Tahara

 TAHARA(PURIFICATION)

At-Tahara (الطهارة) literally means purity and cleanliness(النظفة). It also refers to spiritual purification from spiritual filth.

According to the Islamic law it is the removal of impurities or an impure state with permissible resources. According to the evidences of in Quran, sunnah and ijma'a (consensus of our scholars). It's considered as an obligation (واخب).

Evidence from the Qur'an

Allah (S. W. T) said.

ان الله يحب التوابين و يحب المتطهرين.

" indeed Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and he love those who purify them selves (Baqarah 2:222)

وثيابك فطهر

" And purify your garment (Al-muddathir 4)

Evidence

مفتح الصلاة الطهور 

" The key to prayer is purification ( Abu Dawud, Ahmad). 

لا يقبل الله صلاة بغير طهور

" Allah does not accept a sallah with out purification" (Muslim) 

الطهور شطر الإ يمان 

" purification is a part of faith" (Muslim). 

Types of Tahara(purification) 

Purification is of two types : purity from those things, which break ritual, and purity from filth. 

1. Hadath :  literally means an event or an occurrence, here it refers to ritual impurity, caused by an occurrence (i.e urination, defecation etc) that prevent the worshiper from performing the act of worship ( i.e reading the Qur'an, prayer, circumambulation). 

Purity from Hadath is achieved with wudu(ablution), Ghusul (Ritual Bath) or Tayamun (dry ablution). This type of purification can only occur with water that is purifying (i.e Al-maa - al-mutlaq). 

2. Khabath : is physical impurity (i.e  human urine, blood, feces etc) that occur on one's body, clothing, or place of worship or prayer. Purity from Khabath occurs when a physical impurity is removed from one's body clothing, or place of prayer. 

This type of purification can only occur with water that is pure and purifying ( i.e Al-maa Al-mutlaq). 

 Types of water to be used for purification. 

There are three types of water in the Islamic world. 

1. الماء المطلق:      - (pure and purifying water) : This type of water is inherently pure with the ability to purify. It has not experienced any change in its colour, test, or smell due to filthy or pure substances. It can be used for common activities and also to purify oneself for act of worship. 

Examples ocean, spring, well, river, sea, rain, snow, ice and water in it's natural state from the sky or the earth. This also includes still water that is in it's natural state and hasn't been mix with pure things or filth. 

وانزلنا من السماء ماء طهورا.

"And we send down from the sky pure water (Q 25:48)

2. الماء الطاهر ( pure water) :- this type of water is inherently pure. How ever, due to a pure substance, it has experienced change in its colour, tastes, or smell. It can be used for common activities only and not to purify one self for worship. 

Examples : water mixed with oil, butter, milk and other pure substances that are normally not a part of it. 

3. الماء النخس  ( filthy water) :- this type of water has experience change in its colour, tastes, or smell, due to mixing with an impure substance. It can not be used for common activity, as well as act of worship. 

Examples :- water mixed with alcohol, feces, urine or others unclean substances. 

Evidence from Hadith 

الماء طهور الا ان تغير رحه أو طعمه أو لونه بنخسة تحدث فيه 

" water is pure except when changes to its smell, taste, or colour from the filth in it( Al-Baihaqi)