The Concept of "Istihalah" (Transformation) in Islamic Jurisprudence and Its Contemporary Applications

Abstract

This article explores the concept of "istihalah" (transformation) in Islamic jurisprudence and its contemporary applications. Istihalah is defined as the change in the essence and attributes of a substance, transforming it into a different entity with new properties, whether through natural processes or chemical reactions. The article discusses the jurisprudential disagreement regarding whether istihalah can be a means of purifying impurities. While jurists agree that pure food becomes impure when it transforms into feces or urine, they differ in their ruling on the opposite case. The Hanafi and Maliki schools, as well as Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, hold the view that istihalah can purify impurities, citing Quranic verses and Prophetic hadiths, such as the emergence of pure milk from between dung and blood, and the purification of animal hides through tanning. Conversely, the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools maintain that istihalah does not generally purify impurities, with some exceptions like the transformation of wine into vinegar through fermentation. The article reviews examples of istihalah in the works of jurists, such as the transformation of animal carcasses into salt, the conversion of feces into soil, and the production of soap from impure oils. It also discusses contemporary applications of istihalah, including the treatment of sewage water, praying on tanned leather, and performing dry ablution (tayammum) on soil mixed with impurities. The article concludes that the preponderant view is that istihalah can be a means of purifying impurities, demonstrating the flexibility of Islamic jurisprudence and its ability to accommodate modern issues.