Fatwa ID: 07461

 

Answered by: Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat

 

Question:

 

I’m undergoing therapy to control my OCD but for that, they tell me to ignore splashes and eventually, they say I can get over with OCD. I want to know which splashes I can ignore and which I should wash off. 

1-Splashes while washing something impure. Are they Najis that fall on one’s feet and clothes? Is there a size which can be ignored and which we should wash? 

2- Can impure splashes if not washed off spread to clothes or shoes if we wear shoes without washing those splashes? 

 

3- I wash my kid’s clothes by hand first to make it pure then put in the machine. While hand washing I try to squeeze as hard I can but still some water keeps coming. I squeeze so hard that I get blisters on my hands after I finish washing but I read in Behashti Zewar that after you are done squeezing water shouldn’t come again if squeezed. How to know that we have squeezed enough? 

 

4- How much to squeeze a sponge to make it pure? I count to 20 under tap water and then squeeze it 3-5 times. Is it enough to make it pure? Because squeezing a sponge until no drops comes is hard and fingers start hurting. 

 

5- Sometimes while squeezing clothes to make them paak some splashes come on me. Are they considered paak? 

 

6- how many rinse cycles must we do in top load washing machine if we put impure clothes directly? 
No sign of najasat remains after even a single rinse cycle which fills and squeezes two times only. One cycle with detergent and one with clean water

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

When dealing with matters of cleanliness, particularly concerning OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and Islamic rulings (fiqh), it is important to approach this both with spiritual guidance and consideration of mental health. Therapy is essential for OCD, and your religious obligations should not lead to undue hardship or exaggeration. 

 

 

1. Splashes While Washing Impure Objects:

 

• Ruling on Najis Splashes: According to Islamic jurisprudence, if you are washing something impure (najis) and water splashes back on your body or clothes, it depends on the nature of the splash:

 

• If the splashes are small and no trace of impurity (colour, smell, or taste) is visible, they can be ignored. This is based on the principle of “Al-Mashaqqatu tajlibu al-taysir” (hardship brings ease) from Qawa’id Fiqhiyyah. Page 40 under the chapter of Hardship brings ease (المشقة تجلب التسير)

 

• Size of splashes: Splashes that are so small that they do not show any sign of impurity are generally ignored. A hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) highlights that Islam does not intend to make things difficult for people. Therefore, if the splashes are insignificant, they are not najis, especially considering the therapeutic context of OCD, where obsessiveness with washing should be managed carefully.

 

2. Can Impure Splashes Spread?

 

• Spreading of Najis: If an impurity splashes onto your body or clothes and it is not washed off, it could technically spread if it is still wet and in a transferable state. However, once it dries and no traces remain, the najasah does not spread.

 

There is also room for leniency in cases of doubt, as per the principle “Al-yaqīn lā yazūlu bi al-shakk” (certainty is not removed by doubt)

 

Therefore, if you’re uncertain whether the impurity has spread after the splash dries, you should rely on your certainty, which is that no apparent impurity is visible.

 

 

3. Squeezing Clothes Until No Water Comes Out:

 

Squeezing in Beheshti Zewar: The guidance in Beheshti Zewar (Part 2, p. 38) mentions that squeezing clothes should remove excess water after hand washing. However, the requirement is not to squeeze until absolutely no water comes out; it is rather that the clothes should be squeezed enough to remove the major amount of impurity. Islam is a very compassionate religion and would not ask that you harm yourself (e.g., by getting blisters).

 

The principle “La Darar wa la Dirar” (no harm or reciprocation of harm) applies here, meaning you should not harm yourself to meet excessive standards of cleanliness.

 

 

4. Squeezing a Sponge to Make it Pure:

 

Washing a Sponge: Regarding sponges, the general rule is like clothes. Washing the sponge thoroughly under running water and squeezing it a few times (such as your practice of counting to 20) is sufficient. It is not necessary to squeeze until no water at all comes out, as that would be an undue burden. The goal is to ensure that most of the impurity is washed away, according to the Qawa’id principle of ease.

 

 

The principle “Ma la yudraku kulluhu la yutraku julluhu” (if you cannot achieve perfection, do not leave most of it) suggests that you do not need to overexert to achieve absolute purity.

 

 

5. Splashes During Squeezing Clothes:

 

• Purity of Splashes During Squeezing: If you have washed the clothes thoroughly and squeezed them during cleaning, then any splashes that come onto your body after that are considered pure (paak). This is because, after proper washing and squeezing, the water is assumed to be clean, and any remaining splashes are treated as clean water.

 

6. Rinse Cycles in a Washing Machine:

 

Rinse Cycles: In modern washing machines, a single rinse cycle that thoroughly washes and rinses the clothes is generally sufficient, provided that no visible traces of impurity (such as color, smell, or physical remnants) remain. The squeezing and agitating action of the machine fulfills the requirement for removing impurities.

 

 

Therefore;

 

• Ignore Small Splashes: If no visible najasah remains, minor splashes can be ignored.

 

• Spreading of Najis: Impurity only spreads while wet, but once dry, it generally does not.

 

• Squeezing: Squeeze as much as reasonably possible, but do not cause harm to yourself by over-squeezing.

 

• Machine Washing: One full rinse cycle is enough, provided no visible impurity remains.

 

These rulings aim to balance your need for cleanliness with the therapeutic requirement to manage OCD without causing undue hardship. 

 

May Allah (SWT) grant you ease and recovery.

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham