Pus (qayh)

In the lexicon, qayh is pure matter with no blood mixed into it, and the jurists use the word in that sense ¹. Sadid is thin wound fluid mixed with blood before the matter thickens; it appears in a wound before qayh does ¹.

The jurists agree that pus which leaves the human body is impure, because it is among the foul things that sound natures reject, and because it arises from blood, which is impure ².

The Malikis and Shafi'is say ablution is not broken by pus leaving the body, since for them the impurity that breaks ablution is only what comes out of the two passages ². They cite a report about two companions guarding the Muslims at the raid of Dhat al-Riqa', one of whom was struck by an arrow, pulled it out and prayed while his blood flowed; the Prophet ﷺ learned of it and did not object, and the book attributes this report to Abu Dawud and al-Hakim ².

The Hanafis say that pus leaving the body to a place that falls under the rules of purification breaks ablution; pus that appears at the head of a wound without passing the swelling does not ². Zufar says it breaks ablution whether or not it flows ³.

The Hanbali position is that pus breaks ablution, but only a large amount; they cite the hadith of Fatima bint Abi Hubaysh ("that is a vein") and a saying of Ibn Abbas about heavy blood. The book records their disagreement on what counts as large: what is heavy in each person's own judgement, or any amount at all in one narration ³.

The Hanafis, Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis, and a group of Companions and Successors, hold that prayer is not valid if a large amount of pus touches the body or clothes, since purity of clothing, body and place is a condition of prayer ³. A small amount is excused in general, because a person rarely escapes it and it is hard to avoid ³. The jurists differ on the measure of the excused small amount; the book refers the detail to the entry on sadid ³.