What is the legal status of human semen, and how should it be purified if it touches clothing?
Chapter on Praying with Impurity and Other Matters
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
The reported famous position from Ahmad is that semen is pure. Another report states it is impure like blood, with a differing opinion on whether minor amounts are pardoned. Scraping the dry semen is permissible in all views. The pure ruling is supported by Companions like Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and Ibn Umar, and it aligns with the position of Al-Shafi'i. Evidence for this is the report that Aisha used to scrape semen from the Prophet's garment, and they would pray in the garment, indicating it was not strictly impure requiring washing. Furthermore, another narration states that if the semen is dry, it should be scraped, but if wet, it should be washed. The argument for purity is that it is the beginning of human creation, like clay, which is pure, distinguishing it from urine.
Supporting text
A dissenting view, held by Malik, Al-Awza'i, and Al-Thawri, is that washing due to seminal emission is obligatory. The People of Reason (Ahl al-Ra'y) consider it impure, but allow scraping when dry, citing Aisha's report of washing semen from the Prophet's garment. Some scholars consider scraping mandatory if wet, equating it to urine because it exits a common passage.