Fatwa ID: 09034
Answered by Mufti Nuski Cassim
Question:
Assalamu Alaykum,
I am desperately seeking clarity on a matter that’s causing me immense hardship. If you could please respond according to the Hanafi fiqh.
Whenever I have a wet dream, my clothes quickly dry up, leaving no visible trace. My mum washes these impure clothes together with other pure clothes in the washing machine. I recently checked with the company and was told that for all wash modes (i.e. cotton, eco mode), the wash cycle (water added at the start, clothes are spun, water drained) only happens once, and it’s not possible to add additional cycles. I have seen opinions stating that for invisible impurities, 3 cycles must be used. Even though the clothes are washed for 1 hour 20 minutes, and I don’t see any impurity (as the impurity was invisible anyway prior to washing), are all clothes now deemed impure?
This has been happening for over 10 years, and I am now anxious whether past prayers need to be repeated, for me and my family, and if all clothes need to be rewashed.
More recently, I started washing impure clothes separately before they are washed with the pure clothes. Because the impurity is not visible, I cannot identify the exact afflicted area, so I hold the garment under a running tap, ensuring water reaches everywhere. I then squeeze out as much water as I reasonably can and repeat this 3 times. However, because I felt wetness both inside and outside the garment during the wet dream, I also turn the garment inside out and repeat the process again, making it 6 washes in total. Is this excessive? I also find it difficult to fully wring out the garment due to not being physically strong, so I am unsure whether the garment is properly purified as I’ve read that all water must be squeezed out. Also, the garments are still severely soaked when I place them in the machine with the other pure clothes, so am I spreading najasah water?
Another concern I have is that even if I take these precautions, other family members are not doing the same, and so they could be adding their impure clothes into the same wash.
Lastly, if it is acceptable for impure and pure clothes to be washed together in 1 cycle, does washing powder/detergent have to be used, or does water alone suffice? Also, can I stop doing my current method of washing impure clothes separately, as I am finding it exhausting and difficult to maintain?
I sincerely apologise for overloading so much detail, I hope it’s all clear.
Jazakum Allahu khayran
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Wa ‘alaykum al-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
Before delving into the answer to your query, it is fitting to mention how a conventional washing machine works.
Taken from coastappliances.ca, the following gives a summary as to how a washing machine operates:
“Washing machines work by agitating the fabric with water and detergent, which helps to remove dirt and stains. The agitation process is achieved by a combination of a spinning drum or tub and an agitator (a paddle or fin-like structure).
The tub is filled with clothes, water, and detergent. The agitator causes the fabric to move around in the water, helping to loosen dirt and stains. The motion of the agitator is powered by an electric motor, which is connected to a transmission that converts the energy into mechanical force.
This force is used to spin the tub, allowing the water and detergent to move through the clothes.
Once the cycle is complete, the water is drained from the tub, and the clothes are rinsed with fresh water. The machine then spins the clothes at high speeds to remove the excess water, and the clothing is ready to be dried.”- [See: https://www.coastappliances.ca/blogs/learn/how-does-washing-machine-work?srsltid=AfmBOoq1k0wDoG66EFYnyVRVZu5_2TFSHnuD7cRJ-Ln5uVKKR6v0WFDs]
Present-day washing machines typically adhere to the following steps:
Step 1. Wash cycle
Step 2. Load sensing
Step 3. Spin and agitation
Step 4. Drain and rinse cycle
Step 5. Drain and spin cycle
Washing machines clean clothes using either an agitator or an impeller. Both work by rubbing clothes together so to remove impurities such as dirt and stains by the end of the ‘drain and spin cycle’.
Regarding the opinions stating that for invisible impurities, 3 washing cycles must be used; we are not aware of them. Rather one wash cycle is sufficient as the process involves washing both the clean and unclean clothing and cleaning them all simultaneously through the usage of washing detergent and then draining all the used water—leaving the clothes pure upon completion.[1]
Given the above, there is no need for you to wash your impure clothes separately before they are washed with the pure clothes, and you should stop carrying out your current method.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Nuski Cassim
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
وإن كانت النجاسة مرئية كالدم ونحوه، فطهارتها زوال عينها، ولا عبرة فيه بالعدد؛ لأن النجاسة في العين فإن زالت العين زالت النجاسة، وإن بقيت بقيت، ولو زالت العين وبقي الأثر
[بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع، كتاب الطهارة، فصل في شرائط التطهير بالماء، ج. ١، صفحة ٨٨، دار الكتب العلمية]
والنجاسة تشمل على عين وأثر، فأجاز عليه الصلاة والسلام الصلاة مع وجود الأثر عند زوال عينها، لأن الأثر إنما يكون هو من بقية أجزائها، فدل ذلك على جواز الصلاة مع يسير النجاسة.
[شرح مختصر الطحاوي للجصاص، كتاب الطهارة، باب الاستطابة والحدث، ج. ١، صفحة ٣٥٩، دار البشائر الإسلامية]
يطهر البدن والثّوب بالماء وبمائعٍ مزيلٍ كالخلّ وماء الورد لا الدّهن
وعفي قدر الدّرهم كعرض الكفّ من نجسٍ مغلّظٍ كالدّم والخمر وخرء الدّجاج وبول ما لا يؤكل والرّوث والخثي
وما دون ربع الثّوب من مخفّفٍ كبول ما يؤكل والفرس وخرء طيرٍ لا يؤكل
[كنز الدقائق، كتاب الطهارة، صفحة ١٥٢، دار البشائر الإسلامية]
فإن كان لها عين مرئِية فطهارتها زوالها، ولا يضر بقاء أثر يَشُقُّ زواله
[الاختيار لتعليل المختار، كتاب الطهارة، ج. ١، صفحة ٣٥، دار الكتب العلمية]