What is the reality of the impurity of the mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) and the kafir (disbeliever), and does touching a kafir invalidate the wudu' (ablution) of a Muslim?
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The questioner : What is the reality of the impurity of the mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) and the kafir (disbeliever)? Does this mean that if a Muslim touches a mushrik or a kafir while in a state of ritual purity, his purity is invalidated? Or is the impurity conceptual rather than physical?
The Shaykh : The impurity of the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah), indeed the impurity of all kafirs (disbelievers), is conceptual.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is not physical impurity, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 283 It is known that a believer becomes physically impure if physical impurity touches him; he becomes impure.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So his statement indicates that the intended meaning is the negation of conceptual impurity. And Allah the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah 9:28] Thus, Allah the Exalted informed that he is impure. If we compare this with what is established in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah that a believer does not become impure, we know that the impurity referred to regarding the mushrik, and likewise other kafirs (disbelievers), is conceptual and not physical. For this reason, Allah permitted us the food of the People of the Book, even though they handle it with their hands. He also permitted us to marry the chaste women from among the People of the Book, even though a man will have physical contact with them.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And He did not command us to wash what their hands touched, nor to wash what their women touched through marriage.
As for the questioner’s statement that if he touches a kafir (disbeliever), his wudu' (ablution) is invalidated?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is a misconception on his part. Touching impurity does not invalidate wudu' (ablution), even if it were physical impurity such as urine, feces, impure blood, or the like. Touching it does not invalidate wudu'; it only obligates washing the part that became soiled with the impurity. Yes.
The questioner : The second question says.
The Shaykh : The impurity of the mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah), indeed the impurity of all kafirs (disbelievers), is conceptual.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is not physical impurity, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
A believer never becomes impure.
إن المؤمن لا ينجسThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So his statement
He does not become impure
لا ينجسO you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Haram after this, their [final] year
يا أيها الذين ءامنوا إنما المشركون نجس فلا يقربوا المسجد الحرام بعد عامهم هذاThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And He did not command us to wash what their hands touched, nor to wash what their women touched through marriage.
As for the questioner’s statement that if he touches a kafir (disbeliever), his wudu' (ablution) is invalidated?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is a misconception on his part. Touching impurity does not invalidate wudu' (ablution), even if it were physical impurity such as urine, feces, impure blood, or the like. Touching it does not invalidate wudu'; it only obligates washing the part that became soiled with the impurity. Yes.
The questioner : The second question says.