The Reason Why Ghusl (Ritual Bath) is Obligatory for Janabah (Ritual Impurity) but Not Urine and Feces
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 18
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh
Book 1, Chapter 18
The Reason Why Ghusl (Ritual Bath) is Obligatory for Janabah (Ritual Impurity) but Not Urine and Feces
2 hadiths
جَاءَ نَفَرٌ مِنَ اَلْيَهُودِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فَسَأَلَهُ أَعْلَمُهُمْ عَنْ مَسَائِلَ وَ كَانَ فِيمَا سَأَلَهُ أَنْ قَالَ لِأَيِّ شَيْءٍ أَمَرَ اَللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِالاِغْتِسَالِ مِنَ اَلْجَنَابَةِ وَ لَمْ يَأْمُرْ بِالْغُسْلِ مِنَ اَلْغَائِطِ وَ اَلْبَوْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ «إِنَّ آدَمَ لَمَّا أَكَلَ مِنَ اَلشَّجَرَةِ دَبَّ ذَلِكَ فِي عُرُوقِهِ وَ شَعْرِهِ وَ بَشَرِهِ فَإِذَا جَامَعَ اَلرَّجُلُ أَهْلَهُ خَرَجَ اَلْمَاءُ مِنْ كُلِّ عِرْقٍ وَ شَعْرَةٍ فِي جَسَدِهِ فَأَوْجَبَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى ذُرِّيَّتِهِ اَلاِغْتِسَالَ مِنَ اَلْجَنَابَةِ إِلَى يَوْمِ اَلْقِيَامَةِ وَ اَلْبَوْلُ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ فَضْلَةِ اَلشَّرَابِ اَلَّذِي يَشْرَبُهُ اَلْإِنْسَانُ وَ اَلْغَائِطُ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ فَضْلَةِ اَلطَّعَامِ اَلَّذِي يَأْكُلُهُ اَلْإِنْسَانُ فَعَلَيْهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ اَلْوُضُوءُ» قَالَ اَلْيَهُودِيُّ صَدَقْتَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ.
A group of Jews came to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, and the most learned among them asked him several questions. Among those, he asked: 'Why did Allah سبحانه وتعالى command ghusl (ritual bathing) after janabah (ritual impurity due to sexual discharge) but did not command ghusl after defecation and urination?' The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم replied: 'When Adam ate from the tree, it coursed through his veins, hair, and skin. So when a man engages in intercourse, the fluid (semen) is released from every vein and hair in his body. Therefore, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, has commanded his descendants to perform ghusl after janabah until the Day of Resurrection. On the other hand, urine is expelled as the excess from the drink consumed by humans, and feces is the excess from the food consumed. Thus, for those acts, wudu (ablution) is required.' The Jewish scholar said: 'You have spoken the truth, O’ Muhammad.'
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh
وَ كَتَبَ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ فِيمَا كَتَبَ مِنْ جَوَابِ مَسَائِلِهِ: «عِلَّةُ غُسْلِ اَلْجَنَابَةِ اَلنَّظَافَةُ لِتَطْهِيرِ اَلْإِنْسَانِ مِمَّا أَصَابَ مِنْ أَذَاهُ وَ تَطْهِيرِ سَائِرِ جَسَدِهِ لِأَنَّ اَلْجَنَابَةَ خَارِجَةٌ مِنْ كُلِّ جَسَدِهِ فَلِذَلِكَ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ تَطْهِيرُ جَسَدِهِ كُلِّهِ وَ عِلَّةُ اَلتَّخْفِيفِ فِي اَلْبَوْلِ وَ اَلْغَائِطِ أَنَّهُ أَكْثَرُ وَ أَدْوَمُ مِنَ اَلْجَنَابَةِ فَرَضِيَ فِيهِ بِالْوُضُوءِ لِكَثْرَتِهِ وَ مَشَقَّتِهِ وَ مَجِيئِهِ بِغَيْرِ إِرَادَةٍ مِنْهُ وَ لاَ شَهْوَةٍ وَ اَلْجَنَابَةُ لاَ تَكُونُ إِلاَّ بِالاِسْتِلْذَاذِ مِنْهُمْ وَ اَلْإِكْرَاهِ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ.
Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام wrote to Muhammad ibn Sinan in response to his questions: 'The reason for the ghusl (ritual bath) of janabah (ritual impurity from sexual discharge) is for cleanliness, to purify a person from what has affected them and to cleanse their entire body, because janabah involves the whole body. Therefore, it is necessary to purify the entire body. The reason for the lightening (of obligation) in the case of urine and feces is because they occur more frequently and continuously compared to janabah, so it is sufficient to perform wudu (ablution) due to their frequency, difficulty, and the fact that they occur without intentional desire or pleasure. Janabah occurs only through enjoyment or intentional acts involving themselves.'
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh