 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 مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَرْكَعَ فَقُلْ وَأَنْتَ مُنْتَصِبٌ الله أَكْبَرُ ثُمَّ ارْكَعْ وَقُلِ اللهمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَأَنْتَ رَبِّي خَشَعَ لَكَ قَلْبِي وَسَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَشَعْرِي وَبَشَرِي وَلَحْمِي وَدَمِي وَمُخِّي وَعِظَامِي وَعَصَبِي وَمَا أَقَلَّتْهُ قَدَمَايَ غَيْرَ مُسْتَنْكِفٍ وَلاَ مُسْتَكْبِرٍ وَلاَ مُسْتَحْسِرٍ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ فِي تَرْتِيلٍ وَتَصُفُّ فِي رُكُوعِكَ بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْكَ تَجْعَلُ بَيْنَهُمَا قَدْرَ شِبْرٍ وَتُمَكِّنُ رَاحَتَيْكَ مِنْ رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَتَضَعُ يَدَكَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِكَ الْيُمْنَى قَبْلَ الْيُسْرَى وَبَلِّعْ بِأَطْرَافِ أَصَابِعِكَ عَيْنَ الرُّكْبَةِ وَفَرِّجْ أَصَابِعَكَ إِذَا وَضَعْتَهَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَأَقِمْ صُلْبَكَ وَمُدَّ عُنُقَكَ وَلْيَكُنْ نَظَرُكَ بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْكَ ثُمَّ قُلْ سَمِعَ الله لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ وَأَنْتَ مُنْتَصِبٌ قَائِمٌ الْحَمْدُ لله رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ أَهْلَ الْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَةُ لله رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ تَجْهَرُ بِهَا صَوْتَكَ ثُمَّ تَرْفَعُ يَدَيْكَ بِالتَّكْبِيرِ وَتَخِرُّ سَاجِداً.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah and Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘When you want to kneel for Ruku‘ say, ‘Allah is great’ before it, then assume Ruku‘ position and say, ‘O Lord, I have knelt down for You, I am submitted to You, I believe in You, and I plead before You to be my attorney. You are my Lord. My heart, my ears, my eyes, my hairs, my skin, my flesh, my blood, my bone marrow, my bones, my nerves and all that my legs support of me are humble before You without reservations, arrogance or tiredness.’ Say three times, ‘My Lord, the great, is free of all defects and I praise Him,’ with clarity and fluency. In Ruku‘ position you should level up your feet with a distance of one shibr (eight inches) between them, place your palms over your knees, first your right palm on the right knee, and then the left palm over your left knee. Open your fingers and make them to hold the sides of your knees, keep your back straight, stretch your neck forward and keep your eyes to look between your feet. Then, while standing straight, say, ‘Allah hears all who praise Him. All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the owner of might and majesty. Greatness belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds,’ raise your voice when saying this, then raise your hands for saying ‘Allah is great’ and then bow down for sajdah.” 

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) فَقُلْتُ مَا يَقُولُ الرَّجُلُ خَلْفَ الإِمَامِ إِذَا قَالَ سَمِعَ الله لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ قَالَ يَقُولُ الْحَمْدُ لله رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَيَخْفِضُ مِنْ صَوْتِهِ.

2. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil ibn Darraj who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about what one says when performing behind an Imam when he says, ‘Allah hears all those who praise him.’ He (the Imam) said that he must say, ‘All praise belong to Allah, Cherisher of the worlds’ and lowers his voice.’” 

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَرْكَعَ وَتَسْجُدَ فَارْفَعْ يَدَيْكَ وَكَبِّرْ ثُمَّ ارْكَعْ وَاسْجُدْ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘When you decide to assume Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) and Sajdah (prostration) position, raise your hands, say Takbir (Allah is great beyond description), then assume Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) and Sajdah (prostration) position.’” 

4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ أَبِي الْمَغْرَاءِ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) مَنْ لَمْ يُقِمْ صُلْبَهُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَلاَ صَلاَةَ لَهُ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from abu al- Mighra’ from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘One who does not straighten his back during Salah (prayer), his Salah (prayer) is not valid.’” 

5ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) يَرْكَعُ رُكُوعاً أَخْفَضَ مِنْ رُكُوعِ كُلِّ مَنْ رَأَيْتُهُ يَرْكَعُ وَكَانَ إِذَا رَكَعَ جَنَّحَ بِيَدَيْهِ.

5. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Amir from Ali ibn Mahziyar from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il ibn Bazi‘ who has said the following: “I saw abu al-Hassan (a.s.), perform Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) and make it lower than all of those whom I have seen performing Ruku‘. He spread, in the position of Ruku‘ his arms like wings.’” 

6ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا رَفَعْتَ رَأْسَكَ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ فَأَقِمْ صُلْبَكَ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ صَلاَةَ لِمَنْ لاَ يُقِيمُ صُلْبَهُ.

6. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from a man from abu Basir from who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When you stand up straight after Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees), make your back (bones) stand straight (vertically), otherwise, one’s Salah (prayer) is not considered Salah (prayer).”’ 

7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ السِّنْدِيِّ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جَنَاحٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) فِي مَنْزِلِهِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَقَالَ مُبْتَدِئاً مَنْ أَتَمَّ رُكُوعَهُ لَمْ تَدْخُلْهُ وَحْشَةٌ فِي الْقَبْرِ.

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Sindiy ibn al-Rabi’ from Sa‘id ibn Janah who has said the following: “I once was in the presence of abu Ja‘far (a.s.), in his home in al-Madinah. He initiating a conversation saying, ‘One who completes his Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) does not face any dread in the grave.’” 

8ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ هِشَامٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) يُجْزِئُ عَنِّي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَكَانَ التَّسْبِيحِ فِي الرُّكُوعِ وَالسُّجُودِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الله وَالله أَكْبَرُ قَالَ نَعَمْ.

8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ja‘far ibn Bashir form Hammad from Hisham who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Is it sufficient for me to say Tahlil, (no one deserves worship except Allah) and Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) in Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) instead of Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects). He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is sufficient.’” 

9ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ قَالَ رَآنِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَأَنَا أُصَلِّي وَأَنْكُسُ بِرَأْسِي وَأَتَمَدَّدُ فِي رُكُوعِي فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ لاَ تَفْعَلْ. 

9. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Ya’qub ibn Yazid from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Ali ibn ‘Uqbah who has said the following: “Once abu al-Hassan (a.s.), saw me, in al-Madinah when I performed Salah (prayer). I bent down my head and stretched in my Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees). He (the Imam) sent me a message that said, ‘You must not do so (when you are in Ruku‘).’” (Ahadith 2-9 are best explained in the form of fatwa.) 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 3

Book 4, Chapter 24