The Official Website of the Office of His Eminence Al-Sayyid Ali Al-Husseini Al-Sistani

Question & Answer » Search (najis)

1 Question: If an organ of an atheist is transplanted in a Muslim’s body, would it be considered ritually pure (Tãhir) when it is considered, after transplantation, as part of the Muslim’s body?
Answer: An organ or limb extracted from the body is ritually impure (najis) irrespective of whether it came from a Muslim or a non-Muslim. And when it becomes, by rejuvenation, part of a Muslim’s body or of someone who is considered a Muslim, it becomes Tãhir.
Organ Donation
2 Question: What is the difference between Ahl-e Kitab (the People of the Book) and the rest of the unbelievers with respect to Shari'ah law?
Answer: Ahl-e Kitab (Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians) are ritually pure and it is permissible to eat their foods even if we know that they have touched the food with wet hands. Yes, if their food contains meat, it is necessary that the meat should be ritually slaughtered Halal. As for those of non-Muslims who are not from the People of the Book, they are ritually impure (obligatory precaution) and their food is Najis, if it has been touched with a wet hand by them.
Non-Muslims
3 Question: I am living in India and I have a lot of doubts about things I am using and I eating. What is my duty about such things?
Answer: A well known religious law says: "Everything is ritually pure for you unless you come to know that it is ritually impure." This law declares everything to be pure unless one becomes sure a particular item has become impure. And as long as you are not sure that it has become ritually impure (najis), it is to be considered pure and you can apply all the rules of purity to it without any hesitation or doubt. All kinds of food with the exception of meat, fat, and their extracts are permissible for a Muslim as long as he does not know that they are najis.
Najasat
4 Question: Where is Jabira applicable? I mean how can one make sure that he must perform Jabira instead of washing a sore or a fractured bone?
Answer: Generally speaking, if there is an unbandaged wound, sore, or broken bone in one’s face or hands, and if the use of water is harmful for it, one should wash the parts adjoining the wound. And it is better to pass wet hand on it , if it is not harmful to do so. Therefore, he should place a clean piece of cloth on it, and pass a wet hand over that cloth. But in case this action is also harmful, or the wound is Najis and it cannot be washed, the parts adjoining the wound should be washed from above downwards, and as an obligatory precaution, Tayammum should be done.
Jabirah
5 Question: Is the sweat of sexual intercourse Najis?
Answer: It is Taher (pure), in all cases, whether the sexual intercourse was permissible or forbidden, and the sweat does not invalidate the prayers.
Janabah
6 Question: Can I keep a cat, hamster, and rabbit in my house?
Answer: There is no problem in it,
Note: The body and the salive of the cat, rabbit, and hamster is ritually pure (Tahir), yet its urine, feaces, and blood are Najis
Animals
7 Question: Whats the ruling of the various forms alcohol that causes intoxication?
Answer: All forms of intoxicants are Haram (forbidden), whether they are Tahir (ritually pure ) or Najis.
Alcohol
8 Question: What about using the families of alcohol that are synthesized from petroleum and are used in perfume, medicine etc are they Najis and cannot be used during prayer?
Answer: All kinds of alcohol (whether extracted from wood or other sources) are Tahir (ritually pure), and are not permissible to drink, except for wine which is also Najis, and Beer (Maa al-Sha'eir) which is also Najis (ritually impure) as an obligatory precaution..
So, the medicines and the perfumes containing alcohol are pure and can be used.
It is also permissible to eat such food if the amount of alcohol is very minute, e.g., 2%, except for wine.
Alcohol
9 Question: What is the stand on giving a non-Muslim the Qur`an for him or her to learn about the Qur`an and our faith if it is Arabic text?
Answer: Given the supposition made, if the Quran is not made Najis or disrespected by them, there would be no problem.
Quran
10 Question: What is your ruling on buying and using leather products in non-Muslim countries?
Answer: Leather products are impure (Najis) and prayer (Salat) in them is not permissible, if we know that they have been made from the hide of an animal not slaughtered according to Islamic laws. Such products are considered pure and prayer with them is permissible, if there is a probability that they were made from skin of an animal that is essentially Halãl and was slaughtered according to Islamic laws.
Leather Products
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