 The Cleansing Quality of Water

The Quantity of Water that Always Remains Clean

The Case of a Small Quantity of Water, the Water with a Dead Body in it and its use by a Man to Wash His Dirty Hand in it

The Case of a Well and Things that May Fall in It (Fatwa best explains Ahadith 2-12 as well as the following chapter.)

A Well near a Cesspool

Taking Wudu’ With Water from Which Animals, Beasts and Birds Have Drunk

Taking Wudu’ with the Water from Which a Woman during Her Hayd (menses), People After Having Carnal Relations, a Jew, a Christian or a Person Hostile toward ’A’immah Has Drunk (Fatwa best explains Ahadith 4-6 of this chapter.)

A Man Places His Hand in the Water before Washing, the Limit of Washing Hands Because of Carnal Relations, Urination, Feces and Sleeping

Mixing of Rain Water with Urine, with Water Used for Taking Ghusl (bath) Because of Carnal Relations, Touching of One’s Cloth with Water Used for Washing Because of Urine

Water of Bath Houses and Water Heated by the Sun’s Rays

Places Not Desirable to Use as a Lavatory

Expressions to Say When Entering a Lavatory and When Coming Out

Draining Urine, Washing and If One Does Not Find Water

The Quantity of Water Required for Wudu’, Showers and One Who Is Excessive in the Use of Water for Wudu’

Brushing One’s Teeth

Rinsing One’s Mouth and Nostrils

Description of Wudu’

The Area of the Face and Hands to be Washed for Wudu’

Wiping of Head and Feet

Wiping Over the Shoes

Bandages and Wounds

Facing Doubts about Wudu’ Forgetting or Mixing Proper Order

Matters that Invalidate or Do not Invalidate Wudu’

One’s Stepping over Feces or Other Such Things

Certain Fluid, Which Is Other than Urine and Semen

Kinds of Ghusl (bath)

Matters Covered by Ghusl (bath)

Necessity of Ghusl (bath) on Friday

Description of Ghusl (bath), Wudu’ Before or Thereafter and a Man’s Ghusl (bath) in an Improper Place, Expressions to Say During Taking Ghusl (bath) and Moving a Ring During Ghusl (bath)

Reason Necessitating Ghusl (bath) for Men and Women

Wet Dreams of Men and Women

Finding Fluid Coming Out after Ghusl (bath)

One after Carnal Relations Eats, Drinks, Reads, Enters a Masjid, Dyes Hair, Uses Fragrance and So On

One after Carnal Relation Sweats in His Clothes, Clothes Touch His Wet Body

Semen or Al-Madhiy Comes in Contact with One’s Clothes or Body

Urine Comes in Contact with One’s Clothes or Body

Urine of Animals and Their Dung

Clothes Come in Contact with Blood and Pus

Dogs Touching Clothes, Body and So On

Description of Tayammum

When Tayammum Is Necessary and Finding Water Thereafter

One’s having Little Water on a Journey but Is Afraid of Facing Thirst

One’s Experiencing Carnal Relations and Having Only Ice

Taking Tayammum with Clay

Bandages, Injuries, One’s Suffering from Smallpox and or Experiencing Carnal Relations

Rare Ahadith about Wudu’

Chapters on Hayd (menses)

Minimum and Maximum Duration of Hayd

Women’s Experiencing Hayd After or Before Their Date of Hayd

Women Observe Yellowish Blood Before or After Hayd (menses)

First Time Hayd (menses)

Examining if Hayd (menses) has Ended or Not

Taking Ghusl (bath) Because of Hayd and the Kind of Water Needed

Women Find Blood after Sexual Relation

Comprehensive Instructions About Hayd (menses) and Istihadah (irregular menses)

Signs for Differentiating Between Blood of Hayd and Istihadah

Differentiating Among Blood of Hayd, Virginity or a Wound

Pregnant Woman Finds Blood

Blood Because of Childbirth

Blood Discharge after a Woman’s Experiencing Discharge-Free Period after Childbirth and Blood Discharge before Birth or after Childbirth

Matters Necessary for Women during Hayd at the Times of Salah (prayer)

Women Find Hayd Blood after the Coming of the Time for a Salah (Prayer) Before Performing It Or Become Clean Before the Coming of the Time for a Salah (Prayer) But Are Too Lazy for Ghusl (bath)

Women Feel Hayd during Salah (Prayer)

Women Must Make-up-for Fasting Because of Hayd but Not Salah (Prayer) 

Women’s Reading the Holy Quran During Hayd or Child-birth 

Women during Hayd Can Pick up Things from a Masjid but Must Not Leave Anything Therein

Women’s Hayd (menses) Stops, Comes Again and the Time of Menopause

Women’s Using Medicine to Have Hayd (menses) after It Stops 

Using Dye during Hayd (menses) 

Washing Clothes of Women during Hayd 

Women During Hayd Pick up Prayer Rug or Water 

Causes of Death and that Believing People May Die by any Manner of Dying 

The Reward for a Person Suffering from Illness 

Another Section on the Same Subject 

The Limits of Complaints 

A Patient’s Giving Permission to His Visitors 

How Often a Patient Should Be Visited, How Long the Duration of Visitation Should Be and Complete Visit 

The Limit of a Sudden Death 

The Virtue (Reward) of Visiting a Patient 

Dictations to a Dying Person

Difficulty in Dying (If Dying Becomes Difficult and the Agony of Death Intense) 

Facing the Dying Person Toward Qiblah

A Believing Person Is Not Caused to Die Against His Will

Things that Believers and Unbelievers See in Dying Conditions

Taking out of the Souls of Believing and Unbelievers

Burial Should Take Place Immediately

Rare Ahadith

Women during Hayd Nurse a Patient (The following chapters are about rules of washing a dead body for burial, shrouding and other matters of burial, and are best explained in the form of fatwa. Consult current fatwa about them.)

Washing a Dead Body

Hunut (Rubbing Camphor) on a Dead Body and Shrouding

Shrouding a Deceased Women

Undesirability of Perfuming the Shroud or Warming Water for Washing Dead Bodies

The Desirable Pieces of Shroud and the Undesirable Ones

The Amount of Water Needed for Ghusl (bath) of a Deceased Person

The Two Fresh Al-Jaridah (Twigs of Palm Tree)

Persons Dead Without Shower Due to Carnal Relations Hayd or Child Birth Reasons

Chapter 26- Dead Woman with a Baby Moving Inside Her

Cutting of Nails and Hairs of Dead Person Undesirable

Things Coming Out of a Dead Body after Ghusl (bath)

Washing of Persons of opposite Gender

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ حُكَيْمٍ عَنِ الْمُعَلَّى أَبِي عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي فَقَالَ لِي قَائِدِي إِنَّ فِي ثَوْبِهِ دَماً فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ قَائِدِي أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّ بِثَوْبِكَ دَماً فَقَالَ لِي إِنَّ بِي دَمَامِيلَ وَلَسْتُ أَغْسِلُ ثَوْبِي حَتَّى تَبْرَأَ.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Mu‘awiyah ibn al-Hukaym from al-Mu‘alla’ abu ‘Uthman from abu Basir who has said the following: “I once visited abu Ja’far (a.s.), when he was performing Salah (prayer). My guide informed me that there was blood on the clothes of the Imam. When he completed his Salah (prayer), I said that my guide has told me that there is blood on your clothes. He (the Imam) said, ‘I have pimples and I did not want to wash my clothes until they are cured.”’ 

2ـ أَحْمَدُ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ بِهِ الْقَرْحُ أَوِ الْجُرْحُ وَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَرْبِطَهُ وَلاَ يَغْسِلَ دَمَهُ قَالَ يُصَلِّي وَلاَ يَغْسِلُ ثَوْبَهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ إِلاَّ مَرَّةً فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَغْسِلَ ثَوْبَهُ كُلَّ سَاعَةٍ.

2. Ahmad has narrated from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man on whose body there are sores or wounds which he cannot bandage or wash the blood. He (the Imam) said, ‘He can perform his Salah (prayer) without washing his clothes except once a day; he cannot wash his clothes every hour.’” 

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ الدَّمُ يَكُونُ فِي الثَّوْبِ عَلَيَّ وَأَنَا فِي الصَّلاَةِ قَالَ إِنْ رَأَيْتَ وَعَلَيْكَ ثَوْبٌ غَيْرُهُ فَاطْرَحْهُ وَصَلِّ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَلَيْكَ غَيْرُهُ فَامْضِ فِي صَلاَتِكَ وَلاَ إِعَادَةَ عَلَيْكَ مَا لَمْ يَزِدْ عَلَى مِقْدَارِ الدِّرْهَمِ وَمَا كَانَ أَقَلَّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَلَيْسَ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ رَأَيْتَهُ قَبْلُ أَوْ لَمْ تَرَهُ وَإِذَا كُنْتَ قَدْ رَأَيْتَهُ وَهُوَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ مِقْدَارِ الدِّرْهَمِ فَضَيَّعْتَ غَسْلَهُ وَصَلَّيْتَ فِيهِ صَلاَةً كَثِيرَةً فَأَعِدْ مَا صَلَّيْتَ فِيهِ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father, from Hammad, from Hariz, from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “I once said to him (the Imam), ‘I may find blood on my clothes when I am performing Salah (prayer).’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If you find blood and you have other clothes on you, you must remove it and complete your Salah (prayer). However, if you do not have other clothes on you besides that one, you must complete your Salah (prayer). You do not have to perform that Salah (prayer) again if the area covered by that blood is not more than the size of a dirham, and an area of smaller size does not matter, regardless if you have seen it before or not. If you have seen it before and it is bigger than the size of a dirham, but you have missed to wash it and have performed with it many Salah (prayer), you must perform again the Salah (prayers) you have performed with it.’” 

4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ عَلِيّاً (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) كَانَ لاَ يَرَى بَأْساً بِدَمٍ مَا لَمْ يُذَكَّ يَكُونُ فِي الثَّوْبِ فَيُصَلِّي فِيهِ الرَّجُلُ يَعْنِي دَمَ السَّمَكِ.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Ali (a.s.), would not consider the blood of things that did not require slaughtering as harmful to one’s Salah (prayer). That is, the blood of fish.’” 

5ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُصَدِّقِ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ السَّابَاطِيِّ قَالَ سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) عَنْ رَجُلٍ يَسِيلُ مِنْ أَنْفِهِ الدَّمُ هَلْ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَغْسِلَ بَاطِنَهُ يَعْنِي جَوْفَ الأنْفِ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَغْسِلَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهُ.

5. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Ahmad ibn al-Hassan ibn Ali from ‘Amr ibn Sa‘id from Musaddiq ibn Sadaqah from ‘Ammar al-Sabatiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about a man from whose nostril blood flows. ‘Is he required to wash inside of his nostril?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He only needs to wash what is apparent.’” 

6ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنِ الْعَبْدِ الصَّالِحِ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلَتْهُ أُمُّ وَلَدٍ لأَبِيهِ فَقَالَتْ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ عَنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَأَنَا أَسْتَحْيِي مِنْهُ قَالَ سَلِي وَلاَ تَسْتَحْيِي قَالَتْ أَصَابَ ثَوْبِي دَمُ الْحَيْضِ فَغَسَلْتُهُ فَلَمْ يَذْهَبْ أَثَرُهُ فَقَالَ اصْبَغِيهِ بِمِشْقٍ حَتَّى يَخْتَلِطَ وَيَذْهَبَ.

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn abu Hamzah from the virtuous servant of Allah who has said the following: “Once a mother of the child of his father asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), saying, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I like to ask you a question but I feel shy.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Ask and do not feel shy.’ She said, ‘There was blood from Hayd (menses) on my clothes and I washed it, but the stain does not go away.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Color it with russet color so that it is mixed and does not show.’” 

7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِيهِ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ دَمُكَ أَنْظَفُ مِنْ دَمِ غَيْرِكَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي ثَوْبِكَ شِبْهُ النَّضْحِ مِنْ دَمِكَ فَلاَ بَأْسَ وَإِنْ كَانَ دَمُ غَيْرِكَ قَلِيلاً أَوْ كَثِيراً فَاغْسِلْهُ.

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father in a marfu‘ manner who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that your blood to you is less unclean than other people’s blood. If you find like sprinkles of your blood on you, it is not harmful; but if it is other people’s blood, regardless of its being of a small or large quantity, you must wash it clean.’” 

8ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) عَنْ دَمِ الْبَرَاغِيثِ يَكُونُ فِي الثَّوْبِ هَلْ يَمْنَعُهُ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ فِيهِ قَالَ لاَ وَإِنْ كَثُرَ فَلاَ بَأْسَ أَيْضاً بِشِبْهِهِ مِنَ الرُّعَافِ يَنْضَحُهُ وَلاَ يَغْسِلُهُ. وَرُوِيَ أَيْضاً أَنَّهُ لاَ يُغْسَلُ بِالرِّيقِ شَيْ‏ءٌ إِلاَّ الدَّمُ.

8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Sinan from ibn Muskan from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the blood of fleas on one’s clothes - if it is harmful to his Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful even if they are many. So also is the case with similar things, like sprinkled nostril blood which one does not have to wash.’” “It is narrated also that things cannot be washed with saliva except blood (inside one’s mouth).”’ 

9ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الرَّيَّانِ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى الرَّجُلِ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) هَلْ يَجْرِي دَمُ الْبَقِّ مَجْرَى دَمِ الْبَرَاغِيثِ وَهَلْ يَجُوزُ لأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَقِيسَ بِدَمِ الْبَقِّ عَلَى الْبَرَاغِيثِ فَيُصَلِّيَ فِيهِ وَأَنْ يَقِيسَ عَلَى نَحْوِ هَذَا فَيَعْمَلَ بِهِ فَوَقَّعَ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) يَجُوزُ الصَّلاَةُ وَالطُّهْرُ مِنْهُ أَفْضَلُ. 

9. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Rayyan who has said the following: “I once wrote to the man (a.s.), asking, ‘Is the blood of bugs like the blood of fleas? Is it permissible for one to consider blood of bugs like that of fleas, perform Salah (prayer) with it and analogize to act upon such analogy?’ He (the Imam) wrote with his signature, ‘It is permissible to perform Salah (prayer) with it, but washing is better.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 3

Book 1, Chapter 38