Taharah (Ritual Purity)

Taharah (Arabic: طهارة) means "purity" and refers to the state of ritual purity that is an absolute prerequisite for performing salah and other acts of worship in Islam. Taharah encompasses both outer physical cleanliness (nadhafah) and inner spiritual purity.

In Shia fiqh, taharah is divided into two main categories: Hadath (ritual impurity) and Khabath (physical impurity). Hadath is the state that requires wudu (minor impurity) or ghusl (major impurity) to be removed. Khabath is the presence of physically impure substances (najasah) on the body, clothing, or prayer area, which must be removed before prayer.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said in Nahj al-Balagha: "Purification is half of faith." And the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: "The key to prayer is taharah" (narrated in Al-Kafi, vol. 3). These narrations emphasize that prayer without taharah is invalid and unacceptable.

Shia jurisprudence has detailed rules about taharah, covering: which substances are pure (tahir) and impure (najis), how impure things are purified (tathhir), the various types of purifying agents (mutahhirat) such as water, earth, the sun, Islam, etc., and the specific rules for wudu, ghusl, and tayammum. Taharah rules constitute a central chapter in Islamic jurisprudence and reflect the fundamental importance of the subject for correct worship.