"The Purity"

The book "La Pureza" (The Purity), authored by Sheikh Abd Ar-Rahman bin Abd Al-Kareem Ash-Sheha and published by the Osoul Center, serves as an important jurisprudential and educational reference tailored for Muslim communities and those interested in Islam among Spanish speakers. It addresses the fundamental pillar without which prayers and acts of worship are invalid, distinguished by its sequential pedagogical style and its attention to the practical details a Muslim needs in daily life. The book begins with an introductory preface explaining the status of purity in Islam, followed by an overview of its virtues, characteristics, and recommended acts, showing how it reflects a Muslim's inner and outer appearance while expiating sins. It then dedicates ample space to explaining purification from minor impurities and physical contaminants, detailing the definition and legitimacy of Wudu' (ablution), providing a precise, step-by-step description of the correct method of ablution as prescribed in the Prophet's Sunnah, clarifying the circumstances in which renewing it is recommended, and warning against common mistakes that might invalidate it. Simultaneously, it highlights the facilitation offered by Islamic law by explaining the rulings on wiping over socks and similar footwear, outlining the legal area for wiping, its correct method, the time limits permitted for residents and travelers, and the factors that invalidate it. Furthermore, the book transitions into detailing the rulings of major purification by explaining Ghusl (ritual bath); addressing the correct Sharia steps for its execution, the occasions when it is prescribed or recommended, and the prohibitions imposed on a Muslim during a state of major ritual impurity, while warning against common errors to ensure sound jurisprudential practice. In the absence of water or the inability to use it, the book clarifies the alternative pillar, which is Tayammum (dry ablution), explaining the reasons and excuses that permit a Muslim to resort to it, its correct steps using dust, and its nullifiers. The book concludes its chapters by offering solutions and practical verdicts for special cases faced by the sick or injured, such as the rulings on wiping over splints and medical bandages in cases of wounds and fractures, providing a practical guide on how to purify a sick person to help them perform their worship without hardship. Through this work, the author seeks to fill an important gap in the Spanish-language Islamic library, providing a reliable and practical guide that helps Muslims understand and apply the rulings of purity with ease, in accordance with authentic Sharia evidence.