Question 93) - What are impurities and what kinds are there?

A: There are two kinds: Ghalizhah and Khaififah [severe and light].

Ghalizhah includes whatever the human body emits which necessitates Wudu or must, such as excrete, urine, semen, wadi, bile, bile with blood, vomit when it is a mouth-full; blood of menses, Nifas and Istihadah; urine of a baby boy or girl whether they ate food or not; wine; flowing blood; and the flesh, fat and skin of carrion.

Also, the urine of that whose flesh may not be eaten; excrete of a cow, dog, chicken, duck, goose, hunting animals - all these are Najasah Ghalizhah, as are all parts of the pig.

Khafifah includes the urine of an animal which can be eaten, horse urine and excrete of a bird which cannot be eaten. (The specification is made because the excrete of birds which can be eaten such as doves and swallows are pure according to Imaam Abu Hanifa RA.)

~ al-Quduri ~