INJUNTIONS ON TAHARAH (Cleanliness)
OF A PATIENT AND HIS SALAT
‘Allama Abdul ‘Aziz Bin Abdullah Bin Baz
(Translated by Dr. Abul Hayat Ashraf)
Question:
A number of querries were put before the honourable Sheikh regarding the cleanliness of a patient and his As-Salat. So, he explicated this issue in detail, which is being reported in the following passages:)
Answer:
Allah, the Adjulated Blessing, One, the Most High, has declared Taharah (cleanliness) and purity to be Mashroo, (legalised in the Shariah). Gidding rid of impurity (Hadath) and removing filth and impurity, whether found on the body or the clothings or the place of observance of As-Salat, are two conditions among a number of conditions-to be met for observing As-Salat correctly and properly. Therefore, it is incumbent upon a Muslim to perform Wudhoo (ablution) as per prescribed procedure in case of minor impurity (Hadathe-Asghar-impurity which renders a Wudhoo deficient because of urination or excretion) and to perform Ghusl (full bath) in case of major impurity (Hadathe-Akbar-caused by sexual impurities), whenever he wants to observe As-Salat. Now, it is necessary for a person who urinates or excretes that he performs Istinja (getting rid of impurity) with the help of water or removes the impurity with the help of a strong lump of mud so that he attains the state complete cleanliness, and neatness. Now, we describe some of the injunctions related to it in the following:
It is incumbent to perform Istinja with water whenever anything comes out of the organs of urinations and exertion. But, if persons falls asleep or flatulence is discharged, then, in this case, there is no need of Istinja. Insteed, a Wudhoo is required, because Istinja is declared to be Mashroo (legalized by Shareeah) for removing the impurity and no impurity was found in this case.
After excretion, Istinja can be performed with the help of a stony lump of mud or with any other equivalent substance. It is necessary to use at least three neat and clean stony lumps of mud for performing this Istinja. Because the Holy Apostle. (S.A.W.) has said: “He who makes Istinja after the call of nature, should take odd numbers (of stony lumps of mud).
Another Place the Holy Apostle (S.A.W.) said: When any of you goes to relieve himself, he should take with him three stony lump of muds to cleanse himself, for they will be enough for him.
And the Holy Apostle (S.A.W.) has prohibited to perform Istinja (the process of getting rid of impurities of excretion) with less than three stony lump of muds.
It is not allowed to perform Istinja with animal’s dung, bone, eatables and for any inviolable thing. It is preferable that Istinja is performed with some stony lump of mud or something having the same property e.g. toilet paper, or brick and then, water is applied, because the stony lump of mud shall obviate the impurity and water shall cleans, the organ and, in this way, complete cleanliness shall be obtained. A man has got the option of performing Istinja with water or getting rid of unholy impurities. With the help of stony lump of mud and similar things or using the both in combination: “Anas reported. The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) used to enter the privy and I and a boy used to carry a skin of water and a pointed stuff and he used to cleanse himself with water. “It is said about ‘Aisha that she directed to a group of women to ask their husbands for cleansing themselves with water, as I am unable to look them up, for the Holy Apostle (S.A.W.) used to cleanse like this:
Now, if someone has to contend with either water or stony lump of mud etc, then, water is preferable, because it nullifies the after effects of impurities too, besides cleansing the place. However, if one is to contend with stony lump of mud, three lumps of the stony mud shall suffice, provided the place gets cleansed with their application. Otherwise, fourth and fifth lumpls should also be used so that it is cleansed. Neverthles, it is preferable that odd numbers of stony lump of muds are used. Because there is a tradition that whoever performs Istinja he should use odd number of stony lump muds. And it is not allowed to perform Istinja with right hand, because Salman Farsi reported: the Holy Apostle (S.A.W.)prohibited anyone to perform Istinja with his right hand. There is another tradition: “When anyone urinates, he must not touch his penis with his right hand and when goes to relieve himself he must not perform Istinja with his right hand”.
Now, if the left hand has been cut or has been broken or is suffering from some disease then, of necessity, there is no impediment in performing Istinja with right hand. But, it is preferable that both the stony lump of mud and the water are used.
Since Islamic Shariah is based on a framework appropriate for ease and convenience of people in working it out, therefore, Allah the Most High, has lightened the worship of handicapped people in accordance with their disabilities so that they may worship Allah without any hardship and/or trouble.
Allah, the Most High, said in the Holy Quran: (And has not laid upon you in religion any hardship” (Surah Al-Hajj:78)
Another place Allah, the Most High, said: (Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you” (Surah Al-Baqrah: 185)
And on third place Allah, the Most High said: (So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can” (Surah Al-Taghabun, (:16) And the Holy Apostle (S.A.W.) said: “When I bid you anything, receive it and practice on it according to your ability”. Another place the distinguished Prophet (S.A.W.) said: “Religion is very easy”.
A patient may perform Tayammum, if he is incapacitated of using water for obtaining Taharah (Chastising cleanliness for instance, he cannot use water to get rid of Hadathe-Akbar (major impurity), whether due to some anomaly or because of the fear that the disease would aggravate or on account of any fear of delay in recovery of his health. The procedure of Tayammum is to rub off the face with inner parts of fingers and the back of hands with the palms, after striking both hands on clean and pure mud. Allah, the Most High, said in the Holy Quran: (But if you are ill or on a journey, or any of you come after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with women (i.e. sexual intercourse), and you find no water, then perform tayammum with clean earth and rub therewith your faces and hands” (Surah Al-Maidah; 6)
The person unable to use water (due to certain reasons) is if he is unable to find water. Because Allah, the Most High, has said: (So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can)”. (Surah At-Taghabun:16)
And the Holy Apostle (S.A.W.) said: “When I bid you anything, receive it, and act on it according to your ability”.
There may be following conditions of a patient:
1) If the disease is such a minor one that there is no risk of death or of any dangerous ailment or of delay in heading or of aggravation of pain or of headache or tooth ache because of any use of water or that the patient can use the warm water without any misfortune, then, Tayammum is not allowable for such person, Because Tayammum is made lawful for avoidance of impairment and here no chance of impairment is found, instead, he is capable of using water. Therefore, it is incumbent upon him to use water.
2) Now, if the disease is such that there is a danger of death or impairment of any organ or suffering from a life-damaging disease because of any use of water, then, in this case Tayammum is allowable. Allah, the Most High said in the Holy Quran. (And do not kill yourselves) (Surah An-Nisa:29)
3) Again, if the disease is such that the patient cannot even move and also that there is no one to bring water to him, then, in this case too, Tayammum is allowable.
4) If a person has got some injury or a sore or some organ has got broken or he is suffering from such a disease in which any use of water is harmful and he becomes a junubee (impure because of sexual impurities), then, in the light of the arguments described above, Tayammum is allowable for him; although he will wash the healthy parts of his body, if it will be possible, and will perform tayammum over rest of the body.
5) A patient happens to be in such a place that neither water nor mud is found there and no such person is present there who possesses water or mud, then, he will observe salat in his present state and will not defer the Salat. Because Allah, the Almighty, has said in the Holy Quran. (So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can) (Surah Al-Taghabun; 16)
6) The patient of Salsalul-Baul (involuntary continuous dribbling of urine), who can not get healed even after the treatment, will perform fresh Wudhu (ablution) whenever the timings of next Salat approaches. Morevere he will wash the parts of the body polluted by urine and, if it will be possible, will keep another neat and clean piece of cloth for observing Salat. However, if it not be possible, there is no impediment otherwise. Because Allah, the Most High, said:
(And has not laid upon you in religion any hardship”) (Surah Al-Hajj:78)
Another place Allah, the Most High said in the Holy Quran: (Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you) (Surah Al-Baqrah: 185)
And the Holy Apostle (S.A.W.) said: “When I bid you anything receive it and act on it according to your ability”. However, a patient of such disease must be cautious that the urine does not pollute his body, dress and prayer-mat.
Tayammum becomes deficient because of all those reasons which render a Wudhu imperfect. A part from these reasons the capability of using water and presence of water after initial lack of it also render the Tayammum imperfect.