Is semen pure or impure?

Question:
Is semen pure or impure? And is it sufficient to rub it off if it is dry, and to wash it if it is wet?

Answer:
Semen is pure according to the correct view, and it is the origin of the human being. Aisha said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes wash it and sometimes rub it off. She said: I used to rub it off his garment; I used to scratch it off his garment while it was dry. This indicates that it is pure, for if it had been impure, he would have washed it. The fact that he was content with scratching it, and that cleaning it by removing it without water, indicates its purity. Also, because it is the origin of the human being; the human being is pure, and his origin is pure. His origin is clay, and clay is pure. Then, semen after that is pure, and the human being is pure.