Cleaningness

[NaSra]

<b>Istihadha (Non-menstrual Vaginal Bleeding)</b>


In some women, bleeding never stops; in others, it continues for longer than normal. This blood is called istihadha. Likewise, any blood coming before puberty and after menopause is also considered istihadha.


A woman with this condition should calculate when her period would normally end, and then stop praying during the days of her calculated period and follow all of the other menstruation-related rules. For the rest of the days, her bleeding should be treated as istihadha. If she does not have a regular period or does not remember when it used to occur, but can distinguish between the two kinds of blood based on color, thickness, and smell (i.e., menstrual blood is dark, thick, and has a strong odor, while istihadha is bright red, thin, and less disagreeable in smell), she must act accordingly. If she does not have a regular period and cannot distinguish between the two types of blood, she must consider the blood coming for 3 to 10 days every month as menstruation and calculate it from the time she first noticed her vaginal bleeding.


There is no difference between a woman beset by istihadha and one who has a complete cessation of menstrual flow, except as follows:


If the first woman wants to perform wudu’ (ritual ablution), she should wash the blood from her vaginal area and then apply a menstrual pad or wrap the area with a clean rag on top of a wad of cotton to catch the blood. Any blood coming out after that is of no account.


She must perform wudu’ for every obligatory prayer.


<b>Ghusl (Major Ablution</b>)


Ghusl means major canonical ablution or a complete washing of the body. It becomes obligatory after sexual intercourse, even if only the head of the penis disappears into the vagina. Any discharge of semen, and the completion of menses and post-childbirth bleeding.


Taking ghusl every Friday before the congregational prayer is highly advisable, for the Prophet always did so. Before beginning ghusl, one should make the intention to perform it and, if one will pray after performing it, also the prayer.


<b>Things Forbidden to a Ritually Impure Person </b>



People who are in this state cannot pray, circumambulate the Ka'ba (tawaf), enter a mosque or place of worship unless necessary, or touch the Qur'an or any of its verses except with a clean cloth or something similar.


<b>What Makes One's Ghusl Valid?</b>



<b>Rinsing the mouth thoroughly so that all of its parts are cleaned properly. </b>


Rinsing the nose right up to the nasal bone.


Washing all bodily parts thoroughly, including the hair.


The best way to perform ghusl is as follows:







Having the intention (niyyat) to cleanse the body from (ritual) impurity while washing oneself.


Washing the hands up to the wrists three times.


Washing the private parts thoroughly.


Removing all filth from all bodily parts.


Performing ablution.


Washing all bodily parts three times, including the hair thoroughly. No part, even the size of a pinpoint, is allowed to remain dry. Rubbing and pressing the body is not obligatory.






Tayammum (Ablution with Clean Soil)


<b>When a person is too sick to use water or none is around when it is time to pray, he or she can perform tayammum in place of wudu’ and ghusl.</b>


<b>The requirements are as follows: </b>



Intending to perform tayammum to remove any impurity.


Striking the pure soil lightly with the palms of both hands and passing the palms over the face one time.


Striking the pure soil again with one’s palms and rubbing the right and left arms alternately from the fingertips to the elbows.


Tayammum is nullified as soon as the cause for performing it is removed (i.e., the sick person recovers or pure water is found).


If a person performs tayammum and then prays, he or she does not have to repeat the prayer if the conditions for it are removed before the time for that particular prayer ends.