Fatwa ID: 07741
Answered by: Mawlana Abdurrahman Mohammad
Question:
My question is, if impurity has dried up on a fitted carpet attached to the ground like the ones found in most Masājid, is it permissible to pray on it if there are no traces (color, smell, or taste) present now? Also, is this the case for other materials on the ground like tiles, etc.?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Praying on Impure Surfaces
One of the essential conditions of prayer is purity, which applies to the body, clothing, and place of prayer. If impurity falls onto a surface, even if it dries and loses its apparent effects, the surface remains contaminated. It is impermissible to pray on such an impure surface without proper purification.
Purifying Sun-Baked Earth
Impurities on natural, earthy surfaces like soil or dirt can be purified through drying.
(And if the ground is contaminated with impurity and dries in the sun) or something similar; it was said in Al-Jawharah: The restriction to the sun is not a condition, but if it dries in the shade, then the ruling is the same. End quote. (And its trace is gone) the trace: the colour, taste, and smell (then prayer is permissible in its place,) but (it is not permissible to perform tayammum from it).[1]
Purifying Smooth Non-Porous Surfaces
Smooth, non-porous surfaces that do not absorb impurity such as tiles, laminate, or polished hardwood can be purified by wiping the impurity away.
(And if impurity gets on a mirror or a sword, it is sufficient to wipe them) with something that removes its traces, and the same applies to everything heavy that has no pores, such as glass, bone, painted utensils, and nails, because impurity does not enter them. And what is on its surface is removed by wiping.[2]
Purifying All Other Surfaces
Porous and uneven surfaces are more challenging to purify as they absorb and retain impurities. These surfaces should be washed with water or a pure cleaning agent.
“It is permissible to purify impurities with water and any pure liquid that can remove them”[3]
Removing Visible Impurity
When impurities are visible, like blood or faeces, it is necessary to remove both the essence and traces of the impurity. Washing should continue over and over until the visible impurity disappears. If traces are difficult to remove, such as blood stains, one should wash until the impurity is removed, without being obligated to remove the stain entirely.
Its removal, if it [the impurity] is visible, is by removing its essence and its trace, if it is something whose trace disappears, and the number [of washings] is not considered in it. This is how it is in Al-Muhit. So if its essence disappears in one [washing], that is sufficient, even if it is not washed three times until it [the trace] disappears. This is what is stated in Al-Sirajiyya. If it is something whose trace cannot be removed except with difficulty, such that it requires something other than water to remove it, such as soap, then he is not required to remove it.[4]
Removing Invisible Impurity
For invisible impurities like urine, wash the affected area three times, squeezing firmly after each wash. Make sure the dripping stops each time you wring out the cloth, and apply extra pressure during the third wringing.
If it [the impurity] is not visible, one washes it three times. This is stated in Al-Muhit. Squeezing is a condition for each time of what is squeezed, and he should exaggerate the third time, so that if he squeezes after that, the water will not flow from it.[5]
Squeezing is Not Possible
If squeezing is not possible, such as with glued-down carpet, pour water over the surface three times, allowing it to dry after each wash until no water flows out.
That which is not squeezed is purified by washing it three times and drying it each time, because drying has an effect in extracting the impurity. The limit of drying is to leave it until the dripping stops, and [fully] drying is not a condition for it. This is how it is in Al-Tabyeen: if the impurity is absorbed a lot, and if it is not absorbed into it or is absorbed a little, it is purified by washing it three times.[6]
This method applies to invisible impurities. For visible impurities, keep on washing until the essence of the impurity and its traces are removed.
Wiping Impurity
If pouring water is challenging, one can soak a rag and scrub the impurity from the carpet.
And [impurity] whos trace appears, if it is dry and has a substance, it is purified by scraping and wiping with something that has visible wetness, such as a rag or something else, until its trace disappears along with its essence. And if it is dry and does not have a substance, such as urine or wine, then it is purified by wiping with what we have mentioned [wet cloth] and nothing else. And if it is wet and has a substance or not, then it is purified by wiping with a rag. Wet or not.[7]
Praying on Impure Rugs
When praying on rugs with impure spots, one may avoid the specific area of impurity and still perform their prayer.
If he prays on a rug and there is impurity on one side of it, as long as it is not in the place of his feet or in the place of his prostration, it does not prevent him from performing the prayer, whether the rug is large or small, such that if he moves one of its two ends, the other end moves, this is the preferred method.[8]
If one is uncertain about the location of the impurity, they may make an educated guess and pray where they believe to be pure. Ideally, it is best to pray in a different, assuredly clean spot.
If an impurity touches a rug and he does not know in which place it is, then it is permissible for him to investigate [make an educated guess] and pray in the place that his heart is assured is pure.[9]
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Mawlana Abdurrahman Mohammad
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
- (وإذا أصابت الأرض نجاسة فجفت بالشمس) أو نحوها؛ قال في الجوهرة: التقييد بالشمس ليس بشرط، بل لو جفت بالظل فالحكم كذلك. اهـ. (وذهب أثرها) الأثر: اللون والطعم والرائحة (جازت الصلاة على مكانها، و) لكن (لا يجوز التيمم منها) (Al-Lubāb Fi Sharh Al-Kitāb, vol. 1, pg. 51, Al-Maktabah Al-‘Ilmiyyah)
- (والنجاسة إذا أصابت المرآة أو السيف اكتفي بمسحهما) بما يزول به أثرها ومثلهما كل ثقيل لا مسام له؛ كزجاج وعظم وآنية مدهونة وظفر، لأنه لا يداخله النجاسة؛ وما على ظاهره يزول بالمسح. (Al-Lubāb Fi Sharh Al-Kitāb, vol. 1, pg. 51, Al-Maktabah Al-‘Ilmiyyah)
- مَا يَطْهُرُ بِهِ النَّجَسُ عَشْرَةٌ: (مِنْهَا) الْغُسْلُ يَجُوزُ تَطْهِيرُ النَّجَاسَةِ بِالْمَاءِ وَبِكُلِّ مَائِعٍ طَاهِرٍ يُمْكِنُ إزَالَتُهَا بِهِ كَالْخَلِّ وَمَاءِ الْوَرْدِ وَنَحْوِهِ مِمَّا إذَا عُصِرَ انْعَصَرَ. كَذَا فِي الْهِدَايَةِ. (Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 1, pg. 41, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah)
- وَإِزَالَتُهَا إنْ كَانَتْ مَرْئِيَّةً بِإِزَالَةِ عَيْنِهَا وَأَثَرِهَا إنْ كَانَتْ شَيْئًا يَزُولُ أَثَرُهُ وَلَا يُعْتَبَرُ فِيهِ الْعَدَدُ (Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 1, pg. 41, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah)
- وَإِنْ كَانَتْ غَيْرَ مَرْئِيَّةٍ يَغْسِلُهَا ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ. كَذَا فِي الْمُحِيطِ وَيُشْتَرَطُ الْعَصْرُ فِي كُلِّ مَرَّةٍ فِيمَا يَنْعَصِرُ وَيُبَالِغُ فِي الْمَرَّةِ الثَّالِثَةِ حَتَّى لَوْ عَصَرَ بَعْدَهُ لَا يَسِيلُ مِنْهُ الْمَاءُ (Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 1, pg. 42, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyya)
- وَمَا لَا يَنْعَصِرُ يَطْهُرُ بِالْغَسْلِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ وَالتَّجْفِيفُ فِي كُلِّ مَرَّةٍ؛ لِأَنَّ لِلتَّجْفِيفِ أَثَرًا فِي اسْتِخْرَاجِ النَّجَاسَةِ وَحَدُّ التَّجْفِيفِ أَنْ يُخَلِّيَهُ حَتَّى يَنْقَطِعَ التَّقَاطُرُ وَلَا يُشْتَرَطُ فِيهِ الْيُبْسُ. هَكَذَا فِي التَّبْيِينِ هَذَا إذَا تَشَرَّبَتْ النَّجَاسَةُ كَثِيرًا وَإِنْ لَمْ تَتَشَرَّبْ فِيهِ أَوْ تَشَرَّبَتْ قَلِيلًا يَطْهُرُ بِالْغَسْلِ ثَلَاثًا. هَكَذَا فِي مُحِيطِ السَّرَخْسِيِّ. (Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 1, pg. 42, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyya)
- وَاَلَّذِي يَظْهَرُ أَنَّهَا لَوْ يَابِسَةً ذَاتَ جِرْمٍ تَطْهُرُ بِالْحَتِّ وَالْمَسْحِ بِمَا فِيهِ بَلَلٌ ظَاهِرٌ مِنْ خِرْقَةٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهَا حَتَّى يَذْهَبَ أَثَرُهَا مَعَ عَيْنِهَا، وَلَوْ يَابِسَةً لَيْسَتْ بِذَاتِ جِرْمٍ كَالْبَوْلِ وَالْخَمْرِ فَبِالْمَسْحِ بِمَا ذَكَرْنَاهُ لَا غَيْرُ، وَلَوْ رَطْبَةً ذَاتَ جِرْمٍ أَوْ لَا فَبِالْمَسْحِ بِخِرْقَةٍ مُبْتَلَّةٍ أَوْ لَا (Radd Al-Muhtār, vol. 1, pg. 310, Darul Fikr Beirut)
- وَلَوْ صَلَّى عَلَى بِسَاطٍ وَفِي نَاحِيَةٍ مِنْهُ نَجَاسَةٌ إنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِي مَوْضِعِ قَدَمَيْهِ وَلَا فِي مَوْضِعِ سُجُودِهِ لَا تَمْنَعُ أَدَاءَ الصَّلَاةِ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ الْبِسَاطُ كَبِيرًا أَوْ صَغِيرًا بِحَيْثُ لَوْ حَرَّكَ أَحَدَ طَرَفَيْهِ يَتَحَرَّكُ الطَّرَفُ الْآخَرُ هُوَ الْمُخْتَارُ (Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 1, pg. 62, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah)
- إذَا أَصَابَتْهُ نَجَاسَةٌ وَلَا يَدْرِي فِي أَيِّ مَوْضِعٍ هِيَ فَإِنَّهُ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَتَحَرَّى فَيُصَلِّيَ فِي الْمَوْضِعِ الَّذِي يَطْمَئِنُّ قَلْبُهُ أَنَّهُ طَاهِرٌ (Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 1, pg. 62, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah)
