- Every creature that has no flowing blood is pure, both in life and after death. It has already been mentioned that the blood of this class is pure. (1)
Impure animals are every animal whose meat is unlawful to eat, except for the cat and anything smaller than it in physical size, which are considered pure according to the madhhab. This is based on the hadith of Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him: Water was brought to him for ablution, when a cat came along. He tilted the vessel for it until it drank, then said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said concerning the cat: “It is not impure; rather, it is among those male and female creatures that frequently move about among you.” (2)
This applies whether creatures smaller than the cat are among those that frequently move about or not—even if they are never found in homes.
However, the apparent meaning of the hadith is that the cat is deemed pure because of the hardship involved in avoiding it, since it frequently moves about among us and repeatedly comes into contact with us. Were it impure, this would cause hardship for people.
Accordingly, the basis upon which the ruling rests is frequent movement about that results in hardship in avoiding the animal. Thus, everything that is difficult to avoid is pure.
On this basis, the mule and the donkey are pure. This is the preponderant view, chosen by many scholars. (3)
And concerning the residue of istijmār (cleansing oneself after relieving oneself with stones or similar materials) remaining in its place, …
His statement, “and concerning the residue of istijmar remaining in its place,” means that the residue left by istijmar in its proper place is excused.
What is meant is istijmar performed in the manner prescribed by Islamic law, whose conditions have been fulfilled, and it has