Discover the meaning of the term Al-msḥ (مسح) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 4 min readPassing the wet hand without letting water drip.
In Persian: 'to pass the hand over a thing'. In religious law: touching the limb with the wet hand, without letting the water flow, either with moisture taken from the vessel or with moisture remaining in the hand after washing a limb of the limbs to be washed; moisture remaining in the hand after wiping a limb of the limbs to be wiped does not suffice, nor does moisture taken from some of his limbs, whether that limb be washed or wiped; the same applies to wiping the khuff.
In language: passing the hand over the thing and effacing its trace; it may be used for either. In religious law: touching the limb with the wet hand, without letting the water flow, either with moisture taken from the vessel or with moisture remaining in the hand after washing a limb of the limbs to be washed; moisture remaining in the hand after wiping a limb of the limbs to be wiped does not suffice, nor does moisture taken from some of his limbs, whether that limb be washed or wiped; the same applies to wiping the khuff (so the author of Dastur al-'Ulama, and likewise in the Tawqif) (Dastur al-'Ulama, 3/252; al-Tawqif, p. 655).
'To depart on the earth' masuhan: go away. The stained or wet thing, mashan: pass the hand over it to remove the trace of water or the like. To pass over the thing with water or grease: pass the hand over it; one says: he passed with the thing. In the Quran: 'pass your hands over your heads and your feet to the ankles' (al-Ma'ida, 6). The Black Stone: touch it or greet it seeking blessing. To pass over someone with the sword: strike him; in the Quran: 'then he set about striking (mas'an) the necks and legs' (Sad, 33). To measure land, masan and misaha: measure it by the cubit or the like. Al-mash: passing the hand over the thing to remove its trace. The removal of the trace. Cutting. Touching water. Washing. In usage: touching the limb with water (Ibn 'Abidin). On the khuff, in religious law: touching with moisture a particular khuff, at a particular time (al-Haskafi). Al-Masih: 'Isa son of Maryam. In the Quran: 'O People of the Book, do not exceed in your religion and say of God nothing but the truth: the Messiah 'Isa son of Maryam is only the Messenger of God and His word which He cast toward Maryam, and a spirit from Him; so believe in God and His messengers, and say not 'three'; desist: it is better for you. God is only one God; glory be to Him that He should have a child: to Him what is in the heavens and what is on the earth, and God suffices as trustee' (al-Nisa', 171). The liar: the Dajjal.
Passing the hand over the thing and effacing its trace; either sense may be meant.
In language: passing the hand over the thing; in usage: the hand's touching the limb; (it also denotes) the rational soul's passing from the human body into the body of an animal resembling it in attributes.
﴿رُدُّوهَا عَلَىَّ ۖ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًۢا بِٱلسُّوقِ وَٱلْأَعْنَاقِ﴾
« [He said], "Return them to me," and set about striking [their] legs and necks. »
Surah ص : 33