Ritual impurity (hadath)

الحدث (الطهارة من الحدث)

Impurity (hadath) is a legal quality that settles on the limbs, removes ritual purity and bars valid prayer and similar acts; it lies in the washed limbs for the minor kind and in the whole body for the major kind. ¹ The term also names the causes that require ablution or bathing: the Hanafis define it as the emission of impurity from a human being, whether customary or not, and the Malikis as the customary emission from the customary passage. ² Customary emission from the two passages breaks ablution by agreement; worms, pebbles, blood and the like are disputed: the Hanafis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis count them, while the Malikis do not count an unusual discharge. ^{3 4} Sleep breaks ablution for the majority depending on posture: the Hanafis count lying or reclining, the Malikis heavy sleep, the Shafi'is distinguish whether the seat is firmly on the ground, and the Hanbalis separate the reclining from the sitting. ^{5 6} Touching the private parts, touching with desire and the kiss on the mouth are among the disputed causes; the Hanafis do not count touching a woman. ^{7 8 9 10} Laughter in prayer breaks the prayer for the Hanafis but is not a cause for the majority; eating camel meat breaks ablution for the Hanbalis and one Shafi'i view; washing a corpse does not require ablution for the majority. ^{11 12} The minor impurity forbids prayer by consensus, the circumambulation for the majority, and touching the Qur'an; whatever is forbidden by the minor impurity is forbidden by the major impurity a fortiori. ^{13 14 15 16 17} The major impurity additionally forbids reciting the Qur'an with intent to recite, seclusion in the mosque, staying in the mosque, and fasting for a menstruating or post-partum woman. ¹⁸ Ritual washing lifts the major impurity, and ablution or washing lifts the minor; tayammum is a substitute which, for the majority, does not lift impurity but allows prayer in necessity, while for the Hanafis it is a general substitute that lifts impurity until water is found. ¹⁸