Praying on Impure Mats

CategoriesSalaah [976]

Fatwa ID: 07876

 

 

Answered by: Maulana Abdurrahman Mohammad

 

Question:

 

Can I pray on my prayer mat at home which has a drop of blood on it? Because I have diabetes and need to check my blood sugar, sometimes I touch my prayer mat with a drop of blood after a test. Also, I wouldn’t know where I touched it because my prayer mat is navy-dark.

 

 

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

 

 

Answer:

 

Purity is a Condition of Prayer

 

Prayer in Islam has specific conditions that must be fulfilled for it to be valid. Among these is the condition of purity, which applies to three areas: purity of the body, purity of the clothes, and purity of the place of prayer.

 

And they are seven according to us: purification from ritual impurities, purification from impurities, covering the private parts, facing the Qiblah, time, intention, and tahrīm. This is in al-Zahidi, and it contains four chapters: (The first chapter is on purification and covering the private parts) Purifying the impurity from the body of the person praying, his clothes, and the place where he prays is necessary (Waajib)[1]

 

Praying on Impure Surfaces

 

The place of prayer must be pure before starting the prayer, otherwise the prayer will not be valid. If a person knowingly prays on an impure surface, the prayer is invalid.

 

If he began the prayer in an impure place and then moved to a clean place, he would not be considered to have begun the prayer.[2]

 

However, if the impurity is on a specific area of the mat and the person avoids that area during prayer, the prayer would be valid.

 

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.[3]

 

Uncertainty Regarding the Impurity’s Location

 

It can sometimes be challenging to identify the exact location of an impurity on a mat, especially due to its material or color. In such cases, if the specific spot of impurity is unclear, one may rely on an educated guess and pray in the area they reasonably believe to be clean.

 

If an impurity touches a rug and he does not know in which place it is, then it is permissible for him to investigate and pray in the place that his heart is assured is pure.[4]

 

Advice and Practical Guidance

 

  1. Handling the Blood on the Mat: If the blood dries on your finger and there are no visible traces of impurity on the mat, you may assume it is clean. Dried blood that does not leave a visible mark is generally considered non-transferable. Wet impurities on the other hand can transfer more easily. It is advisable to wash the prayer mat periodically and avoid touching the mat with blood on your finger.
  2. Minimizing Doubt: To avoid doubts, consider testing your blood sugar after prayer or on a separate surface away from the prayer mat. Alternatively, use a small washable mat or a separate cloth or towel for testing to protect the prayer mat.
  3. Impact on Wudu: Testing blood sugar involves the flow of blood, which nullifies wudu. It is recommended to perform wudu after testing when the blood stops or to schedule your testing after prayer to avoid complications.
  4. Preventing Impurities: Consider covering the testing place on your finger with a bandage after poking it to minimize blood contact with surfaces and items. This is particularly helpful given that diabetic wounds may bleed for extended periods or take longer to heal.

 

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Abdurrahman Mohammad

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

 

References:

 

[1] وَهِيَ عِنْدَنَا سَبْعَةٌ: الطَّهَارَةُ مِنْ الْأَحْدَاثِ، وَالطَّهَارَةُ مِنْ الْأَنْجَاسِ، وَسَتْرُ الْعَوْرَةِ وَاسْتِقْبَالُ الْقِبْلَةِ وَالْوَقْتُ وَالنِّيَّةُ وَالتَّحْرِيمَةُ. كَذَا فِي الزَّاهِدِيِّ وَفِيهِ فُصُولٌ أَرْبَعَةٌ: (الْفَصْلُ الْأَوَّلُ فِي الطَّهَارَةِ وَسَتْرِ الْعَوْرَةِ) تَطْهِيرُ النَّجَاسَةِ مِنْ بَدَنِ الْمُصَلِّي وَثَوْبِهِ وَالْمَكَانِ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ وَاجِبٌ

(Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 1, pg. 58, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah)

 

[2] وَلَوْ افْتَتَحَ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى مَكَانٍ نَجِسٍ ثُمَّ انْتَقَلَ إلَى مَكَانٍ طَاهِرٍ لَا يَصِيرُ شَارِعًا فِي الصَّلَاةِ.

(Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 1, pg. 62, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah)

 

[3] 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)

 

[4] الْبِسَاطُ 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)

 

 

 

 

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