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Imaam Birgivi’s Classical Text On Hayd

Treasure trove for husbands and women pertaining to the
specification of ritual purity and bleedings

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Exposition of the book's title

The title of Imaam Birgivi's monumental work in
Arabic is:

ذخر المتأهلين والنساء في تعريف الأطهار و الدماء

Imaam Birgivi refers to his book, the knowledge contained therein, as “ذخر” e.g. “Treasure trove” to highlight the valuable nature of the subject matter for those who are accordingly Mukallaf(answerable) to Allah Ta'ala:

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“المتأهلين” literally means “those who are married”, e.g. husbands specifically (as this word would not be used to refer to “wives” in the Arabic language.). Below follow a few points to highlight the beauty of the Arabic language:

  • The word “تأهّل”, in terms of its root words, “ا-ه-ل” means family and “تأهّل” means “to get married”. It is interesting to take note here that in Arabic Morphology, this specific form of the verb can communicate special attributes. From the many possibilities, we can find that the meaning of “صيرورة” is manifested here. In its essence, this meaning indicates that a new transition and a change in one's situation has taken place. The literal translation therefore would be: “صار الرجل ذا أهل”, meaning: “The person became a family man”. Part and parcel of such a profound transition in this context is the requirement for one to become aware of the various rulings/responsibilities that apply to family life, including those specifically pertaining to his wife and other womenfolk. From a Shari' perspective, the husband is accountable that each member of his family has the opportunity to acquire the requisite knowledge to please Allah Ta'ala. Imaam Birgivi emphasized this point in the title of his work and has further clarrified this in his Muqaddimah (Introduction) under:

فمعرفة الدماء المختصة بالنساء واجبة عليهن وعلى الأزواج والأولياء

  • Another meaning of the same root words: “ا-ه-ل” is that of “to be suited”, “to be fit”; which again marries nicely with the social contract that started between Adam and Hawa 'Alayhimus Salaam where Allah Ta'ala made them for each other. Islam emphasizes the suitability of both partners to one and another to encourage a long and prosperous marriage.
  • Taking that same meaning a small step further brings us to the word: “اهليّة”, which means “competence”, “aptitude”. In this perspective, one could argue that the Arabic language is hinting that despite the difficulties inherent with the transition into marriage, in order for a man to become “competent” in life, that he is to get married. And what bigger competence in life, than perfecting half of your religion:

إِذَا تَزَوَّجَ الْعَبْدُ فَقَدِ اسْتَكْمَلَ نِصْفَ الدِّينِ فَلْيَتَّقِ اللَّهَ فِي النِّصْفِ الْبَاقِي

“When a man gets married, then verily he has completed half of the religion; so let him fear Allah in the remaining half.”

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“النساء” which unsurprisingly means “women”. As these special days in question are specific to women, it follows by necessity that they cary the primary responsibility to obtain the required knowledge to adequately discharge their day-to-day affairs. However, as the title of Imaam Birgivi's work makes clear, menfolk (e.g. husbands and fathers) also share in this responsibility. Imaam Birgivi further clarrified this point in his Muqaddimah (Introduction), stating: “As such, knowledge of bleedings specific to women is Waajib(obligatory) on them, as well as upon their husbands and their guardians”. This responsibility has been explained by Imaam Birgivi as stating: “and (Allah Ta'ala) commanded them to advice their womenfolk, to discipline and to teach religion”, in the sense that Allah Ta'ala has appointed men as the head of the household. Just as it is their responsibility to provide for their womenfolk in terms of food, clothing and shelter; likewise they are also responsible to teach religion and be involved in their children's lives in terms of educating them with good character. Teaching religion can vary from obtaining expertise in the underlying jurisprudence of menstruation and postpartum bleeding, to asking scholars for clarifications, to providing for the means of education on these matters. But the crux of the matter is, just like in the case of a Fard al-Kifaayah where everyone is absolved if a group within the community has discharged the responsibility; but everyone is implicated if nobody has discharged the responsibility; likewise the menfolk too will be implicated in the sin of negligence when there was a failure in his household to practice on the correct knowledge pertaining to the jurisprudence of menstruation.

The last part of: “الأطهار و الدماء” is easily translated as: “ritual purity and bleedings”, which encompasses Hayd(menstruation), Nifaas(postpartum bleeding), Istihadah(dysfunctional bleeding) and any ritual purity one may attain through Ghusl(major ablution), Wudu(minor ablution), Tayammum(substituted ablution) as well the ritual purity between two Hayd or between Nifaas and Hayd of minimum 15 days.

The word that we skipped inbetween: “في تعريف” is translated as “the specification of ...”, which is a meaning that can be appreciated by exemplifying this from the perspective of Nahwa(Arabic Grammar). A noun can be Nakirah(unspecified) or Ma'rifah(specified). For instance, take the noun “Zaid”. It is a name that refers to a specific person. On the other hand, one could talk instead about “a man” in the generic sense of the word, which in Arabic would be: “رَجُلٌ” “rajulun”. Such a word is Nakirah, unspecified. We can make the unspecified specific by virtue of applying what is called “اداة التعريف”, namely by putting the definite article “ال” in front of it, so it becomes: “الرَجُل” “al-rajulu”; e.g. the man. Not just any man, but a specific man whose name we may or may not know. So similarly, what Imaam Birgivi is conveying in this title is that the book in question is a treasure trove for both men and women alike when it comes to dealing with the various type of bleedings and ritual purity that may occur in those special, feminine days. To the untrained eye, those different bleedings may all seem the same; unspecified. But thanks to this treasure trove, both men and women alike have access to the correct tools to specify the unspecified; so that the heap of 15 days of bleeding can become adequately distinguished as this specific, consecutive set of bleedings will be Hayd(menstruation)/Nifaas(postpartum bleeding) whereas the rest is to be discounted as Istihadah(dysfunctional bleeding).

In this sense, our app has the ambition to further the legacy of Imaam Birgivi, to simplify practicing on our beautiful religion. Whether you are a recent mother, a daughter coming of age, a recent convert, someone facing complications on a regular basis or a habitual for whom it is all smooth sailing (until those pregnancy hormones suddenly complicate things), this app is here to guide you. Even if you are very knowledgable in this area, it is Waajib(compulsory) to record your bleedings. This app will assist you with this, at no cost to you. If you ever do get into a difficult situation, then all your information will be easily exportable to consult any scholar of your choosing. If you need answers urgently, then with a premium subscription you can get access to all the information you require now; while supporting and contributing to this legacy, Inshallah.

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Muqaddimah (Introduction)

الحمدُ لله الذي جعل الرجال على النساء قوامِين

All praise unto Allah Ta'ala who has appointed men over women as providers

وأمرهم بوعظهنَّ والتأديب وتعليم الدين

and commanded them to advice their womenfolk, to discipline and to teach religion

والصلاة والسلام على حبيب رب العالمين، وعلى آله وأصحابه هداة الحق وحماة الشرع والمتين

Peace and blessings be upon the Beloved of the Lord of the Worlds, upon his family and his close companions, guiders of truth, protectors of Shari'iyyah and the steadfast.

وبعد: فقد اتفق الفقهاء على فرضية علم الحال على كل من آمن بالله واليوم الآخر من نسوة ورجال

Jurists are unanimous upon the obligation of the knowledge of the state of affairs(e.g. knowledge as is applicable for one's daily affairs), upon each believing woman and man in Allah Ta'ala and the Last Day(Day of Judgement).

فمعرفة الدماء المختصة بالنساء واجبة عليهن وعلى الأزواج والأولياء

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You don’t have to take our word for it! Feel free to share a link of your anonymous calendar with your scholar of choice to check if the app has made the correct calculations.