Touching the Holy Qur'an While Being Impure
Al-Ḥadath al-Akbar (Arabic: الحدث الأکبر) (major ritual impurity) is an act
that causes the obligation of ghusl or the state occurs for one as a result
of these acts and one is not allowed to perform the acts that are subject
to tahara. Some common major hadath are: janaba, hayd and touching a dead
body.
Definition
Hadath is something that invalidates tahara (ritual purity). However, some faqihs hold
that it is also a state that occurs for a person after certain acts, such
as: urinating, janaba, hayd or touching a dead body, and the person is not
allowed to perform the acts that are subject to tahara. The rulings about
hadath are discussed in jurisprudential books and Manual of Islamic law. A
person to whom a hadath has occurred is called muhdith.
Al-Hadath al-Akbar
Faqihs have divided hadath into al-hadath al-akbar (major ritual impurity)
and al-hadath al-asghar (minor ritual impurity). By al-hadth al-akbar they
mean what causes the obligation of ghusl, such as: janaba, sexual
intercourse, hayd, nifas, medium or excessive istihada, or touching a dead
body (that is cold and is not given ghusl al-mayyit)