necessitates ghusl also necessitates wudu. Thus, this refers ahead to a later chapter, which will come, Allah willing. (1)

The major state of ritual impurity includes the minor state of ritual impurity. An example of this is the emission of semen: it necessitates ghusl, and since it exits from one of the two private passages, it also nullifies wudu, based on the rule that whatever exits from the two private passages nullifies wudu . . .

Yet there is some reservation regarding this rule, due to Allah’s saying: “And if you are in a state of major ritual impurity, then purify yourselves.” [al-Ma’idah 5:6] Allah has made ghusl alone obligatory in the case of major ritual impurity; He has not made it obligatory upon us to wash the four limbs. Thus, whatever necessitates ghusl necessitates nothing but ghusl—unless there is a consensus or textual evidence indicating otherwise.

Therefore, the stronger view is that if a person in a state of major ritual impurity intends to remove ritual impurity, that is sufficient; he need not intend specifically to remove the minor state of ritual impurity.

Except in the case of death . . .

His statement, “Except in the case of death”: death necessitates ghusl, but it does not necessitate wudu, meaning that the one washing the deceased is not required first to perform wudu for the deceased.

Thus, if a man were to come and immerse the deceased in a river, intending thereby to wash him, and then lift him out, that would suffice.

This is one of the curious matters of knowledge: how can they deny that wudu is obligatory when washing the deceased, even though the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Begin with her right side and with the places of wudu.” (2)