Turab (earth and dust)

Turab is the surface of the earth. It matters for tayammum, for cleaning impurity, for fasting and for sale. ^{1 2}

Turab is the top layer of the earth, a generic noun. The jurists' discussion of tayammum implies that sand and rock dust are not turab, though some schools give them its ruling. ^{1 2} Sa'id is the surface of the earth, whether it is dust or not, and so is wider than turab. ²

Jurists agree that tayammum is valid with any clean earth on which dust clings to the hand. They differ over other things, such as lime, stone and sand: the Hanafis and Malikis allow them; the Shafi'is and Hanbalis allow only clean earth with clinging dust, though the Shafi'is allow sand that has dust. ^{2 3}

The Shafi'is and Hanbalis hold that a vessel licked by a dog must be washed seven times, one of them with earth, and they extend this to the pig. A narration of Ahmad requires eight washings. The Hanafis and Malikis require no earth, since the narrations about it are inconsistent. ^{3 4} The Hanafis, Malikis and Hanbalis, and one narration of Ahmad, hold that a shoe or sandal soiled by an impurity with substance is cleaned by rubbing it on the earth, on the hadith of Abu Sa'id. ⁴

Jurists agree that eating earth or a pebble on purpose breaks the fast, as does its entering the body deliberately. Dust that enters without intent does not break it, by agreement. ⁴

The Shafi'is, in the sounder view, allow selling earth by one who has taken possession of it, since it has a use. The Hanafis, and the weaker Shafi'i view, hold that it is not sold since it is not property. ⁵ The Shafi'is, and the preferred Maliki view, hold eating earth forbidden when it harms; the Hanafis, Hanbalis and some Malikis dislike it. ⁵