The discussion over the verse turns on two possibilities. One may assume that the wording is figurative and that an omitted phrase—“the place of prayer”—is implied; in that case the meaning becomes, “Do not come near the place of prayer,” and the clause “except those merely passing through” is an exception to the prohibition of approaching the place of prayer. Alternatively, one may hold that nothing is omitted, the verse is to be taken literally, and “those merely passing through” refers to a traveller who has no water and is in a state of major impurity (janābah).

Whoever maintains the existence of an omission permits a person in janābah to pass through the mosque, whereas whoever denies any omission finds in the verse no proof for forbidding such a person to remain in the mosque. As for the party that even forbids passing through, I know of no evidence for them except the outward sense of the report in which the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said:

“I do not permit the mosque for someone in janābah or for a menstruating woman.”

Yet this ḥadīth is not authentic according to the ḥadīth specialists. Their disagreement over the menstruating woman in this regard is identical to their disagreement over the junub.

Issue Two
Touching the written Qur’an (muṣḥaf) while in janābah

Some scholars allow it, but the majority prohibit it; these are the same jurists who forbid anyone without wuduʾ from touching the muṣḥaf. The cause of the dispute is the same cause behind their disagreement over allowing a person without ablution to touch it—namely, the Almighty’s words:

“None can touch it except the purified” (al-Wāqiʿah 56:79).

We have already explained the reason for differing over this verse, and that very reason underlies their disagreement about whether a menstruating woman may touch the muṣḥaf.

Issue Three
Reciting the Qur’an while in janābah

The scholars also differed here: the majority forbade it, while a group permitted it. The matter hinges on the possible reading of the ḥadīth reported by ʿAlī, who said:

“Nothing kept the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—from reciting the Qur’an except janābah.”

Some argued that this proves nothing, holding it to be merely the narrator’s surmise: how could anyone know that the Prophet refrained from recitation because of janābah unless he told him so? The majority replied that ʿAlī—may Allah be pleased with him—would not have spoken on conjecture; he must have spoken with sure knowledge.

Some jurists treated the menstruating woman exactly like the junub in this issue; others distinguished between them and, as a matter of juristic preference, allowed her a small amount of recitation because of the length of her menstrual period. This is the view of Mālik.

These, then, are the rulings pertaining to janābah.

Rulings Concerning Blood That Issues from the Womb
Section One: The Types of Blood That Issue from the Womb

As for the rulings governing the blood that emerges from the womb, a comprehensive treatment of their foundations is confined to three sections. The first is to identify the various kinds of blood that come from the womb.