such acts. These are not disliked for her; rather, they are obligatory for her. For a person in a state of major ritual impurity, however, they are disliked until he performs the full ritual bath, because he is able to purify himself, unlike a menstruating woman.

This is a fundamental principle concerning these and similar questions: the gravity of the harm that warrants prohibition should not be considered without also considering the need that warrants permission—or even makes the act recommended or obligatory. Whenever a condition normally makes prayer forbidden, praying under that condition becomes obligatory in cases of need if prayer is otherwise impossible. Praying under such conditions is less grave than abandoning prayer. Thus, if someone prayed after purifying himself with clean earth despite being able to use water, that prayer would be forbidden. But if he were unable to use water, praying after purification with clean earth would be obligatory within the prescribed time. The same applies to praying naked, facing a direction other than the qiblah, with impurity present, or without recitation; and to performing an obligatory prayer seated or without completing the bowing and prostration. These and similar ways of praying are forbidden when one is able to fulfil the requirements, but obligatory when one is unable to do so.

Likewise, eating carrion, blood, and pork is forbidden when one has no need of them, but obligatory in cases of necessity, according to the four imams and the majority of scholars.

Masrūq said: “Whoever is compelled by necessity but refuses to eat until he dies will enter the Fire.”

This is because he has contributed to killing himself by refraining from eating food that he was able to eat and was permitted to eat in those circumstances. He is thus like someone who kills himself, unlike one who risks his life in jihad, or one who