 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 عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا قُمْتَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَلاَ تُلْصِقْ قَدَمَكَ بِالأخْرَى دَعْ بَيْنَهُمَا فَصْلاً إِصْبَعاً أَقَلُّ ذَلِكَ إِلَى شِبْرٍ أَكْثَرُهُ وَاسْدِلْ مَنْكِبَيْكَ وَأَرْسِلْ يَدَيْكَ وَلاَ تُشَبِّكْ أَصَابِعَكَ وَلْتَكُونَا عَلَى فَخِذَيْكَ قُبَالَةَ رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَلْيَكُنْ نَظَرُكَ إِلَى مَوْضِعِ سُجُودِكَ فَإِذَا رَكَعْتَ فَصُفَّ فِي رُكُوعِكَ بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْكَ تَجْعَلُ بَيْنَهُمَا قَدْرَ شِبْرٍ وَتُمَكِّنُ رَاحَتَيْكَ مِنْ رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَتَضَعُ يَدَكَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِكَ الْيُمْنَى قَبْلَ الْيُسْرَى وَبَلِّغْ أَطْرَافَ أَصَابِعِكَ عَيْنَ الرُّكْبَةِ وَفَرِّجْ أَصَابِعَكَ إِذَا وَضَعْتَهَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْكَ فَإِذَا وَصَلَتْ أَطْرَافُ أَصَابِعِكَ فِي رُكُوعِكَ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْكَ أَجْزَأَكَ ذَلِكَ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ أَنْ تُمَكِّنَ كَفَّيْكَ مِنْ رُكْبَتَيْكَ فَتَجْعَلَ أَصَابِعَكَ فِي عَيْنِ الرُّكْبَةِ وَتُفَرِّجَ بَيْنَهُمَا وَأَقِمْ صُلْبَكَ وَمُدَّ عُنُقَكَ وَلْيَكُنْ نَظَرُكَ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْكَ فَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَسْجُدَ فَارْفَعْ يَدَيْكَ بِالتَّكْبِيرِ وَخِرَّ سَاجِداً وَابْدَأْ بِيَدَيْكَ فَضَعْهُمَا عَلَى الأرْضِ قَبْلَ رُكْبَتَيْكَ تَضَعُهُمَا مَعاً وَلاَ تَفْتَرِشْ ذِرَاعَيْكَ افْتِرَاشَ السَّبُعِ ذِرَاعَيْهِ وَلاَ تَضَعَنَّ ذِرَاعَيْكَ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَفَخِذَيْكَ وَلَكِنْ تَجَنَّحْ بِمِرْفَقَيْكَ وَلاَ تُلْصِقْ كَفَّيْكَ بِرُكْبَتَيْكَ وَلاَ تُدْنِهِمَا مِنْ وَجْهِكَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ حِيَالَ مَنْكِبَيْكَ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْهُمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَلَكِنْ تُحَرِّفُهُمَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئاً وَابْسُطْهُمَا عَلَى الأرْضِ بَسْطاً وَاقْبِضْهُمَا إِلَيْكَ قَبْضاً وَإِنْ كَانَ تَحْتَهُمَا ثَوْبٌ فَلاَ يَضُرُّكَ وَإِنْ أَفْضَيْتَ بِهِمَا إِلَى الأرْضِ فَهُوَ أَفْضَلُ وَلاَ تُفَرِّجَنَّ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِكَ فِي سُجُودِكَ وَلَكِنْ ضُمَّهُنَّ جَمِيعاً قَالَ وَإِذَا قَعَدْتَ فِي تَشَهُّدِكَ فَأَلْصِقْ رُكْبَتَيْكَ بِالأرْضِ وَفَرِّجْ بَيْنَهُمَا شَيْئاً وَلْيَكُنْ ظَاهِرُ قَدَمِكَ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى الأرْضِ وَظَاهِرُ قَدَمِكَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى بَاطِنِ قَدَمِكَ الْيُسْرَى وَأَلْيَتَاكَ عَلَى الأرْضِ وَطَرَفُ إِبْهَامِكَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الأرْضِ وَإِيَّاكَ وَالْقُعُودَ عَلَى قَدَمَيْكَ فَتَتَأَذَّى بِذَلِكَ وَلاَ تَكُنْ قَاعِداً عَلَى الأرْضِ فَتَكُونَ إِنَّمَا قَعَدَ بَعْضُكَ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَلاَ تَصْبِرَ لِلتَّشَهُّدِ وَالدُّعَاءِ.

1. Ali has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa and Muhammad ibn Isma’il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammad ibn ‘Isa and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘When you stand up for Salah (prayer) do not allow one foot to touch the other, leave between them a distance of one finger at the least and one Shibr (about 8 inches) at most. Allow your shoulders to relax and leave your hands alone. Do not crisscross your fingers. Instead they should be kept on your thighs on its front side and your eyes should look at the place for prostration. During Ruku‘ position line up your feet with a distance of one shibr in between them, allow your fingers to hold on to your knees. Place your right palm on your right knee before placing the left palm on your left knee. Allow your fingers to reach to the sides of your knees and stretch your fingers when placed on your knees. If during Ruku‘ the tips of your fingers reach your knees it is sufficient but I like that your palm should rest on your knees so you can allow your finger to hold to your knees while they (knees) are kept apart. Your back should be straight, your neck stretched forward and your looks should be kept between your feet. “When you are ready for prostration, raise your hands for saying “Allah is great”, then bow down for prostration. First your hands should be placed on the ground, before your knees, together but do not place your forearms on the ground as beasts do. You must not place your forearms on your knees or thighs but open them up as wings with your elbows. You must not touch your knees with your palms and do not place them very close to your face. Place them in between level with your shoulders. You must not place them in front of your knees. Place them a little out, extend them on the ground and keep them a little toward you. If there is some cloth underneath, it does not matter, and if you allow them to be placed on the ground it is better. You must not keep your fingers apart from each other during your sajdah but keep them close side by side.’ The Imam said, ‘When you sit up straight for reading the testimonies, keep your knees touching the ground and a little apart from each other. The back of your left foot should be on the ground, the back of you right foot should be placed on the bottom of your left foot and both hips should be placed on the ground as well as the tip of the big toe of your right foot. You should never sit on both your feet; it may hurt you. You should not sit on the ground; in this way some parts of you are sitting on the others and you cannot bear sitting this way for reading the testimonies and supplications.’” 

2ـ وَبِهَذِهِ الأسَانِيدِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ إِذَا قَامَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ جَمَعَتْ بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْهَا وَلاَ تُفَرِّجُ بَيْنَهُمَا وَتَضُمُّ يَدَيْهَا إِلَى صَدْرِهَا لِمَكَانِ ثَدْيَيْهَا فَإِذَا رَكَعَتْ وَضَعَتْ يَدَيْهَا فَوْقَ رُكْبَتَيْهَا عَلَى فَخِذَيْهَا لِئَلاَّ تُطَأْطِىَ كَثِيراً فَتَرْتَفِعَ عَجِيزَتُهَا فَإِذَا جَلَسَتْ فَعَلَى أَلْيَتَيْهَا لَيْسَ كَمَا يَقْعُدُ الرَّجُلُ وَإِذَا سَقَطَتْ لِلسُّجُودِ بَدَأَتْ بِالْقُعُودِ بِالرُّكْبَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الْيَدَيْنِ ثُمَّ تَسْجُدُ لاَطِئَةً بِالأرْضِ فَإِذَا كَانَتْ فِي جُلُوسِهَا ضَمَّتْ فَخِذَيْهَا وَرَفَعَتْ رُكْبَتَيْهَا مِنَ الأرْضِ وَإِذَا نَهَضَتْ انْسَلَّتْ انْسِلاَلاً لاَ تَرْفَعُ عَجِيزَتَهَا أَوَّلاً.

2. Through the same chain of narrators as that of the previous Hadith, it is narrated Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘When a woman stands up for Salah (prayer) she should place her feet close to each other and should not keep them apart from each other. She should keep her hands over her chest over her breast. In Ruku‘ position she should place her hands above her knees on her thighs so as not to bend down very much to lift up her rear end. When sitting she should sit on her posteriors unlike a man. When bowing down for prostration she should first bring down her knees before her hands, then place herself on the ground. When sitting she should keep her thighs together and raise her knees from the ground. When moving to stand up a woman should rise upward without allowing her rear end to be seen being lifted up first.” 

3ـ جَمَاعَةٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ لاَ تُقْعِ بَيْنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ إِقْعَاءً.

3. A group has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from al-Husayn ibn ‘Uthman from Sama‘ah from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not sit, between the two sajdah, placing your hips on your heels.’” 

4ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا سَجَدَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ بَسَطَتْ ذِرَاعَيْهَا.

4. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from ibn Muskan from ibn abu Ya‘fur who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When a woman performs Sajdah (prostration) she must stretch her arms.’” 

5ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ مُعَلًّى أَبِي عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ خُنَيْسٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ (عَلَيْهِما الْسَّلام) إِذَا هَوَى سَاجِداً انْكَبَّ وَهُوَ يُكَبِّرُ.

5. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from Mu‘alla’ abu ‘Uthman from Mu‘alla’ ibn Khunayth who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), while bowing down for Sajdah (prostration) would say Takbir (Allah is great beyond description).”’ (Ahadith 4-5 are best be explained by fatwa.) 

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا سَجَدَ الرَّجُلُ ثُمَّ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنْهَضَ فَلاَ يَعْجِنُ بِيَدَيْهِ فِي الأرْضِ وَلَكِنْ يَبْسُطُ كَفَّيْهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَضَعَ مَقْعَدَتَهُ عَلَى الأرْضِ.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When one is in prostration position and wants to stand up, he should not make his hand into a fist placed on the ground, instead he should open his palms without placing his posteriors on the ground.’” 

7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ جُلُوسِ الْمَرْأَةِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ قَالَ تَضُمُّ فَخِذَيْهَا.

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah from Aban from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about woman when sitting during Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘She keeps her thighs together.’” 

8ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا قَالَ الْمَرْأَةُ إِذَا سَجَدَتْ تَضَمَّمَتْ وَالرَّجُلُ إِذَا سَجَدَ تَفَتَّحَ.

8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from certain persons of our people who has narrated the following: “He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said that woman when performing Sajdah (prostration) should not spread herself and man should spread himself on the ground.’” 

9ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ قَالَ النَّحْرُ الاعْتِدَالُ فِي الْقِيَامِ أَنْ يُقِيمَ صُلْبَهُ وَ نَحْرَهُ وَقَالَ لاَ تُكَفِّرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَصْنَعُ ذَلِكَ الْمَجُوسُ وَلاَ تَلَثَّمْ وَلاَ تَحْتَفِزْ وَلاَ تُقْعِ عَلَى قَدَمَيْكَ وَلاَ تَفْتَرِشْ ذِرَاعَيْكَ. 

9. It is a narration from him (narrator of previous Hadith) by Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Hammad from Hariz from a man who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the words of Allah, ‘Perform Salah (prayer) for the sake of your Lord and offer sacrifice. . . .’(108:2) He (the Imam) said, ‘Offering sacrifice’ is a reference to standing in a level posture by keeping one’s back and neck level.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must not place your hand on your other hand; Majus (Zoroastrians) people would do so. You must not cover your mouth, do not hold your limbs tightly together and do not squat (sit on one’s heels) and do not place your arms flat on the ground.’” (Ahadith 7-9 above and the following chapters are best explained in the form of fatwa). 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 3

Book 4, Chapter 29