Fatwa ID: 08235

Answered by: Alimah Maryam Badshah

Question:

I used an antibacterial wipe to clean a leather seat but I read in a Fatwa that says cleaning agents that cause harm do not remove Najasah and must be washed again. These wipes said they may cause allergic reaction and avoid contact with eyes it also is harmful to aquatic organisms. Also when I wiped the seat I just wipe it with the wet wipe and left it was this right is it now pure.

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

Answer:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Cleanliness is half of faith…” (Sahih Muslim)[1]

Cleanliness is an important part of our faith and a prerequisite to key acts of worship. Impurities on immovable surfaces, such as a leather seat, would only require you to wipe down the impure surfaces with water or cleaning solution until the impurity is removed. Therefore, using an antibacterial wipe to remove an impurity is valid so long as the substance of the impurity has been removed.[2]

As for your statement “cleaning agents that cause harm do not remove Najasah”, I believe you are referring to the use of a cleansing solution that causes you to suffer from harmful side-effects, such as an allergic reaction or injury. If it is the case that the solution causes you harm you should discontinue its use. It is not required nor necessary for people to cause themselves harm in order to cleanse a surface, as using a safe substance such as water would suffice.[3]

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham

References:

[1]

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَبَّانُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبَانٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، أَنَّ زَيْدًا، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ أَبَا سَلاَّمٍ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِي مَالِكٍ الأَشْعَرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ الطُّهُورُ شَطْرُ الإِيمَانِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ تَمْلأُ الْمِيزَانَ ‏.‏ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ تَمْلآنِ – أَوْ تَمْلأُ – مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَالصَّلاَةُ نُورٌ وَالصَّدَقَةُ بُرْهَانٌ وَالصَّبْرُ ضِيَاءٌ وَالْقُرْآنُ حُجَّةٌ لَكَ أَوْ عَلَيْكَ كُلُّ النَّاسِ يَغْدُو فَبَائِعٌ نَفْسَهُ فَمُعْتِقُهَا أَوْ مُوبِقُهَا ‏”‏.‏

Sahih Muslim 223 (Bk.2, ch.1, sunnah.com)

[2]

فَإِنْ كَانَ مِمَّا لَا يُتَشَرَّبُ فِيهِ شَيْءٌ أَصْلًا، كَالْأَوَانِي الْمُتَّخَذَةِ مِنْ الْحَجَرِ وَالصُّفْرِ، وَالنُّحَاسِ وَالْخَزَفِ الْعَتِيقِ، وَنَحْوِ ذَلِكَ فَطَهَارَتُهُ بِزَوَالِ عَيْنِ النَّجَاسَةِ، أَوْ الْعَدَدُ عَلَى مَا مَرَّ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِمَّا يُتَشَرَّبُ فِيهِ شَيْءٌ قَلِيلٌ، كَالْبَدَنِ وَالْخُفِّ وَالنَّعْل فَكَذَلِكَ؛

… مَا لَا يَنْعَصِرُ بِالْعَصْرِ إنْ عُلِمَ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يُتَشَرَّبْ فِيهِ، بَلْ أَصَابَ ظَاهِرَهُ يَطْهُرُ بِإِزَالَةِ الْعَيْنِ، أَوْ بِالْغَسْلِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ مِنْ غَيْرِ عَصْرٍ

Badā’i’ Al-Ṣanā’i’ (Vol.1, pg.88, Dār Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmiyyah)

وَإِزَالَتُهَا إنْ كَانَتْ مَرْئِيَّةً بِإِزَالَةِ عَيْنِهَا وَأَثَرِهَا إنْ كَانَتْ شَيْئًا يَزُولُ أَثَرُهُ وَلَا يُعْتَبَرُ فِيهِ الْعَدَدُ. كَذَا فِي الْمُحِيطِ فَلَوْ زَالَتْ عَيْنُهَا بِمَرَّةٍ اكْتَفَى بِهَا وَلَوْ لَمْ تَزُلْ بِثَلَاثَةٍ تُغْسَلُ إلَى أَنْ تَزُولَ

Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.41-2, Dār Al-Fiqr)

[3]

وَيُعْرَفُ ذَلِكَ الْخَوْفُ إمَّا بِغَلَبَةِ الظَّنِّ عَنْ أَمَارَةٍ أَوْ تَجْرِبَةٍ أَوْ إخْبَارِ طَبِيبٍ حَاذِقٍ مُسْلِمٍ غَيْرِ ظَاهِرِ الْفِسْقِ…

وَالْأَصْلُ أَنَّهُ مَتَى أَمْكَنَهُ اسْتِعْمَالُ الْمَاءِ مِنْ غَيْرِ لُحُوقِ ضَرَرٍ فِي نَفْسِهِ أَوْ مَالِهِ وَجَبَ اسْتِعْمَالُهُ

Al-Fatāwa al-Hindiyyah (Vol.1, pg.28, Dār Al-Fiqr)