Fatwa ID: 07668

Answered by: Alimah Saniyah bint Asrar

Question: 

I have been afflicted with OCD and need your guidance to curb those doubts.

I was washing some najis clothes. It was not anything visible. No signs of najasat were seen on that cloth. While washing, when I was squeezing it, very small drops fell on the bathroom rug. The rug is dark in color and I can’t see where that drop fell. So I don’t know how to locate it to wash it or if it’s najis in the first place. Many ulema say these splashes are not najis if no sign of najasat are seen. But if najasat itself was colourless then what’s the ruling on those splashes?

My second concern is if I leave that bathroom rug as it is without washing and then someone steps on it with wet feet, will their feet also get impure? then if they transfer the impurity with them on their slippers and then they do wudu wearing those slippers, does that make the prayer mat also impure? 

Now many ulema regard this as a small drop. Even if it was najis, it’s so small that it’s excused. But I fear if this process of cross contamination keeps on repeating then that impurity will be on so many different places that it will be more than that excused amount. 

Now one can say just change the rug and move on. But for someone like me who is suffering from OCD, I can’t keep changing rugs every time I am washing something impure in my wash basin. And at the same time after taking all the precautions, I feel like I left something impure 

Please guide me. I get anxious thinking about all this.

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

Answer:

As long as there are no visible signs of impurity or unpleasant smells, you can assume that the rug is pure. There is no need to change it. Even if a small amount of impurity did come into contact with the rug, it would be excused due to its minimal quantity. Furthermore, the amount that might transfer with each step will decrease, so it will always remain within the realm of what is excusable.

It’s important not to overthink this issue, as it can lead to unnecessary mental stress. Focus on what you can tangibly see or smell, and remember that the default ruling in such cases is that something is pure unless you have clear evidence to prove otherwise. If you find yourself becoming anxious, try to remind yourself of this principle and the importance of not allowing doubt to interfere with your peace of mind. 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Saniyah bint Asrar

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح ١/‏١٥٨

«ولو ابتل فراش أو تراب نجسا» وكان ابتلالهما «من عرق نائم» عليهما «أو» كان من «بلل قدم وظهر أثر النجاسة» وهو طعم أو لون أو ريح «في البدن والقدم تنجسا» لوجودها بالأثر «وإلا» أي وإن لم يظهر أثرها فيهما «فلا» ينجسان

درر الحكام شرح غرر الأحكام ١/‏٤٧ 

وَلَوْ ابْتَلَّ فِرَاشٌ أَوْ تُرَابٌ نَجِسَانِ مِنْ عَرَقِ نَائِمٍ أَوْ بَلَلِ قَدَمٍ وَظَهَرَ أَثَرُهَا فِي الْبَدَنِ، وَالْقَدَمِ تَنَجُّسًا وَإِلَّا لَا كَثَوْبٍ طَاهِرٍ تَنَدَّى مِنْ لَفِّهِ فِي ثَوْبٍ نَجِسٍ رَطْبٍ لَا يَنْعَصِرُ الثَّوْبُ النَّجِسُ لَوْ عُصِرَ لِعَدَمِ انْفِصَالِ شَيْءٍ مِنْ جِرْمِهَا إلَيْهِ حِينَئِذٍ.