What are Mutaharaat?
Mutaharaat are the things which can be used to make something that is Najis (unclean), clean.
There are 11 Mutaharaat:
Water:
Water cleanses a najis thing if it meets the following criteria:
– It must be Mutlaq (taste-less, smell-less, colorless) not Mudaf
– It must be Tahir (clean) and not Najis (unclean)
– It should not become Mudaf by coming into contact with the najasah (uncleanliness)
– All the najasah is washed away from that najis thingWater can be of two types:
Kur (large body of water):
– Example: Running tap water, stream or river
– If something najis falls into Kur water like blood it will remain pure (if the color smell or taste doesn’t change)
– When washing with Kur water it is enough to wash a najis object once. Some things like urine must be washed twice.
Qaleel (little/still water):
– Example: Glass of water, small kiddy pool
– Qaleel water can become najis if it comes into contact with a najis object (even if the smell color or taste does not change).
Earth:
The earth makes clean the sole of the shoe or feet, if the najasah was contracted from walking on the earth and it can be removed by walking on the earth while the earth is dry.
Sun:
The sun makes clean those things which cannot be moved like wall, tree, earth etc. If the najasah dries due to hot air, rather than direct rays of the sun, it will not be clean.
Istihala (change in shape, from and properties):
If a najis thing changes chemically it becomes clean, like a dog turning to dust after its death.
Inqilab (change in properties):
For example wine changing into vinegar makes it clean.
Intiqal:
If a mosquito sucks blood from you, after a while that blood is considered clean as it has become part of the mosquito’s body.
Islam:
In Islam we regard those who do not believe in one God as unclean, once they accept Islam they become clean.
Taba’iyat (to follow):
If wine changes to vinegar, the container it is in automatically becomes clean.
Istibra: Pertains to cleaning the urine and stool of animals that may have eaten something najis, by stopping them from eating the najasah for a period of time.
Ghaybah (disappearance of a Muslim):
If you know of a Muslim that had najis clothes the last time you saw them, and you see them after a few days praying in the same clothes, you should believe that they must have purified their clothes.
Zawal al-‘Ayn (removal of original impurity):
If your stomach or mouth becomes najis, it will be considered clean once the najasah has been removed.
Mutaharaat in The Holy Quran
إِذْ يُغَشِّيكُمُ النُّعَاسَ أَمَنَةً مِّنْهُ وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً لِّيُطَهِّرَكُم بِهِ وَيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمْ رِجْزَ الشَّيْطَانِ وَلِيَرْبِطَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتَ بِهِ الْأَقْدَامَ
When He covered you with a trance as a [sense of] security from Him, and He sent down water from the sky to purify you with it, and to repel from you the defilement of Satan, and to fortify your hearts, and to make [your] feet steady with it. (8:11)
FAQ
I stepped into a puddle in the rain. Are my clothes najis?
Consider everything Is tahir unless you are certain it is najis.
I stepped into the bathroom the floor was wet and so was the toilet. Am I najis?
If you didn’t see urine or are not certain the floor is najis then consider it clean.
The above article contains a summary from “The Ritual and Spiritual Purity” by Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi. Click to read more: https://www.al-islam.org/ritual-and-spiritual-purity-sayyid-muhammad-rizvi/i-najasat-taharat
Click here to read about Najasaat:
