 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 عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى رَجُلٍ أَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) عَنِ الْبِئْرِ تَكُونُ فِي الْمَنْزِلِ لِلْوُضُوءِ فَتَقْطُرُ فِيهَا قَطَرَاتٌ مِنْ بَوْلٍ أَوْ دَمٍ أَوْ يَسْقُطُ فِيهَا شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنْ عَذِرَةٍ كَالْبَعْرَةِ وَنَحْوِهَا مَا الَّذِي يُطَهِّرُهَا حَتَّى يَحِلَّ الْوُضُوءُ مِنْهَا لِلصَّلاَةِ فَوَقَّعَ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) بِخَطِّهِ فِي كِتَابِي تَنْزَحُ مِنْهَا دِلاَءً.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il ibn Bazi‘ who has said the following: “I once wrote to a person to write to abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), to ask him about a well in one’s house for Wudu’. If some drops of urine, or blood, or animal dung and so forth fall in it, then how can it be cleansed so one can take Wudu’ with water from such a well for Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) sent the answer with his signature that said, ’Draw a few buckets of water from it and dispose such water away.’” 

2ـ وَبِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ قَالَ مَاءُ الْبِئْرِ وَاسِعٌ لاَ يُفْسِدُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَتَغَيَّرَ بِهِ.

2. Through the same chain of narrators as the previous Hadith the following is stated: “He (the Imam) ‘Alayhi al-Salam, said, ‘Well water is vast. It does not become polluted until it is changed.’” 

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) فِي الْفَأْرَةِ وَالسِّنَّوْرِ وَالدَّجَاجَةِ وَالطَّيْرِ وَالْكَلْبِ قَالَ مَا لَمْ يَتَفَسَّخْ أَوْ يَتَغَيَّرْ طَعْمُ الْمَاءِ فَيَكْفِيكَ خَمْسُ دِلاَءٍ فَإِنْ تَغَيَّرَ الْمَاءُ فَخُذْ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يَذْهَبَ الرِّيحُ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil ibn Darraj from abu ‘Usamah who has said the following: “This is about the case of a rat, cat, chicken, bird and dog in a well. Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘As long as they have not disintegrated or water’s taste is not changed, take out five buckets of water thereof, but if there is a change in the water then continue drawing out the water until the smell is gone.’” 

4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى رَفَعَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ لاَ يُفْسِدُ الْمَاءَ إِلاَّ مَا كَانَ لَهُ نَفْسٌ سَائِلَةٌ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya in a marfu‘ manner has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Water does not become polluted because of the living things which do not have spurting blood when a cut is made in its body.’” 

5ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ النَّضْرِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شِمْرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) فِي السَّامِّ أَبْرَصَ يَقَعُ فِي الْبِئْرِ قَالَ لَيْسَ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ حَرِّكِ الْمَاءَ بِالدَّلْوِ.

5. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn Salim from Ahmad ibn al-Nadr from ‘Amr ibn Shimr from Jabir who has said the following: “This is about the case of al-Sam al-Abras (a poisonous snake) that falls in the well. Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not harmful. Just stir the water with the bucket.’” 

6ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) عَمَّا يَقَعُ فِي الآبَارِ فَقَالَ أَمَّا الْفَأْرَةُ وَأَشْبَاهُهَا فَيُنْزَحُ مِنْهَا سَبْعُ دِلاَءٍ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَتَغَيَّرَ الْمَاءُ فَيُنْزَحَ حَتَّى يَطِيبَ فَإِنْ سَقَطَ فِيهَا كَلْبٌ فَقَدَرْتَ أَنْ تَنْزَحَ مَاءَهَا فَافْعَلْ وَكُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَقَعَ فِي الْبِئْرِ لَيْسَ لَهُ دَمٌ مِثْلُ الْعَقْرَبِ وَالْخَنَافِسِ وَأَشْبَاهِ ذَلِكَ فَلاَ بَأْسَ.

6. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from ibn Sinan from ibn Muskan from abu Basir who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about things that fall into the wells. He (the Imam) said, ‘Because of rats and similar things, seven buckets of water must be drawn out, unless the water is changed, in which case drawing water out must continue until it becomes clean. If a dog falls in it, if you can, draw all of the water out. Falling in a well of anything without blood like a scorpion or beetle and similar things is not harmful.’” 

7ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا سَقَطَ فِي الْبِئْرِ شَيْ‏ءٌ صَغِيرٌ فَمَاتَ فِيهَا فَانْزَحْ مِنْهَا دِلاَءً وَإِنْ وَقَعَ فِيهَا جُنُبٌ فَانْزَحْ مِنْهَا سَبْعَ دِلاَءٍ فَإِنْ مَاتَ فِيهَا بَعِيرٌ أَوْ صُبَّ فِيهَا خَمْرٌ فَلْيُنْزَحْ.

7. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan from ibn Muskan from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If something small falls in a well and dies, then take a few buckets of water out. If a person involved in sexual activities (because of which Ghusl (bath) is obligatory) falls in it, you must draw seven buckets of water out thereof. If a camel dies in it or wine is poured in it then you must draw out all of the water.”’ 

8ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنِ الْعَمْرَكِيِّ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ ذَبَحَ شَاةً فَاضْطَرَبَتْ وَوَقَعَتْ فِي بِئْرِ مَاءٍ وَأَوْدَاجُهَا تَشْخُبُ دَماً هَلْ يُتَوَضَّأُ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْبِئْرِ قَالَ يُنْزَحُ مِنْهَا مَا بَيْنَ الثَّلاَثِينَ إِلَى الأرْبَعِينَ دَلْواً ثُمَّ يُتَوَضَّأُ مِنْهَا وَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ قَالَ وَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ ذَبَحَ دَجَاجَةً أَوْ حَمَامَةً فَوَقَعَتْ فِي بِئْرٍ هَلْ يَصْلُحُ أَنْ يُتَوَضَّأَ مِنْهَا قَالَ يُنْزَحُ مِنْهَا دِلاَءٌ يَسِيرَةٌ ثُمَّ يُتَوَضَّأُ مِنْهَا وَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ يَسْتَقِي مِنْ بِئْرٍ فَيَرْعُفُ فِيهَا هَلْ يُتَوَضَّأُ مِنْهَا قَالَ يُنْزَحُ مِنْهَا دِلاَءٌ يَسِيرَةٌ.

8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from al-‘Amrakiy ibn Ali from Ali ibn Ja‘far who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who slaughters a sheep and due to the shock it falls into the water well with blood gushing from its veins. Can one take Wudu’ from such well? He (the Imam) said, ’One must draw out thirty to forty buckets of water, then one can take Wudu’ with its water and it is not harmful.’ I then asked about a man who slaughters a chicken or pigeon and it falls into the well. Can one take Wudu’ with water from such well? He (the Imam) said, ‘A few buckets of water must be taken out, then one can take Wudu’.’ I then asked about someone from whose nostril blood falls into the well can one then take Wudu’ with water from such well? He (the Imam) said, ‘A few buckets of water must be taken out.’” 

9ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ بِئْرٌ يُخْرَجُ فِي مَائِهَا قِطَعُ جُلُودٍ قَالَ لَيْسَ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ إِنَّ الْوَزَغَ رُبَّمَا طَرَحَ جِلْدَهُ وَقَالَ يَكْفِيكَ دَلْوٌ مِنْ مَاءٍ.

9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ’Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from those whom he has mentioned who have said the following: “I once said to abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), that there is a water-well and with its water pieces of skin come out. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not anything. Perhaps a frog sheds its skin.’ He (the Imam) said that one bucket of water is sufficient for you.’” 

10ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْحَبْلِ يَكُونُ مِنْ شَعْرِ الْخِنْزِيرِ يُسْتَقَى بِهِ الْمَاءُ مِنَ الْبِئْرِ هَلْ يُتَوَضَّأُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْمَاءِ قَالَ لاَ بَأْسَ.

10. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from ibn Ri’ab from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about a rope made of the hairs of hogs which is used to take out water from the well. Can Wudu’ be made with such water? He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’” 

11ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) عَنِ الْعَذِرَةِ تَقَعُ فِي الْبِئْرِ قَالَ يُنْزَحُ مِنْهَا عَشَرَةُ دِلاَءٍ فَإِنْ ذَابَتْ فَأَرْبَعُونَ أَوْ خَمْسُونَ دَلْواً.

11. 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 who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about the falling of feces into a well. He (the Imam) said, ‘Ten buckets of water must be taken out and if it has disintegrated then forty or fifty buckets of water must be taken out.’” 

12ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْكَرِيمِ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) بِئْرٌ يُسْتَقَى مِنْهَا وَيُتَوَضَّأُ بِهِ وَيُغْسَلُ مِنْهُ الثِّيَابُ وَيُعْجَنُ بِهِ ثُمَّ يُعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ فِيهَا مَيِّتٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ لاَ بَأْسَ وَلاَ يُغْسَلُ مِنْهُ الثَّوْبُ وَلاَ تُعَادُ مِنْهُ الصَّلاَةُ. 

12. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from ‘Abd al-Karim from abu Basir who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, that there was a well from which people drank, took Wudu’, washed their clothes and flour was made into dough with its water, and then a dead body was found in it. He (the Imam) said, ‘It does not matter, there is no need to wash clothes or perform Salah (prayer) again.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 3

Book 1, Chapter 4