"TAHAARAH" (PURIFICATION): THE FIRST REQUISITE FOR PRAYER  

Q 1: What does "Tahaarah" mean?  

1. Tahaarah means that the body and cloths of the believer who intends to offer prayer must be  free of filth/impurity and place should also be clean and pure.  

Q 2: How many kinds of "Tahaarah" are there?  

1. There are two kinds of Tahaarah i.e. minor purification and major purification. Minor  purification is "Wudu"(ablution) and major is "Ghusl" (bath).  

The things which make ablution obligatory are called "Tahaarat-e-Sughraa"(impurities) and  which make bath obligatory are called "Tahaarat-e-Kubra" (grave impurity i.e.filth).  

Q 3: How many kinds of impurity are there?  

1. Impurity is of two kinds i.e. invisible and visible.  

Q 4: What is invisible impurity?  

1. Invisible impurity is that impurity which can not be seen but according to Shariat it is  impurity. For example, to be without ablution or without bath.  

Q 5: What is the method of purifying oneself from invisible impurity?  

1. If one needs ablution he should perform it, if needs bath should do it to purify himself from  invisible impurity.  

Q 6: What is visible impurity?  

1. Visible impurity is filth which sticks to the body or cloth and is also seen like urine, faeces  etc.  

Q 7: How many kinds of visible impurity are there?  

1. Visible impurity is of two kinds i.e. filth and impurity. There is strict injunction for filth and  lenient injunction for impurity.  

Q 8: What injunction is there for filth?  

1. If filth sticks to the body or cloth(s) larger (more)than that of a "Dirham" (small silver coin),  its removal and purification is Fard(obligatory). Without purification prayer will not be valid. If  it is equivalent to "Dirham", its removal and purification is "Wajib" (essential). Offering of  prayer with such filth will invalidate the prayer and it will have to be repeated after bath and  washing of cloths as the case may be. In case the filth is less than "Dirham" its removal and  purification is "Sunnat" (practice of the Holy Prophet). Offering of prayer in this condition will  be in order but against the Sunnat. Hence it is desirable to repeat the prayer?  

Q 9: To which thing is "Dirham" equivalent in Pakistan?  

1. "Dirham" is equivalent to 4 1/2 "Mashah" in case the impurity is thick. A "Mashah" is equal  in weight to 16 grains.  

If the filth is in liquid form like urine or wine then the "Dirham" size will be equivalent to the  depression of a palm i.e. silver rupee of Pakistan. 

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Q10: What injunction is there for impurity?  

1. It is no matter if a portion of cloth or a limb of the body is polluted less than l/4th by impurity,  but in case of equivalent to l/4th, the removal and washing of impurity is Wajib(essential) and if  it is more than a quarter then to purify it is Fard obligatory) otherwise prayer will not be valid.  

Q11: What injunction is there for filth if falls into any liquid edible thing?  A. Falling of filth (even a drop) irrespective of light or grave impurity into any liquid edible stuff  will render the whole quantity impure.  

Q12: Which things are filth?  

1. These things are filth: Urine, faeces, flowing flood, pus, mouthful vomit, water comes from  infected eye (s), dung and urine of those animals whose flesh is unlawful for food, dung of horse  and all other lawful animals, droppings of hen and duck, every kind of urine, pork, bone, hairs,  blood of lizard and chameleon, spittle of beasts and animals etc.  

It is clarified that urine and vomit of suckling baby are also grave impurity.  

Q13: Which things are impurities?  

1. These things are impurity: Urine of those animals whose flesh is lawful for food and of horse  and droppings of unlawful birds. Falling of filth into impurity will render all filthy.  

Q14: What is the method of purifying the body or cloth from filth?  

1. Wash thrice if the filth is in liquid form. Squeeze cloth every time and wash hands. Last  (third) time after washing it Squeeze so well that there is left no drop of water therein. In case of  thick filth like dung, blood, faeces etc. remove it well with water and then wash the cloth as  many times as needed.