such substances, and because he did not order that any of it coming into contact with bodies, clothing, or vessels be washed off.

If those who regard camels’ urine as ritually pure have disagreed over whether it may be drunk without necessity—and two explicit opinions on this are reported from Ahmad—this is because of its repulsiveness, which places it alongside mucus, saliva, semen, and other repulsive substances that are not ritually impure. Cleansing oneself of these is prescribed, just as plucking the armpit hair, shaving the pubic hair, clipping the nails, and closely trimming the moustache are prescribed.

It is also for this reason that this category of materials is forbidden to both men and women when used for vessels and other movable goods. Gold and silver vessels are forbidden to both sexes, unlike gold jewellery and silk clothing, which are permitted to women.

The reverse applies to repugnant substances: concessions are granted for their use away from the human body that are not granted when they are in contact with it. Thus, it is permissible to extinguish a fire with wine, feed carrion to hawks and falcons, and clothe an animal in a ritually impure garment. Likewise, using ritually impure oil for lighting is permissible according to the better-known of the two scholarly opinions, which is also the better-known of the two opinions reported from Ahmad. This is because using repugnant substances in these ways is akin to destroying them and involves no harm. The same applies to other uses separate from the body. Using silk and gold, by contrast, represents the height of extravagance, ostentation, and arrogance.

This makes clear the error of those jurists among Ahmad’s followers and others who permitted clothing one’s animal in silk by analogy with clothing it in a ritually impure garment. This is like permitting silk to be spread out and trodden upon by analogy with objects bearing images; or