Does a Muslim's hand become impure if it touches an unbeliever when the hand is moist, based on the fact that an unbeliever is impure according to the text of the Holy Qur'an?
The majority of scholars hold that the impurity of a disbeliever is spiritual, not physical. Thus, they are pure even after death. A human being does not become impure by death, whether Muslim or disbeliever, because Allah Almighty says: ﴿And We have certainly honored the children of Adam﴾. The concept of honoring dictates that they are not to be deemed impure by death. As for Allah Almighty's statement: ﴿Indeed, the polytheists are unclean﴾, what is meant here is the impurity of belief, not the impurity of their bodies. Therefore, touching a disbeliever or shaking their wet hand does not take the ruling of touching something impure.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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