Does Indiscernible Impurity Transfer With Contact?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

A number of scenarios are mentioned in Maraqi’l Sa’adat (Ascent to Felicity) by Abu ‘l-Ikhlas al-Shurunbulali (translation by Faraz A. Khan, on the topic of Hanafi Jurisprudence), on page 61.

Are these above scenarios pertaining to discernible, or indiscernible filth (i.e. najasah)? Or do they apply to both?

Another question I have is: if, for example, my finger is wet, and I end up touching a piece of najasah. Thereafter, someone else’s finger touches my wet finger, but is unaware that my finger had touched najasah (also because the najasah on my finger is indiscernible, and there is no trace of the najasah on the other person’s finger). Has the najasah transferred to the other person as well?

Answer

I pray you are well.

The scenarios you mentioned refer to indiscernible filth. With discernible filth you look at the body of the filth. As long as it remains it object is filthy.

If it leaves a trace (colour, smell, taste) after contact – as with the scenario of the impure ground being stepped on with a wet foot – it becomes impure. Otherwise, not. This is the same fore the scenario you mentioned with indiscernible filth.

With the wet finger scenario, if no impure water from your hand has passed onto the hand of someone else you would assume there has been no transfer of filth. This is akin to the second scenario you mentioned.

I would suggest studying the text properly with a teacher, if possible. Try taking the ‘Essentials of Worship’ course which explains the text very well. Fiqh books contain all the relevant information, but often require a teacher to unpack them.

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital. He was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.