Twenty-Fourth Hadeeth

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: “The Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, came across me in one of the streets of Medina and at that time I was Junub (1). So I slipped away from him and went to take a bath. On my return the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said, "O Abu Hurairah! Where have you been?" I replied, "I was Junub, so I disliked to sit in your company." The Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said, "Subhaan Allaah (Glorified be Allaah)! A believer never becomes impure." (2) [Reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim].

There are many important benefits in this Hadeeth. We will touch upon them in the following points:

Firstly, his saying, “The Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, came across me in one of the streets of Medina and at that time I was Junub…” means he was in a state of Janaabah.

As for his saying: “…So I slipped away from him and went to take a bath...”, it means that he poured water over his body as a whole to get purified from Janaabah.

As for his saying … Subhaan Allaah…”, it is a way of glorifying Allaah The Almighty and here it refers to the astonishment of the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, because Abu Huriarah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said that he disliked to sit in the company of the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, while he is impure due to Janaabah. As-San‘aani said reporting from Ibn Al-Kamaal: “It is a reaction for not knowing the reason of something.”

Secondly, Muslim scholars deduced from the Hadeeth of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that one should esteem highly the people of virtues, righteousness, knowledge, and piety and one also should meet them in the best form.

Thirdly, the Hadeeth indicates that Janaabah is not an impurity that afflicts the body. Ibn Daqeeq Al-‘Eed, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: “This Hadeeth with its clear wording indicates that the believer never becomes impure. Some of them singled out the believer with such virtue; however, the well known opinion that it is something general. Some of Ath-Thaahiri (3) scholars view that the non-believer is impure during his life according to the apparent meaning of the saying of Allaah The Almighty: {O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean…} [Quran 9: 28]

When it is said that something is impure, this means that it is impure in its essence. It may also be said that it is impure referring that it becomes impure due to the impurity that afflicts it. It must be regarded according to the first meaning i.e. that its essence does not become impure because it cannot become impure when an impurity that afflicts it and this cannot be negated.” End quote

We come to understand from the apparent wording of the Hadeeth that the essence of the believer never becomes impure nor afflicts anything with impurity. Thus, the state of afflicting impurity, about which scholars have different opinions, is negated from him.

Fourthly, the Hadeeth refers to the recommendation of having purification for touching great things. This can be drawn from the approval of the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, for the statement of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him. He, peace and blessing be upon him, did not have any objection on keeping away from him; however, he, peace and blessing be upon him, objects the ruling of impurity and thus he, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “The believer never becomes impure.”

Fifthly, some Muslim scholars deduced a proof from this Hadeeth on the purity of the dead person because of the statement of the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him: “The believer never becomes impure.” Such statement actually includes the living and the dead individuals alike.

 Sixthly, some Muslim scholars also deduced a proof from this Hadeeth on the permissibility of delaying the ritual bath. That is because Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, did not get ritual bath immediately after he became Junub and the Messenger of Allaah, peace and blessing be upon him, did not object this. However, it is recommended to have ritual bath from Janaabah immediately after it occurs as it will be discussed in detail, Allaah Willing.

Seventhly, we can also learn from this Hadeeth that the follower should seek the permission from the one who follows to leave. That is because the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, denounced the leaving of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, while he did not ask his permission to leave. There is absolutely no doubt that this is something of the noble etiquette. Thus, if one wants to leave someone, he should ask him his permission and let him know of this.

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1) It means being in a major ritual impurity (e.g. Janaabah - being in a state of need for a ritual bath due to menstruation, ejaculation etc.). (Translator)

2) Reported by Imam Al-Bukhaari in the Book of Ghusl (Bathing), the chapter of (What is said regarding) the sweat of a Junub. And a Muslim never becomes impure 1/109, no. 283.

3) They are those who stick to the apparent meaning of the texts and not looking at the basis of rulings, and they do not believe in making analogies. Only a few people still follow Ath-Thaahiri school in some Muslim countries. (Translator).

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