 The Cleansing Quality of Water

The Quantity of Water that Always Remains Clean

The Case of a Small Quantity of Water, the Water with a Dead Body in it and its use by a Man to Wash His Dirty Hand in it

The Case of a Well and Things that May Fall in It (Fatwa best explains Ahadith 2-12 as well as the following chapter.)

A Well near a Cesspool

Taking Wudu’ With Water from Which Animals, Beasts and Birds Have Drunk

Taking Wudu’ with the Water from Which a Woman during Her Hayd (menses), People After Having Carnal Relations, a Jew, a Christian or a Person Hostile toward ’A’immah Has Drunk (Fatwa best explains Ahadith 4-6 of this chapter.)

A Man Places His Hand in the Water before Washing, the Limit of Washing Hands Because of Carnal Relations, Urination, Feces and Sleeping

Mixing of Rain Water with Urine, with Water Used for Taking Ghusl (bath) Because of Carnal Relations, Touching of One’s Cloth with Water Used for Washing Because of Urine

Water of Bath Houses and Water Heated by the Sun’s Rays

Places Not Desirable to Use as a Lavatory

Expressions to Say When Entering a Lavatory and When Coming Out

Draining Urine, Washing and If One Does Not Find Water

The Quantity of Water Required for Wudu’, Showers and One Who Is Excessive in the Use of Water for Wudu’

Brushing One’s Teeth

Rinsing One’s Mouth and Nostrils

Description of Wudu’

The Area of the Face and Hands to be Washed for Wudu’

Wiping of Head and Feet

Wiping Over the Shoes

Bandages and Wounds

Facing Doubts about Wudu’ Forgetting or Mixing Proper Order

Matters that Invalidate or Do not Invalidate Wudu’

One’s Stepping over Feces or Other Such Things

Certain Fluid, Which Is Other than Urine and Semen

Kinds of Ghusl (bath)

Matters Covered by Ghusl (bath)

Necessity of Ghusl (bath) on Friday

Description of Ghusl (bath), Wudu’ Before or Thereafter and a Man’s Ghusl (bath) in an Improper Place, Expressions to Say During Taking Ghusl (bath) and Moving a Ring During Ghusl (bath)

Reason Necessitating Ghusl (bath) for Men and Women

Wet Dreams of Men and Women

Finding Fluid Coming Out after Ghusl (bath)

One after Carnal Relations Eats, Drinks, Reads, Enters a Masjid, Dyes Hair, Uses Fragrance and So On

One after Carnal Relation Sweats in His Clothes, Clothes Touch His Wet Body

Semen or Al-Madhiy Comes in Contact with One’s Clothes or Body

Urine Comes in Contact with One’s Clothes or Body

Urine of Animals and Their Dung

Clothes Come in Contact with Blood and Pus

Dogs Touching Clothes, Body and So On

Description of Tayammum

When Tayammum Is Necessary and Finding Water Thereafter

One’s having Little Water on a Journey but Is Afraid of Facing Thirst

One’s Experiencing Carnal Relations and Having Only Ice

Taking Tayammum with Clay

Bandages, Injuries, One’s Suffering from Smallpox and or Experiencing Carnal Relations

Rare Ahadith about Wudu’

Chapters on Hayd (menses)

Minimum and Maximum Duration of Hayd

Women’s Experiencing Hayd After or Before Their Date of Hayd

Women Observe Yellowish Blood Before or After Hayd (menses)

First Time Hayd (menses)

Examining if Hayd (menses) has Ended or Not

Taking Ghusl (bath) Because of Hayd and the Kind of Water Needed

Women Find Blood after Sexual Relation

Comprehensive Instructions About Hayd (menses) and Istihadah (irregular menses)

Signs for Differentiating Between Blood of Hayd and Istihadah

Differentiating Among Blood of Hayd, Virginity or a Wound

Pregnant Woman Finds Blood

Blood Because of Childbirth

Blood Discharge after a Woman’s Experiencing Discharge-Free Period after Childbirth and Blood Discharge before Birth or after Childbirth

Matters Necessary for Women during Hayd at the Times of Salah (prayer)

Women Find Hayd Blood after the Coming of the Time for a Salah (Prayer) Before Performing It Or Become Clean Before the Coming of the Time for a Salah (Prayer) But Are Too Lazy for Ghusl (bath)

Women Feel Hayd during Salah (Prayer)

Women Must Make-up-for Fasting Because of Hayd but Not Salah (Prayer) 

Women’s Reading the Holy Quran During Hayd or Child-birth 

Women during Hayd Can Pick up Things from a Masjid but Must Not Leave Anything Therein

Women’s Hayd (menses) Stops, Comes Again and the Time of Menopause

Women’s Using Medicine to Have Hayd (menses) after It Stops 

Using Dye during Hayd (menses) 

Washing Clothes of Women during Hayd 

Women During Hayd Pick up Prayer Rug or Water 

Causes of Death and that Believing People May Die by any Manner of Dying 

The Reward for a Person Suffering from Illness 

Another Section on the Same Subject 

The Limits of Complaints 

A Patient’s Giving Permission to His Visitors 

How Often a Patient Should Be Visited, How Long the Duration of Visitation Should Be and Complete Visit 

The Limit of a Sudden Death 

The Virtue (Reward) of Visiting a Patient 

Dictations to a Dying Person

Difficulty in Dying (If Dying Becomes Difficult and the Agony of Death Intense) 

Facing the Dying Person Toward Qiblah

A Believing Person Is Not Caused to Die Against His Will

Things that Believers and Unbelievers See in Dying Conditions

Taking out of the Souls of Believing and Unbelievers

Burial Should Take Place Immediately

Rare Ahadith

Women during Hayd Nurse a Patient (The following chapters are about rules of washing a dead body for burial, shrouding and other matters of burial, and are best explained in the form of fatwa. Consult current fatwa about them.)

Washing a Dead Body

Hunut (Rubbing Camphor) on a Dead Body and Shrouding

Shrouding a Deceased Women

Undesirability of Perfuming the Shroud or Warming Water for Washing Dead Bodies

The Desirable Pieces of Shroud and the Undesirable Ones

The Amount of Water Needed for Ghusl (bath) of a Deceased Person

The Two Fresh Al-Jaridah (Twigs of Palm Tree)

Persons Dead Without Shower Due to Carnal Relations Hayd or Child Birth Reasons

Chapter 26- Dead Woman with a Baby Moving Inside Her

Cutting of Nails and Hairs of Dead Person Undesirable

Things Coming Out of a Dead Body after Ghusl (bath)

Washing of Persons of opposite Gender

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) مَا يَرْوِي النَّاسُ أَنَّ الصَّلاَةَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الرَّجُلِ وَحْدَهُ بِخَمْسٍ وَعِشْرِينَ صَلاَةً فَقَالَ صَدَقُوا فَقُلْتُ الرَّجُلاَنِ يَكُونَانِ جَمَاعَةً فَقَالَ نَعَمْ وَيَقُومُ الرَّجُلُ عَنْ يَمِينِ الإِمَامِ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Umar ibn ’Udhaynah from Zurarah who has said the following: “I asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), ’People say that performing Salah (prayer) in congregation is more virtuous than twenty-five Salah (prayer) performed alone. Is this true ? 5 The Imam replied, ‘What they say is right.’ I then asked, ‘Can two people be considered a congregation?’ He (a.s.), said, ‘Yes, but one should stand on the right side of the prayer leader.’” 

2ـ جَمَاعَةٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يُوسُفَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْجُهَنِيَّ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ الله إِنِّي أَكُونُ فِي الْبَادِيَةِ وَمَعِي أَهْلِي وَوُلْدِي وَغِلْمَتِي فَأُؤَذِّنُ وَأُقِيمُ وَأُصَلِّي بِهِمْ أَ فَجَمَاعَةٌ نَحْنُ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ الله إِنَّ الْغِلْمَةَ يَتْبَعُونَ قَطْرَ السَّحَابِ وَأَبْقَى أَنَا وَأَهْلِي وَوُلْدِي فَأُؤَذِّنُ وَأُقِيمُ وَأُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فَجَمَاعَةٌ نَحْنُ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ الله فَإِنَّ وُلْدِي يَتَفَرَّقُونَ فِي الْمَاشِيَةِ وَأَبْقَى أَنَا وَأَهْلِي فَأُؤَذِّنُ وَأُقِيمُ وَأُصَلِّي بِهِمْ أَ فَجَمَاعَةٌ أَنَا فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ الله إِنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ تَذْهَبُ فِي مَصْلَحَتِهَا فَأَبْقَى أَنَا وَحْدِي فَأُؤَذِّنُ وَأُقِيمُ فَأُصَلِّي أَ فَجَمَاعَةٌ أَنَا فَقَالَ نَعَمْ الْمُؤْمِنُ وَحْدَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ.

2. A group has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Yusuf from his father who has said the following: “I heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.), say, ‘Al-Juhaniy came to the Holy Prophet and asked, “O Messenger of Allah, I live in open land (unpopulated) with my family, children, and slaves. I say Adhan and ‘Iqamah and lead them in Salah (prayer). Are we considered a congregation?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, you are a congregation.” He then asked, “O Messenger of Allah, sometimes the slaves follow the drops from the cloud, then my family, children and I remain home. I say Adhan and Iqamah and lead them in Salah (prayer). Are we considered a congregation?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, you are a congregation.” He then asked, “O Messenger of Allah, sometimes my children go out after the cattle, only then my family and I remain home. I then say Adhan and Iqamah and lead them in Salah (prayer). Am I a congregation?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, you are a congregation.” He then asked, “O Messenger of Allah, the female (his wife) goes for her things to do and I then remain by myself. I then say Adhan and Iqamah and perform Salah (prayer). Am I a congregation?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, the believer, by himself is a congregation.’”” 

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِيهِ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) مَنْ صَلَّى الْخَمْسَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ فَظُنُّوا بِهِ خَيْراً.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy, from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah has said, “If one performs the five Salah (prayer) in congregation you should think good about him.’”” 

4ـ جَمَاعَةٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) أَ مَا يَسْتَحْيِي الرَّجُلُ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ تَكُونَ لَهُ الْجَارِيَةُ فَيَبِيعَهَا فَتَقُولَ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَحْضُرُ الصَّلاَةَ.

4. A group has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Should a man among you who may sell his slave girl to someone, not feel embarrassed, if she says that her previous owner would not attend Salah (prayer) in congregation?”’ 

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ كُنْتُ جَالِساً عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ إِذْ جَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي رَجُلٌ جَارُ مَسْجِدٍ لِقَوْمِي فَإِذَا أَنَا لَمْ أُصَلِّ مَعَهُمْ وَقَعُوا فِيَّ وَقَالُوا هُوَ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا فَقَالَ أَمَا لَئِنْ قُلْتَ ذَاكَ لَقَدْ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) مَنْ سَمِعَ النِّدَاءَ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ عِلَّةٍ فَلاَ صَلاَةَ لَهُ فَخَرَجَ الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ لَهُ لاَ تَدَعِ الصَّلاَةَ مَعَهُمْ وَخَلْفَ كُلِّ إِمَامٍ فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ كَبُرَ عَلَيَّ قَوْلُكَ لِهَذَا الرَّجُلِ حِينَ اسْتَفْتَاكَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ فَضَحِكَ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا أَرَاكَ بَعْدُ إِلاَّ هَاهُنَا يَا زُرَارَةُ فَأَيَّةَ عِلَّةٍ تُرِيدُ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَأْتَمُّ بِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا زُرَارَةُ أَ مَا تَرَانِي قُلْتُ صَلُّوا فِي مَسَاجِدِكُمْ وَصَلُّوا مَعَ أَئِمَّتِكُمْ.

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan all Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once was sitting in the presence of abu Ja‘far (a.s.), when a man came to him and said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I am a man in the neighborhood of the Masjid of my people. If I do not perform Salah (prayer) with them, they turn against me and say that I am so and so. He (the Imam) said, ‘When you say this, notice that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, “Whoever hears the call and does not respond without good reason, his Salah (prayer) is nothing of value.’” The man then left and he (the Imam) said to him, ‘You must not ignore performing Salah (prayer) with them and behind every Imam.’ When he left I said to him (the Imam), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, your words to this man seem very big to me when he asked your fatwa especially if he is not of the believing people. He (the Imam) laughed, then said, ’From now on I want to see you nowhere else but here, O Zurarah. What other greater proof you need than the fact that he does not perform Salah (prayer) behind him?’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Have you not seen (found, understood) me saying, “Perform Salah (prayer) in your Masjid. Perform Salah (prayer) behind your ’A’immah (plural of Imam).’” 

6ـ حَمَّادٌ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ وَالْفُضَيْلِ قَالاَ قُلْنَا لَهُ الصَّلَوَاتُ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ فَرِيضَةٌ هِيَ فَقَالَ الصَّلَوَاتُ فَرِيضَةٌ وَلَيْسَ الاجْتِمَاعُ بِمَفْرُوضٍ فِي الصَّلاَةِ كُلِّهَا وَلَكِنَّهَا سُنَّةٌ وَمَنْ تَرَكَهَا رَغْبَةً عَنْهَا وَعَنْ جَمَاعَةِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ غَيْرِ عِلَّةٍ فَلاَ صَلاَةَ لَهُ.

6. Hammad has narrated from Hariz from Zurarah and al-Fudayl who have said the following: “We once asked him (the Imam), ‘Is Salah (prayer) in congregation obligatory?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Salah (prayer) is obligatory but congregating for it in general is not obligatory; however, it is of the Sunnah. Whoever omits it in disregard and in disregard of the group of believers without good reason, his Salah (prayer) is nothing of value.’” 

7ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ لِيَكُنِ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَ الإِمَامَ أُولِي الأحْلاَمِ مِنْكُمْ وَالنُّهَى فَإِنْ نَسِيَ الإِمَامُ أَوْ تَعَايَا قَوَّمُوهُ وَأَفْضَلُ الصُّفُوفِ أَوَّلُهَا وَ أَفْضَلُ أَوَّلِهَا مَا دَنَا مِنَ الإِمَامِ وَفَضْلُ صَلاَةِ الْجَمَاعَةِ عَلَى صَلاَةِ الرَّجُلِ فَذّاً خَمْسٌ وَعِشْرُونَ دَرَجَةً فِي الْجَنَّةِ.

7. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ariy from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from al-Mufaddal ibn Salih from Jabir who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has sad, ‘Those of you who are just behind the Imam are people of forbearance and wisdom, so that if Imam forgets or becomes tired they can help. The excellent row is the first row and excellent in the first row is the place nearest to the Imam. The height of the excellence of Salah (prayer) in congregation over Salah (prayer) of a man alone is twenty-five degrees in paradise.’” 

8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ بِإِسْنَادِهِ قَالَ قَالَ فَضْلُ مَيَامِنِ الصُّفُوفِ عَلَى مَيَاسِرِهَا كَفَضْلِ الْجَمَاعَةِ عَلَى صَلاَةِ الْفَرْدِ.

8. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad through the same chain of his narrators has said following: “He (the Imam) has said, ‘The excellence of performing Salah (prayer) in the center of the rows over that in the left is like the excellence of performing Salah (prayer) in congregation over performing Salah (prayer) alone individually.’” 

9ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ الْبَخْتَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ يُحْسَبُ لَكَ إِذَا دَخَلْتَ مَعَهُمْ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَقْتَدِ بِهِمْ مِثْلُ مَا يُحْسَبُ لَكَ إِذَا كُنْتَ مَعَ مَنْ تَقْتَدِي بِهِ. 

9. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hafs ibn al-Bakhtariy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is counted in your favor if you join them even if you do not follow them, just like it is counted in your favor when you are with those whom you follow.’” (Ahadith 5-9 are best explained in the form of fatwa.) 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 3

Book 4, Chapter 49