miqaat

Miqaat is a term used in Islamic jurisprudence to refer to a specific number of people who, when gathered together in a state of ritual purity (taharah), can render each other ritually impure (najis) through physical contact. The concept is derived from the Quranic verse 4:48, which states that a woman who has menstruated and is in a state of ritual impurity cannot enter the mosque until she has purified herself. The number of people required to constitute a miqaat varies depending on the school of thought within Islam, ranging from 4 to 100.

The miqaat is significant in the context of menstruation, childbirth, and certain types of sexual intercourse, as it determines the extent to which a person's ritual impurity can spread. For example, if a woman who has menstruated touches a man, he becomes ritually impure, and if he touches another man, that second man also becomes ritually impure, and so on, until the number of people touched reaches the miqaat. At that point, the impurity stops spreading.

The miqaat is also relevant in the context of the five daily prayers, as it determines whether a person can lead the prayer (imam) or must pray behind someone else (muqtadi). If a person is ritually impure, they cannot lead the prayer, but if they are in a state of ritual purity, they can lead the prayer, provided they are not part of a miqaat.

The miqaat is a complex and nuanced concept in Islamic jurisprudence, and its interpretation varies among different schools of thought. However, it is an important aspect of Islamic ritual purity and is observed by Muslims around the world.