Why Islam Has Three Levels of Filth
Types and Levels of Najasa (Filth) in Islamic Jurisprudence - Al-Wajeez Book of Purification
Summary
This lecture discusses the book of purification from al-Wajeez, focusing on the Islamic concept of najasa (filth) and its various types and levels. Sh. Ali Mashhour explains that najasa has a specific religious meaning - inherent impurity that affects a person's salah and spiritual standing. The content outlines how filth is categorized into three levels: intensely filthy (requiring washing seven times, once with a cleaning agent or dirt), filthy (requiring washing until removed), and mildly filthy (requiring only dilution or spraying). The lecture begins with the first two types: human urine and feces, explaining why these are listed first due to their common occurrence rather than their degree of filth.
Note: This transcript was generated using YouTube's automatic captioning, with AI-assisted cleanup for readability. It may contain inaccuracies due to background noise, audio quality, or limitations of the transcription software — particularly during Arabic recitation. Listener discretion is advised; please refer to the original video for precise wording.
Continuing in al-Wajeez the book of purification and listing the author now is going to list for us with evidence the various types of najasa, the various types of filth. Those things which are deemed najis by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in the Quran or in the Sunnah of the prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam. And it's important that all of the following is built on the understanding that we discussed yesterday morning and the morning before with respect to the way that this chapter is going to be founded. That filth when we say something is filthy, it's a very specific meaning. Doesn't just mean unclean or unsightly or ungodly. It means that something is positively impure essentially. It is inherently impure. And this inherent impurity is something that has a ruling in the Quran and Sunnah. And a person, his salah, his hasanat and sayyiat will by extension be or directly impacted by these things which are considered najis, these things which are considered filthy. The first and second things on this list which are considered to be filthy. Right? Are urine and feces of the human being. Human beings urine or feces. This is something which is at the top of the list, not because it is most filthy. It is at the top of the list because it is most common. Because these two types of filth are arguably the most the most commonly encountered and the most the things which a person may encounter the most, the things which are most common, the things which affect each of us the most. Because it is something that affects our body. we use the restroom, we relieve ourselves, and so we are exposed to these two things with a much higher frequency. So, they top the list. Now, filth is on three different levels as we will come to learn. We have that which is intensely filthy. Okay? Then that which is filthy. And then that which is mildly filthy. So, we have intensely filthy, extreme filth. That which is filthy, and that which is mildly filthy. And the reason we make this distinction is how we go about purifying these things. So, as we'll see intensely filthy is the saliva of a dog. And many scholars place on that also any part of a swine, any part of a pig. Why? Because in order to purify this, it must be washed seven times and once with some kind of cleaning agent or in the opinion of the majority must be washed one time one of these seven times with dirt. Right? The second is that which is filthy, and that is what you would wash until it is gone. Yarhamukallah. That's what you would wash until it is gone. And then third, that which is mildly filthy. And that you do not necessarily have to wash, you can spray and dilute while it's on the garment itself.
[Arabic recitation]
When we get to the chapters regarding how we clean filth, because there are chapters in the book of books of filth which discuss how to clean filth. Because filth has been not only outlined by the prophet Sallallahu alaihi wasallam, but it has also been explained to us how to go about cleaning it. What is considered to be enough cleaning? Right? Likewise, we will get to the various degrees of filth. What is important to know that filth is of different intensities with the scholars of filth. Now, the list is in no particular order. The list that the author is going to bring us is in no particular order, or it is in the order of com- common commonality. That which is most commonplace, that which we are most likely to come in contact with. He will begin with that. So, the first two that he mentions is urine and feces of the human being, of the human being. Okay? Whether he be Muslim or non-Muslim, some scholars have made a distinction. The correct opinion, there is no distinction. Whether he be Muslim or non-Muslim, these things are inherently filthy.
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When actually called a.
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[Arabic recitation]
To feces. However, it is actually the place where a person relieves himself. This is referred to as gha'it because al gha'it in the Arabic language is a place that is of low elevation. Why the place of low elevation? Because people would go there to relieve themselves. They're out of sight. They'd go there, they'd be you know, in a valley or somewhere and they would be out of people's natural plane of sight. So, because it's the place that a person goes to always to relieve themselves, it becomes synonymous with the act and it becomes synonymous with what is done or what is commonly found in that place. But in this context, is referring to feces. Is urine. Do you remember a month or two ago we were discussing knowledge and the difference between knowledge and knowledge of knowledge, right? Or the difference between knowledge and taqlid, right? And we gave an example. One of the examples was we all know that feces is is impure, that it is najis, right? What's the evidence for that? Well, this actually comes from a story that happened with one of our mashaikh many, many years ago when they went to debate with the scholars of the Rafidah in their time. I'll share that story with you tomorrow, inshallah ta'ala, and we'll discuss the evidence as well.
[Arabic recitation]
All right, let's start now. All right.