Fatwa ID: 08756

 

 

Answered by Alimah Aisha Qureshi

 

Question:

 

My washing machine has a leak. If I was washing impure clothes, will the water that drips down and out of the washing machine be considered impure even if no apparent change is seen in such water?

 

If it is considered impure what should I do, as this has been the case for a while and so the impurities would have spread throughout the house

 

 

 

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

 

 

Answer:

 

In Islamic law, cleanliness (taharah) is a foundation aspect of worship, particularly for prayer (Salah).

 

 

Water used to clean impurities only becomes Najis (impure) if it meets najasah (filth), and Its colour, smell, or taste changes due to that impurity. Therefore, if the leaking water from your washing machine did not change in colour, smell, or taste, it remains pure, even if impure clothes were being washed inside.

 

 

When impure clothes are washed in a machine, the water goes through rinses and spin cycles, visible impurities are removed early in the wash. The final rinse water, in most cases, does not retain any impurity in a way that would visibly affect its properties.

 

 

Therefore, unless you observe a clear sign of impurity (e.g., blood, odour, or colour), the water that drips down should be assumed pure, not Najis.

 

 

Water leaking from a washing machine even while washing impure clothes remains pure unless its smell, colour, or taste changes due to the impurity. If the leaked water shows no such change, it is not Najis, and your home should not be considered impure. Doubt alone is not sufficient to declare impurity, and past prayers and cleanliness are valid unless you have clear evidence. we should avoid falling into unnecessary doubt or hardship.

 

 

 

 

References:

 

وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ

Surah al-Ḥajj, verse 78

 

اليقين لا يزول بالشك

Qawaid al Fiqhiya  Pg 15

 

الماء طهور لا ينجسه شيء إلا ما غير طعمه أو لونه أو ريحه» .

Al Binaya Sharh al Bidayah Vol 1 Pg 353 Maktaba Shamila

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Aisha Qureshi

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham