Rules Concerning the Different Types of Water

Q 69: If the lower part of qalīl water that flows downward without pressure comes into contact with a najis substance, will its upper part remain pure?

A: The upper part of the flowing water will be pure if the water can be said to be flowing from a higher plane to a lower one.

Q 70: When purifying najis clothes in kurr/running water, is it necessary to wring them out; or after removing inherently najis substance, is permeation enough?

A: As per caution, they should be wrung out or shaken.

Q 71: To purify najis clothes in water, whether it is running water or kurr water; is it obligatory to wring out the clothes with the clothes out of the water, or will they become purified when squeezed inside the water?

A: It will suffice to wring them out or shake them inside the water.

Q 72: To purify a najis carpet or the like, is it enough to apply tap water — which is connected to the city water supply pipes — to a najis area; or should the used water be extracted as well?

A: After applying piped water, removal of the used water is not necessary; rather, after the inherently najis substance has been removed, water has reached the najis area, and the used water has been removed from this area by pressing with the hand while connected to piped water; the carpet becomes pure.

Q 73: What is the rule of wuḍū’ or ghusl made with water hard by nature such as sea water which is hard by its natural salts (like the water of Urumiyeh Lake in Iran) or water that is harder than that?

A: The mere hardness of the water due to the presence of salts does not prevent it from being considered as unadulterated water. And the criteria by which the shar‘ī application of unadulterated water comes into effect, is that the water must be regarded as such in the common view.

Q 74: For the consequences of kurr water to apply (in the case of waters such as the water stored in train toilets, etc.), is it obligatory to know for sure that the water is kurr? Or is it enough to assume that it is kurr?

A: If it is established that the water was kurr in its previous situation, it will be permissible to apply rules of kurr water to it.

Q 75: According to ruling no. 147 of Imam Khomeini’s (q.) book on Practical laws of Islam, "one should not depend on what a discriminating child says concerning purity and najāsah until he becomes legally mature." This ruling involves a difficult obligation because it entails, for instance, that parents should keep cleaning their child after he goes to the toilet until the child becomes fifteen years old. What is the religious duty in this regard?

A: The statement of a child who is close to the age of shar‘ī puberty is valid in this regard.

Q 76: Occasionally, a certain substance is added to water that makes its color milky. Is such water considered adulterated? And what is the rule with respect to using it for wuḍū’ and purification?

A: If a child, who is close to the age of shar‘ī puberty, tells about the purity or najāsah of themselves or of the object at their disposal, their statement in this reagard is reliable; otherwise, it is not reliable unless it brings certainty or confidence.

Q 77: What is the difference between running water and kurr water as far as purification is concerned?

A: There is no difference between the two in this regard.

Q 78: Is it valid to perform wuḍū’ with the water collected from the vapor of boiling salty water?

A: If the water can be called unadulterated water, the shar‘ī rules of unadulterated water will apply to it.

Q 79: In order to purify the bottom of one’s foot or shoes one should walk at least fifteen steps. Is this true only after removing the inherently najis material, or can the foot be purified even while the said material is there? Thus, does the bottom of one’s foot or shoes become purified when the inherently najis material is removed by walking fifteen steps?

A: When the bottom of one’s shoes / soles of feet become najis as a result of walking, one can purify them by walking almost ten steps on a dry and pure ground provided that the inherently najis substance is removed.

Q 80: Are the roads paved with asphalt or other materials considered as instances of the earth that purifies, so that by walking upon them the sole of the feet or the underneath surface of the shoes can be purified?

A: When the bottom of one’s shoes / soles of feet become najis as a result of walking on the ground, they are purified by walking almost ten steps on a dry and pure ground if the inherently najis substance or the made-najis object is removed from it by walking on, or rubbing it against, the ground.

Q 81: Is the sun considered one of the purifying agents? If so, what are the conditions for it to purify?

A: The sun purifies the ground and all immovable objects such as trees, plants, buildings, and/or whatever is fixed inside of them — such as timbers, doors and so forth. These things are purified by sunshine provided that at first the inherently najis substance is removed and then they are wet and dried out just by sunshine while nothing such as clouds or a curtain prevents direct sunshine on it.

Q 82: How can we purify najis clothes which color the water while being washed?

A: If it does not make the water adulterated, the clothes will become pure by pouring water on them.

Q 83: Someone put water in a vessel in order to use it for the ghusl of janābah. If some water drops fall from his body into the vessel during the ghusl, will the water become najis? And will there be any problem in completion of the ghusl with this water?

A: If the water falls into the vessel from some part of the body that is pure, then the water remains to be pure and there is no problem in completing ghusl with it.

Q 84: Is it possible to purify a clay oven built of clay that has been mixed with najis water?

A: Washing can purify its surfaces and for baking it is sufficient to purify the surfaces of the clay oven on which the bread dough is placed.

Q 85: Does najis oil remain najis after performing a chemical reaction on it so that it has new properties or does the metamorphosis rule apply to it?

A: For the purification of a najis substance, it is not sufficient merely to perform chemical reaction upon it so as to give it new properties.

Q 86: There is a bathhouse with a flat roof in our village. In this bathhouse, drops of water that are created from the steam in the bathhouse fall from the roof on the heads of the people who are bathing. Are these drops of water pure? Is the ghusl performed after these drops fall valid?

A: Both the steam and the drops of water that fall from the pure roof are ruled to be pure. Therefore, bodily contact with these drops of water does not harm the correctness of the ghusl and does not make the body najis.

Q 87: Scientific studies have shown that after sewage system water mixes with mineral pollutants and germs its specific gravity becomes ten percent more than the normal water. The filtration plant changes the water obtained from the sewage system and separates these materials and germs from them through physical, chemical and biological operations. Hence, after being purified in various respects — physically (color, taste, and odor), chemically (removal of mineral pollutants), and hygienically (removal of harmful germs and parasites ova), it becomes by far much cleaner and better than the water of many rivers and lakes, especially the water used for irrigation. Does najis drainage water become pure by the aforementioned process and does the rule of metamorphosis apply to this type of water? Or is the water, after going thorough such a process of filtration, ruled to be najis?

A: Metamorphosis would not be achieved just by separating mineral pollutants, germs, etc., from drainage water unless the purification process is done by evaporating the water and condensing its vapor into water again.

Rules of the Lavatory

Q 88: The nomadic tribes do not have sufficient water, especially during the days of their migration, for purifying the urinary outlet. Is it sufficient to purify it with wood or pebbles? And can they offer their prayers in such a situation?

A: The urinary outlet cannot be purified except by water. But if it is not possible to purify it with water, the prayer will be valid.

Q 89: What is the rule with respect to purifying the urinary outlet and the anus with qalīl water?

A: For purification of the urinary outlet with qalīl water it is necessary, after removing the inherently najis material, to wash it twice with water according to caution; and for the anus it is obligatory to wash it until the inherently najis material and its traces are removed.

Q 90: Customarily, it is obligatory for men who want to perform prayer to do istibrā’ after urination. I have a wound on my penis that bleeds while doing istibrā’ due to pressure upon the penis, and thus blood is mixed with the water used for purification causes my body and clothes to become najis. If I do not do istibrā’, the wound will possibly heal earlier. Doing istibrā’, which puts pressure on the penis, would certainly cause the wound to persist and heel only after the next three months. Please explain whether I should do istibrā’ or not.

A: Doing istibrā’ is not obligatory. Furthermore, it is not allowed if it causes a considerable harm. However, after urination if one does not do istibrā’ and a doubtful liquid comes out, it will be ruled as urine.

Q 91: Occasionally, after urinating and doing istibrā’, wetness similar to urine comes out involuntarily. Is it najis or pure? And, if one notices the problem by chance after a while, what is the rule concerning the prayers he has performed earlier? Is it obligatory in the future to examine this wetness, which comes out involuntarily?

A: The wetness that comes out after doing istibrā’, about which one doubts whether it is urine or not, is not considered urine. It is to be considered pure, and it is not obligatory to do any investigation in this case.

Q 92: Please give an explanation concerning the different wet discharges that one may experience.

A: The wetness that comes out occasionally after the discharge of semen is called ‘wadhi’ That which comes out occasionally after urinating is called ‘wadi’, and that which comes out after foreplay is called ‘madhi’. All of them are pure and do not invalidate wuḍū’.

Q 93: A toilet seat was fixed in a direction totally different from the direction believed to be that of the qiblah. After some time it was known that the direction of the toilet seat is deviated with 20 to 22 degrees from the direction of the qiblah. Is it obligatory to change the direction of the toilet seat or not?

A: Assuming the deviation from the direction of qiblah is enough to be considered a deviation, there is no problem.

Q 94: Due to a urinary disease, the urine does not stop and wetness comes out after urinating and doing istibrā’. I have consulted a physician and acted on his prescription but it had no use. What is my duty?

A: Doubt concerning discharge of urine after doing istibrā’ is not to be taken into account. But if one is certain that there is a discharge of some drops of urine, one’s obligation is to act according to the duty of that who is incontinent to urine as explained in Imam Khomeini’s (q.) book on Practical laws of Islam and he has no other duty.

Q 95: How is istibrā’ done before purifying anus?

A: There is no difference between performing it before or after purifying anus.

Q 96: Employment in some companies and institutions depends on undergoing a medical examination that partly includes exposing one’s private parts and looking at them. Is that permissible when one needs to find a job?

A: It is not permissible to expose one’s private parts before another person nor the latter's looking at them, even if one’s employment depends upon it. Of course, if the doctor thinks the would-be employee may be sick while employing him like that is against the law and there is no way other than direct physical examination to diagnose the illness, looking becomes permissible only in this case.

Q 97: After urination, how many times should the urinary outlet be washed to become pure?

A: According to the obligatory caution, the urinary outlet will become pure by washing it two times with qalīl water.

Q 98: How could the excretory outlet (anus) be made pure?

A: The excretory outlet could be made pure through two methods. First: washing it with water until the najis material is removed after which there would be no need for further washing. Second: removing the najis material with three pure pieces of stone, clothes or the likes. If the najis material is not removed with these three pieces, more pieces could be used until the najis material is completely removed. Instead of three pieces, one could use three sites of the same piece of stone or cloth.

Rules of Wuḍū’

Q 99: Having made wuḍū’ with the intention of having wuḍū’ for the prayer of maghrib, is it permissible for one to touch the Noble Qur’an and offer the prayer of ‘ishā’ with the same wuḍū’?

A: Once a valid wuḍū’ is made and it has not become invalid, it is permissible to perform any act that requires wuḍū’.

Q 100: A person wears artificial hair on his head and it is difficult for him not to wear it, is it permissible for him to wipe over it in wuḍū’?

A: If the artificial hair is in the form of a wig, it would be obligatory to remove it and do wiping. But if the artificial hair is implanted in the skin and its removal would entail unbearable loss or hardship and one cannot make water reaches the scalp, it would be valid to do wiping over it. However, by caution they do tayammum as well.

Q 101: I have been told that one can pour only two handfuls of water on the face during wuḍū’, and a third one will invalidate the wuḍū’, is that correct?

A: Washing wuḍū’ parts is obligatory for the first time and permissible for the second time. But it is not said in shar‘ to wash it for the third time. The criterion in determining each time is people’s opinion. If somebody does not know the people’s opinion in this regard, the criterion is one’s intention.

Q 102: In doing wuḍū’ by immersion, is it permissible to submerge the face and the hands into the water more than two times?

A: For wuḍū’ by immersion one may submerge the face and the hands only twice into the water. It is obligatory for the first time, permissible for the second time, and impermissible for more than that. Regarding the hands, in the given wuḍū’, one should intend washing for wuḍū’ when bringing them out of water in order to make it possible to use their wuḍū’ water for wiping.

Q 103: Are the natural oily secretions of the body — that cover the hair and skin — considered a barrier that would prevent water from reaching the skin?

A: It is not considered a barrier unless it is so much that it would prevent water from reaching the skin and the hair.

Q 104: For some time I was not wiping the tips of my toes while performing the wiping in wuḍū’. I was only wiping the upper surface of the foot and part of the toes. Is this wiping valid? In case of invalidity, is it obligatory for me to repeat the prayers that I have performed with such wuḍū’?

A: If the tips of the toes are not covered in the wiping process, the wuḍū’ is invalid and it is obligatory to repeat all the prayers offered with such a wuḍū’. But in case that one knew the ruling and probably he was wiping the tips of the toes during wiping, the wuḍū’s and the prayers offered with them are ruled to be correct.

Q 105: What is meant by the ‘ka‘b’ up to which the wiping of the foot is to be made?

A: It is obligatory that the wiping is made up to the ankle joint.

Q 106: What is the rule concerning wuḍū’ performed in the masjids, centers, and government offices built by the government in other Islamic countries?

A: It is permissible and there is no shar‘ī impediment in doing so.

Q 107: A spring flows out in a piece of land. If we want to carry the water by pipes to an area at a distance of several kilometers, it is necessary to lay pipes on land of some other people. In the case of dissatisfaction of the owners, is it permissible to use the spring water for wuḍū’, ghusl and other acts of purification?

A: If the spring is natural, situated beside and outside other’s property, and its water flows into the pipes before it flows on others' property and carried to the said area, there is nothing wrong in using the water unless the common view consider it a violation of others’ properties.

Q 108: Although the city water supply department interdicted installation of pumps in the pipeline, in some places water pressure is so low that people in higher stories are forced to use pumps. Considering the abovementioned situation, please provide us with the answer to the following questions:
i. According to Islam, is it permissible to install pumps in order to use more water?
ii. If it is not permissible, what is the ruling in regard to performing wuḍū’ and ghusl with water got through a pump?

A: In the given question, it is not permissible to install and use a pump. Furthermore, performing wuḍū’ and ghusl with water obtained through a pump is problematic.

Q 109: In one of your answers you have stated that if wuḍū’ is done at a time near to the beginning time of prayer, the prayer performed therewith is valid. So how far before the beginning time of prayer have you meant?

A: The criterion is that common people consider it near to the arrival of the time of prayer, and there is no objection to the wuḍū’ performed — for the prayer — within that period.

Q 110: Is it mustaḥabb for someone who performs wuḍū’ to wipe the lower surface of the toes that touches the ground while walking?

A: The place of the wiping is the upper surface of the foot from the tip of one of the toes to the ankle, and the recommendation of wiping the lower part of the toes is not proved.

Q 111: If someone who performs wuḍū’ opens and closes the faucet while washing his hands and face with the intent of wuḍū’, what is the ruling concerning this act?

A: There is no problem in doing so and it does not harm the validity of the wuḍū’. However, after washing the left hand and before performing the wiping, if one puts his hand on the wet faucet and the water used for wuḍū’ in the hand is mixed with water which was not used for wuḍū’, wiping with this water (i.e. a mixture of wuḍū’ water and water on the faucet) is not valid.

Q 112: Is it possible to use water other than that of wuḍū’ for wiping? And is it necessary to wipe the head with the right hand and in an up-down direction?

A: It is obligatory to do wiping on the head and the feet with the remnant wetness of wuḍū’ remained in the hand and in case that no remnant wetness is there, the wetness should be taken from the beard or the eyebrows by the hand and to do wiping with it. Also, it is based on caution to do wiping on the head with the right hand but it is not necessary to wipe the head in an up-down direction.

Q 113: Some women claim that fingernail polish does not create a hindrance for the wuḍū’ and that it is permissible to do wiping over transparent socks. What is your opinion?

A: If the fingernail polish has a substance that prevents water from reaching the nails, the wuḍū’ is void, and wiping performed on socks is incorrect, however transparent they may be.

Q 114: Is it permissible for those wounded in war, who have lost bladder control due to the severing of the spinal cord, to attend the Friday congregational sermons and take part in the Friday and afternoon prayers with wuḍū’ performed according to the duties of someone who is incontinent for urine?

A: They may participate in a Friday prayer. But as it is obligatory for them to begin the prayer after wuḍū’ without delay, their wuḍū’ performed before the sermons is not sufficient for the Friday prayer unless no invalidator of wuḍū’ (e.g. urination) occurred after wuḍū’.

Q 115: Someone gets assistance in making wuḍū’ as he is unable to perform wuḍū’ on his own. Then he makes intentions and performs the wiping with his own hand. And when unable to do the wiping himself, the assistant takes his hand and does the wiping with it, and when that cannot be done the assistant takes the moisture from his hand and does the wiping with it. But what is the rule when he does not have hands?

A: If he does not have a palm, the moisture would be taken from his forearm, and if there is no forearm the moisture would be taken from his beard or eyebrow, and with it the wiping of the head and the feet is carried out.

Q 116: Near the place where Friday prayer is performed, there is a place for wuḍū’ affiliated to the local jāmi‘ masjid but the water is not paid for by the budget of the masjid. Is it permissible for those performing Friday prayer to use that water for wuḍū’?

A: As the water is prepared for performing wuḍū’ for all those who perform prayer, without any restrictions, there is no problem in using it.

Q 117:Q 117: Is wuḍū’ performed for the noon and afternoon prayers also sufficient for the maghrib and ‘ishā’ prayers, this is when one knows that nothing occurred within this time that might annul the wuḍū’? Or is it obligatory to make a separate intention and wuḍū’ for each prayer?

A: It is not necessary to perform wuḍū’ for every prayer. Rather, It is allowed to offer as many prayers as one wants with a single wuḍū’ as long as it remains valid.

Q 118: Is it permissible to do wuḍū’ with the intention of offering the daily obligatory prayer before the beginning of its time?

A: There is no problem in doing wuḍū’ with the intention of performing the daily obligatory prayer a little while before its time begins.

Q 119: My feet are affected with paralysis and I walk with the help of medical shoes and crutches. It is not possible for me to take off the shoes for wuḍū’. Please explain my shar‘ī duty concerning the wiping of the feet.

A: If removing the shoes for wiping the feet is so difficult for you, wiping over the shoes is sufficient and valid.

Q 120: After searching for water in a range of several farsakh, we found only some dirty water. Is it obligatory to do tayammum in this condition or to do wuḍū’ with this water?

A: If the water is pure and unadulterated and there is no harm or fear of harm in using it, it is obligatory to do wuḍū’, and it is not the occasion for tayammum.

Q 121: Is wuḍū’ by itself mustaḥabb? And is it valid to perform wuḍū’ for the sake of nearness to Allah before the time of prayer arrives and then to offer the prayer with that wuḍū’?

A: Doing wuḍū’ for the sake of being in a state of purity is mustaḥabb and preferable in Islamic law and it is permissible to perform prayer with a mustaḥabb wuḍū’.

Q 122: How could a person who is always doubtful about the validity of his wuḍū’ go to the masjid, pray, read the Noble Qur’an, and visit the shrine of the Infallibles (a.)?

A: No attention should be paid to doubt concerning state of purity after the performance of wuḍū’. And it is permissible for one to offer prayer and read the Noble Qur’an, etc. as long as one is not certain that his wuḍū’ has been invalidated.

Q 123: For wuḍū’ to be correct, is it a condition that the water should flow over the whole hand, or is it sufficient that the hands are wiped with a wet hand?

A: One may do mash of the head on the upper part of scalp or its hair. However, if the hair of another part of the head is collected on the upper part or the hair of upper part of the head is so long that now it is on the shoulder or face, it is not enough to pass wet hand on it. Rather, one must part the hair to do mash on the upper part of the scalp or the base of the hair.

Q 124: In wiping the head, is it sufficient to make the hair wet or is it obligatory that the moisture from the hand reaches the skin of the head, as well?

A: One may do mash of the head on the upper part of scalp or its hair. However, if the hair of another part of the head is collected on the upper part or the hair of upper part of the head is so long that now it is on the shoulder or face, it is not enough to pass wet hand on it. Rather, one must part the hair to do mash on the upper part of the scalp or the base of the hair.

Q 125:
a) For a person, who does not need to implant nails and will not remove artificial nails during wuḍū’ or ghusl due to the impossibility, harm, or great difficulty, is it permissible to implant artificial nails?
b) What is the duty of a person who has implanted artificial nails without being necessary regarding wuḍū’, ghusl and prayer?

A:
a) It is not permissible to implant nails in the given case.
b) If it is possible to remove the artificial nail, wuḍū’ or ghusl with it is invalid; and as a result, the prayer is also invalid. If it is not possible to remove the artificial nail before end of prayer’s time or it entails unbearable hardship, in addition to making jabīrah wuḍū’ or ghusl one must make tayammum and after removing the nails, by obligatory caution, make up for the prayers as qaḍā as well.

Q 126: What is the rule concerning an interval of time, which may separate the wiping and / or the washing of different body parts during wuḍū’ or ghusl?

A: There is no problem in an interval time — i.e. not observing succession — during the ghusl. However, wuḍū’ will be invalid if there is a delay in completing it to the extent that previously washed or wiped body parts dry up.

Q 127: What is the duty of a person suffering from continuous discharge of gas, though in a small amount, regarding wuḍū’ and prayers?

A: If he cannot keep his wuḍū’ until the end of the prayer, and the renewal of wuḍū’ during the prayer is so difficult, he can pray only one prayer with each wuḍū’. That is, for each prayer the performance of one wuḍū’ is sufficient, though it would become invalid during the prayer.

Q 128: Some people who live in residential complexes refuse to pay their share of the expense of keeping a watchman and other services including cold and hot water, air conditioning, and so forth. Are prayers, fasting and other acts of worship of such people, who put the financial burden of the mentioned services on the shoulders of their unwilling neighbors, invalid from the viewpoint of Islamic law?

A: According to Islamic law, each person is liable for paying the expenses of the common facilities as much as he uses. And if he wants not to pay the cost of water, his wuḍū’ and ghusl are invalid.

Q 129: Someone performed ghusl of janābah and wants to offer the prayer after about 3 or 4 hours, but he does not know whether his ghusl is still valid or not. Is there any problem if he performs wuḍū’ as a caution?

A: In this case, performing wuḍū’ is not obligatory, but there is no objection to taking caution.

Q 130: Does the wuḍū’ of an immature child become invalid due to wuḍū’ invalidators? Is it permissible to allow the child to touch the writings of the Noble Qur’an?

A: Yes, wuḍū’ invalidators makes the wuḍū’ of the child invalid. However, touching the script of the Noble Qur’an is not ḥarām for the child and it is not obligatory for a mukallaf to prevent him from touching it.

Q 131: One of the body parts involved in wuḍū’ becomes najis after being washed and before the completion of the wuḍū’. What is its rule?

A: That does not harm the validity of the wuḍū’, though it is obligatory to purify that part to obtain a state of purity from najāsah, which is required for prayer.

Q 132: Does it matter if there are some drops of water on the foot while wiping them for wuḍū’?

A: It is obligatory to wipe these drops of water off the wiping site so that the hand used to wipe the foot will wet the foot, not the reverse.

Q 133: Is one relieved of the obligation of wiping the right foot if the right hand, for instance, is amputated from above the elbow?

A: No, it is obligatory for him to wipe it with the left hand.

Q 134: What is the duty of someone who has a wound or a fracture in one of his body parts involved in wuḍū’?

A: If the wound or the fracture is not dressed and it is not harmful to wash it with water, it should be washed. However, if washing it is harmful, the surrounding area is to be washed and it is based on obligatory caution to wipe it with wet hand if it is not harmful.

Q 135: What is the duty of a person who is wounded in those areas involved in wiping in wuḍū’?

A: If he cannot wipe the wound with a wet hand, he is obliged to do tayammum instead. But if he can put a piece of cloth on the wound and do wiping over it with a wet hand, by caution, in addition to doing tayammum, he should perform wuḍū’ according to the mentioned method.

Q 136: A person does not know that his wuḍū’ is invalid, and comes to know about it only after completing the wuḍū’. What is the rule?

A: It is obligatory for him to repeat the wuḍū’ for the acts that require wuḍū’, such as prayers. If he has offered prayer with this void wuḍū’, he should repeat this prayer as well.

Q 137: One has a wound on one of the limbs involved in the wuḍū’ process; which bleeds continuously despite of putting the dressing on it. How can they perform wuḍū’?

A: It is obligatory for them to use a dressing on the wound, such as one made of nylon, which prevents blood from oozing out.

Q 138: Is it makrūh to wipe off the moisture after wuḍū’? And is it mustaḥabb to abstain from doing so?

A: If a particular towel or piece of cloth is specified for such an act, there is no objection to it.

Q 139: Would the artificial dye which women use to dye their hair and eyebrows act as an impediment to the validity of wuḍū’ or ghusl?

A: If it is just dye that does not have a substance that prevents water from reaching the hair, wuḍū’ and ghusl would be both valid.

Q 140: Is the presence of ink on the hands among the obstacles of water that invalidate the wuḍū’?

A: If it has a substance that prevents water from reaching the skin, the wuḍū’ is invalid and the decision concerning the instances rests with the mukallaf.

Q 141: Does wuḍū’ become void if the moisture of the hand comes into contact with that on the face while wiping the head?

A: As it is obligatory that wiping of the feet is done with the palms’ moisture which remains from the wuḍū’ water, one should not touch the top of the forehead with the hand while wiping the head in a manner that the hand’s moisture comes into contact with the moisture on the face. This is to prevent the hand’s moisture, needed for wiping the feet, from being mixed with that on the face.

Q 142: A person takes much more time for wuḍū’ than is ordinarily needed, what is he to do to become certain that he has washed the parts involved in wuḍū’?

A: It is obligatory for him to refrain from obsession and to ignore it in order to disappoint Satan. He should also try to confine himself, like other people, to the extent that is required by Islamic law.

Q 143: There are tattoos on some parts of my body and I am told that my ghusl, wuḍū’, and prayers are invalid. Please guide me in this matter.

A: If the tattoos are merely color or it is under the skin and there is nothing on the skin to prevent water from reaching it, then wuḍū’ and ghusl are valid.

Q 144: After urinating, doing istibrā’, and performing wuḍū’, a fluid suspected of being either urine or semen came out. What is its rule?

A: In the given question, it is obligatory to perform both wuḍū’ and ghusl in order to obtain certainty of purity from the invalidators of both of them.

Q 145: Please state the difference between the wuḍū’ of men and women.

A: There is no difference between men and women in respect of the acts of wuḍū’ and its procedure. However, it is mustaḥabb for men while washing the elbow to begin with its outer side, and for women to begin with its inner side.

The Rules for Touching the Names of Allah, the Glorious, and the Verses of the Qur’an

Q 146: What is the rule concerning the pronouns referring to Allah, the Exalted, such as in the expression, " bismihī ta‘ālā"?

A: The rule concerning His Names does not apply to pronouns.

Q 147: It has been usual to write ‘A.’ instead of the name of ‘Allah,’ what is the rule with respect to touching this letter without wuḍū’?

A: The rule concerning Allah’s names does not apply to the ‘A.’, i.e. touching it without wuḍū’ is no problem.

Q 148: I work in a place where the word ‘Allah’ is written in the form of ‘A.’ in correspondence. Is it correct to write in this way instead of writing the real Divine Name that is indicated upon?

A: There is no objection to doing so.

Q 149: Is it permissible to abstain from writing the Name of ‘Allah’ or to write it as ‘Al...’ just for the probability that it might be touched by someone without wuḍū’?

A: There is no objection to doing so.

Q 150: Blind people use a script called Braille for reading and writing on which they pass their fingers. Is it necessary for the blind to be in state of wuḍū’, while learning the Noble Qur’an written in Braille?

A: If the protruding dots are signs for the original letters, the ruling of the letters is not applicable to them. But, if, according to the view of informed people, they are considered as script, it is necessary to observe caution in touching them.

Q 151: What is the rule concerning touching such names as Abdullah and Ḥabībullah without wuḍū’?

A: It is no problem.

Q 152: Is it permissible for women, during their menstrual period, to wear a necklace engraved with the blessed name of the Prophet (s.)?

A: It is no problem.

Q 153: Is the prohibition of touching the words of the Noble Qur’an without purity limited to the case where they are in the sacred scripture, or is it ḥarām, although they are found in other books, tableaux, walls, etc.?

A: It is not limited to the sacred scripture. Rather, it also includes the Qur’anic words and verses written in other books, newspapers, magazines, tableaux, etc.

Q 154: For eating rice, a family uses a dish  on which Qur’anic verses, such as The Verse of Āyah al-Kursī, is inscribed for the sake of blessing. Is there any problem in this?

A: If they are touching it with wuḍū’ or using spoons for eating, there will be no problem.

Q 155: Is it obligatory for persons engaged in typing, with typewriter, the verses of the Holy Qur’an to have wuḍū’?

A: Purity is not a condition for this work, but it is not permissible for them to touch the printed items without wuḍū’.

Q 156: Is it ḥarām to touch the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran without wuḍū’?

A: No, it is not ḥarām.

Q 157: What is the ruling concerning printing the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran on official papers and using it in correspondence, etc.?

A: There is no problem in writing or printing the name of Allah or the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Q 158: What is the rule concerning using postal stamps on which verses of the Noble Qur’an or the Name of Allah or other Names of Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, are written, or to print the emblems of institutions containing verses of the Noble Qur’an in newspapers, magazines and publications that are published every day?

A: There is no problem in printing and publishing Qur’anic verses, the name ‘Allah’, or the like. But, it is obligatory for whoever handles them to observe the related rules of Islamic law and to refrain from dealing with them irreverently, making them najis, or touching verses of the holy Qur’an without wuḍū’.

Q 159: In some newspapers the names of Allah or Qur’anic verses are written. Is it permissible to wrap food with them, sit on them, use them instead of a tablecloth and put food on them, or throw them into the garbage knowing that it is difficult to get rid of them through other ways?

A: It is impermissible to use these newspapers for such purposes which are considered in the common view as disrespect while it is no problem if they would not be considered like that.

Q 160: Is it permissible to touch the words engraved on rings?

A: If they are words that require wuḍū’ to touch them, it is not permissible to touch them without wuḍū’.

Q 161: What is the rule concerning throwing a piece of paper with the names of Allah, the Exalted, and verses of the holy Qur’an into rivers and streams? What about changing them into paste?

A: There is no objection to throwing it in rivers or streams if people do not consider it as irreverence towards them. Yet, it is better to put it into a container of water and change it into paste.

Q 162: Is it obligatory while throwing corrected exam papers in the garbage or while burning them to ascertain that they do not contain the names of Allah, the Exalted, and those of the Infallibles (a.)? Is it considered extravagance to throw away papers with one blank page (i.e. only one page is used)?

A: It is not obligatory to investigate, and when you are not sure whether it includes the name of Allah, the Exalted, there is no objection to throwing it in the garbage. However, as to papers that are partly blank, and can be used for writing upon them or can be used for manufacturing cardboard, burning them and throwing them away which may amount to extravagance, is not free of problems.

Q 163: Please name the holy names that we cannot touch without wuḍū’.

A: It is better not to touch the names of Allah, the sublime, the attributes special to Him, as well as the names of the holy prophets and the infallible a. without wuḍū’.

Q 164: What are the shar‘ī methods for erasing the holy names and Qur’anic verses when there is a need to do so? What is the rule with respect to burning papers that carry Allah’s Name and Qur’anic verses when it becomes necessary to destroy them in order to keep secrets?

A: There is no problem in burying them in the soil or converting them, with water, into pulp. But burning them is problematic and, when considered disrespect, impermissible except when compulsion calls for it and it is not possible to cut out Qur’anic verses and the holy names from them.

Q 165: What is the rule concerning shredding the holy names and Qur’anic verses in such a way that no two letters remain connected to each other and the names and verses become illegible? Does it suffice in their effacement, in order to evade their rule, to change their written form by adding some letters to them or erasing some of their letters?

A: If shredding them in such a manner amounts to disrespect, it is impermissible. Otherwise, if it does not lead to the disappearance of Allah’s name and verses of the Holy Qur’an, it is not sufficient. Also, changing the words through addition or removal of some letters does not prevent the rule from being applied to a letter intended to be a part of Allah’s name at the time of writing. It is not remote to say, when changing of the letters is considered as effacement, that the rule of holy names is not applied to them, though caution lies in refraining from touching them without wuḍū’.

Rules of the Ghusl of Janābah

Q 166: In case of shortage of time is it permissible for an individual who is in the condition of janābah to offer prayer with tayammum, while his body and clothes are najis or should he clean himself, perform the ghusl, and offer the missed prayer as qaḍā’?

A: If there is not sufficient time to purify his body and clothes, or to change the clothes, and it is not possible to offer the prayer while naked due to coldness or the like, he should pray with tayammum instead of performing the ghusl of janābah and with these najis clothes. This prayer is valid, satisfies his obligation, and he is not obliged to repeat it later.

Q 167: Sometimes semen enters the womb without penetration. Does it result in janābah for the female?

A: That does not cause janābah.

Q 168: Is it obligatory for women to perform ghusl after a vaginal examination with medical instruments?

A: Ghusl is not obligatory as long as there is no emission of manī.

Q 169: If penetration of only the glans occurs with no ejaculation of semen and the woman has not reached orgasm, is ghusl obligatory for her, him, or both?

A: If penetration occurs, even of the glans only, ghusl will be obligatory for both of them.

Q 170: In respect of women’s nocturnal emission, when does ghusl become obligatory for them? Is the discharge that comes out at the time of caressing and foreplay considered manī? And is it obligatory for them to perform ghusl despite the fact that they do not have an orgasm or do not feel weakness in the body? In general, when do women become junub without intercourse?

A: When a woman reaches orgasm and a fluid is discharged from her, she becomes junub and ghusl of janābah becomes obligatory for her. But if she doubts whether she reached such a stage or not or whether the discharge came out or not, ghusl would not be obligatory for her.

Q 171: Is reading books or watching films that are sexually arousing permissible?

A: It is impermissible.

Q 172: A woman performed ghusl after intercourse with her husband, but his semen remained in her vagina. Is her ghusl valid if the semen comes out after ghusl? Is the semen that comes out later najis? Does it make her junub again?

A: Her ghusl is correct and if the discharge that comes out from her after ghusl is semen or manī, it is najis. However, if it is her husband’s semen, it would not lead to a new state of janābah.

Q 173: I have been afflicted with doubts in the ghusl of janābah for some time, so much so that I do not have intercourse with my wife. Nevertheless, now and again I find myself in a state that I think I must perform ghusl of janābah. In fact I take ghusl twice or thrice a day. This doubting has made me helpless. What am I to do?

A: The rule concerning janābah does not apply in case of doubt unless there is a discharge accompanied by the shar‘ī signs of semen discharge, or one is certain of the discharge of semen.

Q 174: Is the ghusl of janābah performed during the menstrual period valid so as to discharge a junub woman of her duty?

A: In the case mentioned, the validity of the ghusl performed is problematic.

Q 175: Is a menstruating woman who becomes junub or a junub woman who starts her monthly period obliged to perform both ghusls after she becomes clean? Or if a janābah state occurs during menstruation, would not ghusl of janābah be obligatory for her due to the fact that she was not clean when janābah occurs?

A: In both cases, ghusl for janābah is obligatory for her in addition to ghusl of menses, but practically it is permissible to perform only ghusl of janābah, although caution lies in making intention to perform both ghusls while doing one ghusl.

Q 176: When is a discharge from a male considered to be semen?

A: For a healthy man, when it is accompanied by sexual excitement, weakness of the body and spurt, it is subject to the rule of semen.

Q 177: In some cases it is observed that after ghusl there remain traces of soap or chalk around the fingernails and toenails that were not visible in the bathroom; however, after coming out from the bathroom the whiteness of soap becomes visible. Some people do ghusl and wuḍū’ without knowing this rule or paying attention to it. What is one’s duty in such cases, as it is uncertain whether water has reached the skin under the white trace or not?

A: The mere presence of a layer of chalk or soap, that becomes visible after the body dries up, does not harm the validity of wuḍū’ or ghusl, except when it makes an obstacle that prevents water from reaching the skin.

Q 178: Some brother says that it is obligatory to purify the body off najāsah, such as semen and the like, before the ghusl, and if it is purified during the ghusl, ghusl will be invalid. Supposing what he says is right, are the prayers I performed earlier invalid, and is repeating them obligatory, keeping in view that I did not know this matter?

A: It is not obligatory that the whole body be pure before starting the ghusl. Rather it is sufficient to purify each part of the body before its ghusl. Thus, if each part is purified before its ghusl, ghusl and the prayers performed with it are both correct. But if the part is not purified before making its ghusl and one wants to purify it and perform its ghusl with one wash, the ghusl and the prayers performed with such a ghusl are both invalid and it would be obligatory to repeat the prayers as qaḍā’.

Q 179: Is the discharge occurring during sleep considered semen if it is not accompanied with the three signs (ejaculation, sexual excitement, and weakness of the body) and it is not noticed except after awakening and observing wetness on one’s underclothing?

A: If all the three signs of discharging semen or one of them does not exist or you are doubtful about it, the discharged moisture is not ruled as semen unless you are certain in one way or another that it is semen.

Q 180: I am young and live in a poor family. I have very frequent emissions of semen and I am ashamed to ask my father to give me the money for the bathhouse expenses, as we do not have a bathroom in our house. Please guide me.

A: There is no reason to be ashamed of carrying out shar‘ī duties, and shame cannot be a legitimate excuse for not carrying out an obligation. In any case, if you are not able to perform ghusl for janābah, your duty is to perform tayammum instead of ghusl for praying and fasting.

Q 181: I am faced with a problem, i.e. even a single drop of water is so harmful for my body that even it should not be wiped. While washing my body, even a part of it, my heartbeat increases along with other symptoms. Is it permissible for me in such a condition to have intercourse with my wife, to do tayammum instead of ghusl for several months, and to pray and enter the masjid with this tayammum?

A: It is not obligatory for you to refrain from intercourse and after becoming junub, if you are excused from performing ghusl of janābah, your shar‘ī duty is to do tayammum instead of ghusl for the acts that require ghusl. And with tayammum, there is no impediment to your entering a masjid, offering prayer, touching the script of the Noble Qur’an and all the other acts that require ghusl.

Q 182: Is it obligatory to face the qiblah during the obligatory or mustaḥabb ghusl?

A: Facing the qiblah during ghusl is not obligatory.

Q 183: Is it valid to perform ghusl with the water already used for ghusl of janābah knowing that ghusl was done with qalīl water and the body was pure before it?

A: In the given case, there is no objection to doing ghusl with this water.

Q 184: During ghusl of janābah a wuḍū’ invalidator occurred. Is it obligatory to repeat ghusl or to finish it and to do wuḍū’?

A: It is not obligatory to repeat the ghusl and it does not affect the correctness of the ghusl. Rather, one should complete his ghusl. However, it does not remove the necessity of doing wuḍū’ for prayers and other acts that require wuḍū’.

Q 185: After urination thick discharge resembling semen came out involuntarily and without any sexual excitement. Is it subject to the rule of semen?

A: It is not subject to the rule of semen unless one is certain that it is semen, or it is accompanied with the three shar‘ī signs of semen discharge.

Q 186: When there are several mustaḥabb or obligatory ghusls to be performed, is performing one sufficient for all the rest?

A: If one performs one ghusl with the intention of performing all of them, it is sufficient. However, if one of them is ghusl of janābah and the intention is made to perform it, it suffices for all other ghusls, although caution is to make the intention for all of them.

Q 187: Do the ghusls other than ghusl of janābah relieve one of making wuḍū’?

A: They do not replace wuḍū’.

Q 188: In the janābah ghusl, is it necessary that water flows over the body?

A: The standard is the real meaning of washing the body with the intention of ghusl and the flowing of water over it is not a condition.

Q 189: One knows that if he becomes junub by having intercourse with his wife, he would have no water for the ghusl or there would not be enough time for both ghusl and prayers, is it permissible for him to have intercourse?

A: Although it is not possible for him to make ghusl, there is no objection to having intercourse with his wife if he is able to perform tayammum.

Q 190: Is it sufficient in the ghusl of janābah to observe the order between the head and the other parts of the body, or is the observance of order necessary in washing the two sides as well?

A: It is necessary, based on obligatory caution, to observe the order between the two sides by washing the right side before the left one.

Q 191: When one is going to perform the sequential ghusl, is there any problem if one washes first his back then makes the intention and perform the sequential ghusl thereafter?

A: There is no objection to washing one’s back or any other part of the body before making the intention for ghusl and starting it. The way of doing sequential ghusl is to make the intention for ghusl after making the body pure. Thereafter, one washes his head and neck first, then, according to the obligatory caution, washes the right half of the body, and, afterwards, the left one.

Q 192: Is it obligatory for women to wash all the hair during ghusl? And if water does not reach all the hair in ghusl does it make the ghusl invalid, even if one knows that water has reached the entire scalp?

A: It is an obligatory caution to wash the whole hair.

Rules of an Invalid Ghusl

Q 193: Someone reaches the age of shar‘ī puberty but does not know that ghusl is obligatory and how to make it; and in this way he passes about ten years before coming to know about taqlīd and that ghusl is obligatory? What is his duty concerning qaḍā’ of his fasts and prayers?

A: It is obligatory for him to do qaḍā’ of the prayers offered in the state of janābah. As far as fasting is concerned, then if one doubts as to whether remaining junub invalidates the fast or not and fasts in the state of janābah, his fast, according to the obligatory caution, is void ⁽¹⁾ and he must perform its qaḍā’. However, if one is certain that remaining junub will not invalidate the fast and fasts on such grounds, his fast is alright, yet observing caution in doing its qaḍā’ is good.

Q 194: A youth has been masturbating due to ignorance before reaching fourteen and after. As he did not know that discharging semen makes him junub and he is required to do ghusl for praying and fasting, he did not perform the ghusl after the discharge of semen. What is his duty? Is it obligatory for him to perform the ghusls of this period during which he was masturbating and had seminal discharge? Are all his prayers and fasts made during this period and until now invalid and should he repeat them?

A: A single ghusl of janābah is sufficient for all past discharges of semen. And it is obligatory for him to make qaḍā’ of all prayers he is certain he offered in the state of janābah. As to the fasts, if he did that at the nights of the month of Ramadan while did not know that he was junub, he is not be obligated to make up for these fasts in qaḍā’ and they are ruled as valid. But if he knew that he had had a discharge of semen and had been junub but doubted whether remaining junub invalidates the fast or not and kept fast while being junub, his fast was, according to the obligatory caution, void and he should make up for it in qaḍā’ as well. However, if he was certain that remaining junub does not invalidate the fast and fasted depending on such basis, his fast was alright, yet observing caution in doing its qaḍā’ is good.

Q 195: Someone was junub and performed the ghusl, but his ghusl was incorrect and invalid. What is his duty concerning the prayers that he has offered after such a ghusl if he did not know of its invalidity?

A: Prayers performed with an invalid ghusl are invalid and it is obligatory to repeat them or do their qaḍā’.

Q 196: I took a bath with the intention of performing an obligatory ghusl, and after leaving the bathroom I doubted whether I observed the order in making ghusl or not. As I thought the mere intention of sequence is sufficient, I did not repeat the ghusl. Now, I wonder if I should perform the qaḍā’ of all the prayers offered thereafter?

A: As per the given case, you have no duty. Yet, if you become certain that your ghusl was invalid, it is obligatory for you to repeat all the prayers in qaḍā’.

Q 197: I used to do ghusl of janābah in this order: first, the right side of the body, then the head, and thirdly the left side. What is my duty in regard to the prayers I offered and the fasts I kept, taking into consideration that I had dealt with this issue with negligence and did not ask and investigate about it?

A: ghusl performed in the mentioned manner is invalid and does not remove the state of janābah. Accordingly, the prayers performed with such a ghusl are invalid and making their qaḍā’ is obligatory. As for the fasts, they are considered valid as you believed that ghusl in the said manner was valid and you had not remained junub intentionally.

Q 198: Is it ḥarām for the junub person to recite those Qur’anic chapters with obligatory prostration?

A: Among the acts prohibited for a junub person is the recitation of these specific verses that require prostra