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Fatwa CenterTypes of purification
Question
Would you please tell me about the types of purification and how to achieve it?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
There are three types of purification:
1- Purification of bodily organs from sins and disobedience:
Allaah Almighty described the polytheists with being unclean. This means that they adopt impure belief, which is polytheism. Allaah says (what means):
• {O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean.} [Quran 9: 28]
• {Those are the ones for whom Allaah does not Intend to purify their hearts.} [Quran 5: 41]
The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to ask Allaah to purify him of sins and disobedience. ‘Abdullaah ibn Abi Awfa 
narrated that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to recite (this supplication):
O Allaah! All praise is due to You, filling the heavens, filling the earth, and filling whatever else You Wish. O Allaah! Purify me with snow, (water of) hail and cold water; O Allaah, purify me from sins and misdeeds just as a white garment is cleansed from dirt. [Muslim]
2- Purification from filth:
This includes urine, excrement, blood, liquid alcohol as well as other types of tangible filth. According to the majority of scholars, such filth is purified only by pure water. They must be washed with water until the color, taste and smell of impurity disappear. In case of a dog, a swine as well as what comes from them, this must be washed seven times, including once with dust. The scholars provided different views regarding some details.
3- Purification from ritual impurity:
There are two types:
First: the major impurity: it is a state of impurity which requires Ghusl, as when one releases semen or inserts the tip of the penis into a woman's vagina or a man or woman's anus. Even if there is no ejaculation, both parties are required to perform Ghusl. Also, the woman is required to perform Ghusl at the end of menstruation or post-partum bleeding.
Second: minor impurity: it is a state of impurity which requires Wudhoo’ (ablution), as when something other than semen comes out from the two excretory organs whether it is urine, pre-ejaculatory fluid, excrement, a stone, and so on. This also includes touching one of the two excretory organs with the palm of the hand, whether for himself or for others, unconsciousness due to sleeping, fainting, intoxication, and so on. Touching a sexually desired non-Mahram (permanently unmarriageable) woman (who has attained the age when she is desired by those of sound nature) requires Wudhoo’ according to some scholars. Eating camel flesh also requires Wudhoo’ according to some scholars.
Making Ghusl for Janaabah (state of major impurity due to a wet dream, sexual relations, losing consciousness, ...) requires one’s intention as well as covering the whole body with water. Making Wudhoo’ requires one’s intention and washing the face, the hands up to the elbows, wiping the head and washing the feet up to the ankles.
Allaah Knows best.
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