2. Offering prayer (neither obligatory nor supererogatory prayers )

Scholars uniformly agree that it is impermissable for one in a state of minor or major ritual impurity to perform prayer at all, be it obligatory or supererogatory, provided one is able to purify oneself. This is because Allah, Exalted be He, says:

"O you who believe! When you rise to perform As-Salāt (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, and wipe overyour heads and (wash) your feet up to ankles. If you are in a state of Janābah (i.e. had a sexual discharge), purify yourself (bathe your whole body)." (Quran Al-Maidah:6)

Besides the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, as related by Muslim and other compilers of hadeeth : 

" Allah does not accept a prayer without purification. .."

He (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) also said :

" Allah does not accept the prayer of anyone of you if he passes wind, urine, or stool until he performs the abultion (anew)."

The above hadith shows that it is impermissable for one to pray while bing in a state of impurity, provided one is able to purify himself. Thus, the prayer offered by one in a state of impurity is invalid, whether it is performed in such a state while one is aware of the ruling or not, and whether one performs it inattentively or intentionally. If one is aware of the ruling and offers prayer intentionally, one is regarded as a sinner who has to undergo discretionary punishment. But if one is unaware of it, and offers prayer inattentively, one in this case is not regarded as a sinner, yet one's prayer is deemed unvaild.

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