Taharah in the Tuhfah: Water, Impurity, and Ritual Purity

Al-Haytami's treatment of taharah in the Tuhfat al-Muhtaj follows the Minhaj's structure closely while adding layers of explanation that reflect both his depth of learning and his pedagogical intent. He opens with the classification of water, a topic of foundational importance since the validity of all subsequent ritual acts depends on the nature of the water used.

The Shafi'i school recognizes three categories of water: tahir mutahhir (pure and purifying, i.e., usable for ritual purposes), tahir ghayr mutahhir (pure but not purifying, i.e., musta'mal water or water mixed with a pure substance that has altered its quality), and najis (impure water, contaminated with najasah). Al-Haytami explains each category with precision, noting the threshold quantities that determine how water responds to contact with impurity.

For the two-qullah threshold, al-Haytami reproduces the various scholarly estimates of its volumetric equivalent and explains the underlying rationale: large bodies of water possess a natural resistance to corruption that small amounts do not. This principle — rooted in the hadith of the Prophet regarding the two qullahs — is the basis for Shafi'i rulings on wells, pools, rivers, and tanks used for purification.

On the rulings of najasah and how to remove it, al-Haytami follows the standard Shafi'i positions with characteristic care. Removing najasah from the body, clothes, or place of prayer requires washing the affected area until no trace remains. The exception is the najasah of a dog or pig, which requires seven washes, one of which must use earth (turab), a ruling distinctive to the Shafi'i school based on a specific prophetic hadith.

Al-Haytami gives extended treatment to the wudu, discussing not only its obligatory elements but also its virtues and the sunna practices that perfect it. He addresses the question of wiping the head: the Shafi'i obligation is to wipe any portion of the head with wet hands, though the full head is strongly recommended. He distinguishes this from the Maliki requirement of wiping the entire head and the Hanbali position, noting the basis of each in transmitted reports.

The ghusl rulings in the Tuhfah cover janabah, hayd, nifas, and the ghusl recommended for Friday prayer, the two Eids, the entering of ihram, and other occasions. Al-Haytami provides a clear distinction between the minimum valid ghusl — intention plus water reaching all external surfaces — and the complete sunnah ghusl, which follows a prescribed sequence beginning with the removal of impurity, wudu, and then the full bath beginning with the right side.