IlmQuest Presentation: Basic Fiqh - Purification and Salah (Part 1)

Introduction to Fiqh

• Definition of Fiqh: Discussion of Islamic legal regulations along with their specific evidences; focuses on what is permitted, forbidden, obligatory, etc.
• Linguistic Meaning: To understand; in the Qur'an and Sunnah, it means understanding the religion.
• Importance: Essential for practicing acts like prayer, zakah, etc. Every Muslim must know basics to fulfill religious duties.

Legal Acts in Islam

• Types of Legal Acts
  • Ibadat: Solely for Allah (e.g., Salah, fasting).
    • Must be done with intention to please Allah.
    • Innovations (bid'ah) not based in Qur'an and Sunnah are forbidden.
  • Mu'amalat: Involving interactions with others (e.g., business, marriage).
    • Can be done with intention to please Allah, making them acts of worship.
    • All mu’amalat are permissible unless proven otherwise by Qur’an and Sunnah.

Categories of Actions

• Wajib/Fard: Obligatory, rewarded if done, sinful if not.
• Sunnah/Mustahab: Recommended, rewarded if done, not sinful if left.
• Mubah: Permissible, neither rewarded nor sinful.
• Makrooh: Disliked, not sinful if done, rewarded if avoided.
• Haram: Forbidden, sinful if done, rewarded if avoided.
• All acts are categorized into these based on their nature and relationship with other acts.

Purification (Tahara)

• Types of Water: Purity of water is essential for purification.
  • Original form of water is pure (rain, rivers, etc.).
  • Mixing with pure substances retains purity until it no longer is identified as water.
  • Large bodies of water do not become impure easily.

Containers and Utensils

• Prohibited: Gold/silver utensils, hides of impermissible animals.
• Allowed: Silver-plated utensils, hides of permissible animals.

Etiquettes of the Restroom

• Before Entering: Find a private area, recite a du'a seeking protection from jinn.
• Inside: Face away from Qibla, avoid talking, use left hand for cleaning.
• After Use: Can wash or wipe; minimum wiping is three times.

Cleaning Najasa (Impurities)

• Najis Substances: Urine, pre-seminal fluid, feces, flowing blood, vomit, pus, dead animals, saliva of dogs, pigs, fluid intoxicants.
• Pure Substances Misunderstood as Najis: Semen, urine/stool of edible animals, small quantities of blood.
• Removal: Physically remove or dissolve with water; certain impurities like the saliva of dogs require specific washing methods.

Summary

• Purpose of the Course: Introduction to essential aspects of fiqh focusing on purification and basic acts of worship.
• Approach: Based on Qur'an and Sunnah, practical aspects emphasized, awareness of differing opinions in fiqh, and maintaining brotherhood despite differences.

The lecture by Yasir Qadhi on fiqh covers foundational concepts in understanding the legal framework of Islamic practices, highlighting both acts of worship and everyday interactions, as well as detailing how to maintain ritual purity.