amount, except if the two of them are gathered in one container and the amount is less than two water skins. Thirdly: The Action of Removing It If the impurity was something unseen, it will be sufficient to run water all over it. If it was a visible matter then it must be removed. If the taste is unchanged then the matter is still there, if the color remains, except in that, which is attached to it, it is exempted, after you have rubbed and brushed it with your hand. If the smell remains this indicates that the matter is still there and it cannot be exempted, except if the matter has a powerful smell, which cannot be removed. Rubbing and pressing several times continuously, is similar to rubbing and brushing. The only thing, which removes the whispering doubt from your mind is to be aware that all things are created pure, so whatever you do not see of impurity over if, nor do you know of for certain, then you should pray with it without fear. The existence of impurity cannot be guessed at by presumption. Chapter Two The Purity of Ahdath Ablution (al wudu) Ritual Washing of the Whole Body (al ghusl) Dry Ablution (al tayammum) The procedure of Ablution (al wudu) Begin with the siwak (the splayed end of a twig, toothbrush). The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: “If it had not been for difficulty I would have made it obligatory for my nation to use the siwak before every prayer.” The siwak is preferably used before each prayer, at each ablution and to change the taste of the mouth upon waking or during the fast, or after eating foods, which cause an offensive odor. On finishing with the siwak you should sit down to perform the ablution facing the Qibla, saying ‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful.’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: “There is no ablution for anyone who does not begin with ‘In the Name of Allah.” This means that there is no complete ablution in the absence of mentioning the Name of Allah at the start. And one should also say: “O my Lord, I seek refuge in You from the evil suggestions of the satans. O my Lord, I seek refuge in You lest they attend me.” (Koran Ch. 23 verses 97-98). Then one should wash the hands three times and say, ‘My Lord I seek Your Blessings,’ then one should rinse the mouth three times and the nose by putting water into the nose three times and blowing the water out each time, then one should wash the face three times, then wash the arms three times until the elbow, then wipe the top of your head three times with water, then wash your feet three times up to and including the ankle. You should always start with the right hand and the right foot. When you have finished you should raise your face to heaven and say: “I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and I certify that Muhammad is His worshipper and Messenger, all praise be to Allah: There is no god except You: I have committed sin and been unfair to myself, so I beseech Your forgiveness and I turn to You, so please forgive me, relent toward me, You are the All Relenting, the All Merciful, my Lord, make me of those who turn toward you and make me of those who are purified and of those who are righteous.” The procedure of Ritual Washing of the Whole Body (al ghusl) One should begin by mentioning the Name of Allah, then wash one’s hands three times, then remove from the body all impurities, then one should wash as one would do for prayer (wudu), then wash the whole body under running water from over the head. It is obligatory to perform ghusl after sexual intercourse, and after the menstrual period in women. These are the ordinances of wudu and ghusl for those who seek the path of the Hereafter. The procedure of Dry Ablution (al tayammum) Whoever does not find water because none is available or too far to fetch or if one is prevented from reaching water, or if the amount of water available is needed for his thirsty companions, or the water belongs to another who will not sell any except at an excessive price, or if one is wounded or ill and fearing that the use of water might harm one’s ailment, then you may wait until the time of prayer is due and search for some dry clean dust from a high point, and press both palms of your hands onto the dry pure soft dust and rub your two hands together once, then wipe the face once, and utter the intention to perform wudu, then you should press your hands to the dust again and wipe your right arm until the elbow, then the left until the elbow. Then you may pray the obligatory prayer after, which you may perform any voluntary prayer. But if you are going to join two obligatory prayers together, you should perform another dry ablution after the first prayer. Thus each obligatory prayer must have a dry ablution before it. Chapter Three Cleansing Cleansing from Visible Refuse This is two types: Dirt and Parts The first type is dirt and fluid, these are eight: One: What has infested the head such as lice, the cleansing of it is preferable by washing and combing and the application of ointments, and removing the eggs. Two: What has accumulated in the folds of the ears; wiping will remove only what appears of it, but what is inside the ear should be cleaned gently after leaving the bathroom, if it is done too roughly the hearing may be harmed. Three: What has collected in the nose of solids and liquids should be removed by putting water into the nose and cleaning it by expelling the water out. Four: What has built up on the teeth and on the end of the tongue of plaque, should be removed by gargling and by the siwak. Five: What has accumulated in the beard of dirt should be washed and combed. Six: What has accumulated in the folds of the finger joints should be washed. The Arabs used not to wash their hands after food so there was much accumulation of dirt in these areas. For this reason the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, commanded them to wash the joints of their fingers. Seven: The cleaning of the fingernails. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, commanded the Arabs to clean their fingernails and to remove what is under them of dirt because it was difficult for them to cut their fingernails, so the time for them cutting the nails, removing the hair under the arms and shaving the pubic hair is every forty days. Eight: The dirt, which accumulates upon the body due to sweating and the dust of the road. A bath or shower will remove it. The Second Type: This is what develops on the body from its parts – they are eight. One: the hair of the head, it should be shaved for those who wish to be clean, but there is no blame in leaving it long if you keep it clean and care for it. Two: The hair of the moustache, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: “Trim the moustache and leave the beard.” Three: The hair under arms, it is preferable to pull it out every forty days, this is easy for those who are accustomed to it from the beginning, but as for those who are used to shaving it, it is sufficient to shave, it as the pulling is painful. Four: The nails should be cut because they are ugly if left long, and because dirt gathers under them. Six and Seven: The extra skin of the navel and the extra skin of the male organ. As for the navel it should be cut at birth, but as for circumcision it is the custom of the Jews to perform it on the seventh day after birth, we have been commanded not to do as they do, by delaying it until the child grows his first teeth, this is better and avoids any risk. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: “Circumcision is an ordinance to men and honorable to women.” But it should not be taken to excess in cutting too much in women, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said to Umm Atiyah while she was performing circumcision: “O Umm Atiyah, take little and do not do much, this is more pleasant to the face and preferable to the husband.” Eight: What grows in excess of the beard, we have delayed talking about the beard so that we can discuss and differentiate between the Sunnah and what is invention. They have differed in regard to what is excess, so they said if a man can clasp his hand around his beard what appears beneath his hand is excess and should be cut, and thus ibn Umar and others have done. Others have said if you leave it, it is much better according to the saying of the Prophet “…leave the beard.” It is, however, much better to trim the beard and shape it well rather than leaving it long giving an untidy appearance, which prompts the tongues to backbite.