What is the ruling on one who prays without ritual purity, such as one who has reached the age of discernment and is in a state of major ritual impurity?
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The questioner : Regarding an issue among the students: some of them reach the age of discernment and go to school without purifying themselves from major ritual impurity. They recite the Qur'an and pray, for example, the midday prayer without ritual purity. The question is: What is the ruling on one who prays without ritual purity?
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for one who is in a state of major ritual impurity to perform the full ritual bath before reciting the Qur'an, because reciting the Qur'an while in a state of major ritual impurity is forbidden according to the stronger opinion. It is not permissible for a person to recite anything from the Qur'an with the intention of reciting the Qur'an while in a state of major ritual impurity. It is well known that when one is in a state of major ritual impurity, he is an adult and the obligatory duties are not dropped from him. However, a student might say, for example: "I am afraid that if I am late, the teacher will punish me." We say: Yes, the teacher may punish you, but the punishment of this world is less severe than the punishment of the Hereafter.
As for one who prays while in a state of major or minor ritual impurity, he has committed a great sin, may Allah protect us from it. So much so that the school of Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him) holds that one who prays while in a state of ritual impurity is a disbeliever, a disbelief that takes him out of the religion, because he is mocking the verses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The matter is serious. It is obligatory for the student, if he fears the teacher's punishment as he says, if he is late, to go to school and then ask permission during the lesson to go and purify himself. I do not think the teacher would refuse if the student asked permission and excused himself with this excuse.
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for one who is in a state of major ritual impurity to perform the full ritual bath before reciting the Qur'an, because reciting the Qur'an while in a state of major ritual impurity is forbidden according to the stronger opinion. It is not permissible for a person to recite anything from the Qur'an with the intention of reciting the Qur'an while in a state of major ritual impurity. It is well known that when one is in a state of major ritual impurity, he is an adult and the obligatory duties are not dropped from him. However, a student might say, for example: "I am afraid that if I am late, the teacher will punish me." We say: Yes, the teacher may punish you, but the punishment of this world is less severe than the punishment of the Hereafter.
As for one who prays while in a state of major or minor ritual impurity, he has committed a great sin, may Allah protect us from it. So much so that the school of Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him) holds that one who prays while in a state of ritual impurity is a disbeliever, a disbelief that takes him out of the religion, because he is mocking the verses of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The matter is serious. It is obligatory for the student, if he fears the teacher's punishment as he says, if he is late, to go to school and then ask permission during the lesson to go and purify himself. I do not think the teacher would refuse if the student asked permission and excused himself with this excuse.