Fatwa ID: 08452

Answered by: Alimah Maryam Badshah

Question:

On my floor/wall tiles in my dining room and washrooms, or kitchen, etc, some little brown spots look like the name of Allah SWT or Arabic letters, or like faces. how should I deal with this, is walking on the floor a sin?

I try to avoid it, I cannot get the tiles changed or cover them (as far as I know), as the covering would be removed, or potentially still disrespectful. I keep seeing the name of Allah SWT on the floor however sometimes I’m not sure if its my mind detecting patterns that aren’t there or if it actually is there.

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

Answer:

The phenomenon of seeing depictions of recognisable or meaningful words, patterns or faces where none exist is an optical illusion called pareidolia. Pareidolia is commonly experienced when looking at stone and marble-like material in particular due to its natural variations in colouring and formation.

After having a careful look at the images you have provided, there does not appear to be any legible depiction of the name of Allah or any Arabic words in these tiles. Whilst such findings have no significance in Islam, if you feel these tiles are causing you to feel uncomfortable it would be best to avoid spending too much time looking at them, or focus your attention on tiles you feel have no depictions.

References:

وَالْمُرَادُ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ أَوَّلَ مَا شَكَّ أَنَّ الشَّكَّ فِي مِثْلِهِ لَمْ يَصِرْ عَادَةً لَهُ؛ لَا أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَبْتَلَّ بِهِ قَطُّ، وَإِنْ كَانَ يَعْرِضُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ كَثِيرًا لَمْ يُلْتَفَتْ إلَيْهِ، لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ وَسْوَسَةٌ، وَالسَّبِيلُ فِي الْوَسْوَسَةِ قَطْعُهَا؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَوْ اشْتَغَلَ بِذَلِكَ لَأَدَّى إلَى أَنْ يَتَفَرَّعَ لِأَدَاءِ الصَّلَاةِ، وَهَذَا لَا يَجُوزُ.

…  وَلَا يَلْتَفِتُ إلَى ذَلِكَ؛ لِأَنَّهُ مِنْ بَابِ الْوَسْوَسَةِ فَيَجِبُ قَطْعُهَا

Badā’i’ Al-Ṣanā’i’ (Vol.1, pg.33, Dār Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmiyyah)

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham