Lesson10: Impurities (Najāsāt)

Eleven things are impurities intrinsically (Original Najāsat)

1. Urine;
   2. Feces;
   3. Semen;
   4. Dead body;
   5. Blood;
   6. Dog;
   7. Pig;
2. Disbeliever (Kāfir);
3. Wine;
4. Beer (Fuqqa̒);
5. The Sweat of a Feces-Eating Animal (Issue 121).

1 & 2. Urine and Feces

1. The urine and feces from the following living beings are impure:
2. Human;
3. Animals whose meat is unlawful (ḥarām) to eat and whose blood gushes out;
4. A feces-eating animal;
5. A sheep that has eaten pig’s milk;
6. An animal with which a human has had sexual intercourse (Issues 122 & 124).
7. The droppings of birds, which are unlawful (ḥarām) to eat, are pure (Issue 123).

3. Semen

The semen of a man and every animal whose blood gushes out is impure (Najis) (Issue 125).

4. Dead Body

1. The dead body of a human being or any animal whose blood gushes out is impure, regardless of whether the animal died naturally or was killed in a manner that is not in accordance with Islamic law (Issue 126).
2. If the flesh or other parts of the body containing the soul are separated from the body of a living human being or an animal whose blood gushes out, it is impure (Issue 128).
3. Liquid medicines, perfumes, oils, waxes, and soap imported from non-Muslim countries are pure if one is unsure about their impure (Issue 132).

5. Blood

The blood of a human being or every animal whose blood gushes out (i.e., when its vein is cut, its blood gushes out) is impure )Issue 134).

6 &7. Dog and Pig

All parts of the dog and pig that live on land are impure. However, dogs and pigs that live in the sea (beavers and seals) are pure (Issue 143).

8. Disbeliever

1. A disbeliever (kāfir) is someone who denies the existence of God (Allāh) or associates God with partners. He is impure (Issue 144).
2. According to a stronger opinion, the people of the book (Ahl Al-Kitāb), like Jews and Christians, are pure (Issue 144).

9. Wine

Wine and nabeez (made from grapes and dates) are impure. According to obligatory precaution, anything intoxicating a person is impure (Issue 149).

  10. Beer (Fuqqa̒)

Beer (Fuqqa̒), which is prepared from barley (āb-i-jow) and intoxicate, is impure (Issue 153).

11. Sweat of Feces-Eating Animal

The sweat of a camel and every other animal habituated to eat human feces is impure as an obligatory precaution (Issue 158).

 Rules of Impurities (Najāsāt)

1. Ways of proving impurity (Najāsat)

 There are three ways to prove the impurity of something:

2. If a person knows that one of two dishes or two dresses he uses have become impure but does not know which one is impure, he must avoid both of them (Issue 162).
3. Eating and drinking impurity (ain najāsat) and things that have become impure (Mutanajjis) are unlawful (Ḥarām). If a person sees someone eating or drinking something impure or praying with impure clothing, it is unnecessary to inform him (Issues 179 & 181).
4. If the host comes to know during the meal that the food is impure, he must inform the guests about it

(Issue 183).

5. If a pure object touches an impure object and both or
   one of them is wet that the wetness of one reaches the other, the pure object also becomes impure (Issue 163

Question:

If water drops hit the feet and clothes during the process of purifying the place of urine and feces (stinja), what is the rule?

Answer:

If there is no impurity (ain najāsat) with it, it is pure.

Exercises:

1. What are the types of impurities (Najāsaat)?
2. What are the types of blood that are impure?
3. What are the ways of proving impurity?
4. What is the opinion of Grand Ayatullah Fazeli Behsoodi regarding the purity of the people of the book (Ahl Al-Kitāb)?