Kitab Al-Taharah: Purification, Wudu, Ghusl, and Filth

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering Islamic jurisprudence rulings on purity (Tahara), bathroom etiquettes, water categories, obligations and nullifiers of Wudu and Ghusl, wiping over Khuffayn and casts, Tayammum, Ma'dhur rulings, and types of Najasa.

Tahara (Linguistic Meaning)

Cleanliness or purity (نضافه).

Tahara Shar'an (Legal Meaning)

Purification from impurity (نجس) that is categorized as either real (حقيقيّة / khabath) or effective (حكميّة / hadath).

Khabath (Real Impurity)

Physical impurity (حقيقيّة) found on a body, clothing, or place.

Hadath (Effective Impurity)

Ritual impurity (حكميّة) as defined by the shari'ah, classified into minor (hadath al-asghar) and major (hadath al-akbar).

Hadath al-Asghar

Minor ritual impurity that is lifted by performing wudu.

Hadath al-Akbar

Major ritual impurity that requires taking an Islamic shower (ghusl).

Mutlaq Water

Water that is pure, purifying, and not disliked, suitable for wudu; it includes rainwater, well water, spring water, river water, seawater, and water from melted snow or hail.

Pure and Purifying but Disliked Water

Water that a domestic cat drinks from, provided the cat has not recently consumed something najis.

Used Water (Pure but Not Purifying)

Water that has already been used for an act of ritual purification (wudu or ghusl); it cannot be reused for purification, but is physically clean if it splashes onto someone.

Impure Water (Najis Water)

Water into which filth (najasah) has fallen; limited bodies of non-running water (roughly 5 meters by 5 meters) become impure immediately, while abundant bodies become impure only if colour, taste, or smell is altered.

Water of Doubtful Status

Water from which a donkey or mule drank, leaving its ability to purify other things uncertain.

Obligations (Fard) of Wudu

The four mandatory acts of ablution: (1) washing the face from forehead to chin and earlobe to earlobe, (2) washing both arms up to and including the elbows, (3) wiping a quarter of the head, and (4) washing both feet up to and including the ankles.

Madmadah

The sunnah action in wudu of rinsing the mouth three times using the right hand.

Istinshaq

The sunnah action in wudu of rinsing the nose three times using the right hand to take in water and the left hand to expel it.

Takhleel

Running wet fingers through the beard or interlacing wet fingers between the fingers and toes during wudu.

Vomiting a Mouthful

Vomiting an amount that the mouth cannot contain without difficulty, which nullifies wudu.

Qahqaha

Laughing out loud such that another person can hear it; during a prayer containing bowing and prostration, it invalidates both the prayer and the wudu.

Dahik

Laughter audible only to the person laughing; it invalidates the prayer but does not break wudu.

Tabassum

Smiling; it does not break either prayer or wudu.

Obligations (Fard) of Ghusl

The mandatory components of the ritual bath: (1) rinsing the mouth, (2) rinsing the nose, and (3) washing the entire body.

Mani

Male sperm or female sexual fluid emitted with pleasure from orgasm; its release renders ghusl obligatory.

Madhy

Pre-sexual fluid that exits when one is aroused; it is impure (najis) and breaks wudu, requiring washing off, but does not necessitate ghusl.

Wady

A thick, murky white fluid that exits after urination or from lifting heavy objects; it breaks wudu but does not require ghusl.

Hayd (Menstruation)

Uterine bleeding lasting a minimum of 3 days and a maximum of 10 days, during which prayer, fasting, tawaf, touching the Mushaf without a barrier, and entering a masjid are prohibited.

Tuhr

The period of ritual purity between two menstrual cycles, which must last a minimum of 15 days.

Sajda al-Tilawa (Prostration of Recital)

A prostration that is necessary (wajib) in the Hanafi school upon reciting or hearing a live recitation of any of 14 designated verses of prostration in the Qur'an.

Khuffayn

Sturdy footwear covering above the ankles and preventing water seepage; they can be wiped over for 24 hours by a resident or 72 hours by a traveler, timed from the first invalidation of wudu after putting them on in a state of purity.

Tayammum

Dry ablution performed using natural earth as a complete substitute for wudu or ghusl when water is absent, roughly a mile away, or dangerous to use.

Natural Earth (for Tayammum)

Substances from the earth that do not melt or burn into ash (such as rocks, soil, sand, and limestone).

Ma3dhur (The Excused One)

A person afflicted with a continuous invalidating excuse (such as incontinence or bleeding) that spans an entire prayer time without pause to purify and pray, granted the dispensation to make one wudu per prayer time.

Najasa Ghaliża (Heavy Filth)

Severe impurities including flowing blood, urine, sperm, discharge, feces, dog saliva, and poultry droppings; requires fard washing if exceeding the size of a dirham.

Najasa Khafifa (Light Filth)

Lesser impurities including horse urine, urine of animals lawful to eat, and droppings of birds whose meat is impermissible (eagles, falcons, hawks); excusable up to one-quarter of the clothing or body.