Question (Q-18):
A child urinates on a Masjid carpet and remains seated there for ten to fifteen minutes after which he is sent home. The Masjid hall is quite spacious and the carpet consists of a few layers that have been joint together. We have a few questions in this regard;
1. What is the ruling in relation to the purification of the carpet? Will the entire carpet have to be washed or just the affected area?
2. If the carpet was not washed instantly, what would be the ruling in relation to Salāh performed on the unaffected area of the carpet?
3. What is the ruling in relation to performance of Salāh on the affected area after it has dried?
4. There is a possibility of urine dripping onto the area of the carpet where the child walked whilst leaving the Masjid hall. Would the entire carpet of the Masjid hall need to be purified based on this suspicion?
Answer:
1. The urine of a child is impure regardless of his age. It is only necessary to purify that area of the carpet upon which the urine dropped as the area upon which impurity falls or to where it reaches is the area which becomes impure.
It is stated in Bahār e Sharī’at, “If any part of a cloth becomes impure and you do not remember which part of the cloth it is which became impure then it is better to wash it all. This is the case if you completely forget which part of the cloth was impure. However if you remember which part of the cloth became impure – for example, you remember that it was the sleeve but do not remember which part of the sleeve it was, then one will wash the whole sleeve – washing the sleeve will be equivalent to washing the entire shirt”. (Bahār-e-Shariat, Volume 2, page 54)
Therefore, it is only necessary to wash the impure part of the carpet. This is because the impurity is invisible. It is therefore necessary to wash it three times and to dry after each time so that drops no longer drip from the carpet. The carpet will thus become pure even if a machine is used to wash the carpet.
It is stated in Al Fatāwā Ar Ridhwiyyah;
“Where wringing out is a condition for purification but not possible (for example, when washing a clay pot) or it is very difficult (for example, when washing a heavy carpet), then dripping coming to an end or the area becoming dry will be classed to be the same as wringing out”. (Al Fatāwa Ar Ridhwiyyah, Volume 4, page 560)
It is stated in Al Fatāwā Al Hindiyyah (Volume 1, Page 47):
و ما لا ينعصر يطهر بالغسل ثلاث مرات والتجفيف في کل مرة لأن للتجفيف اثراً في استخراج النجاسة و حد التجفيف أن يخليه حتي ينقطع التقاطر ولا يشترط فيه اليبس هکذا في التبيين
“And whatever cannot be wringed out will be purified by washing thrice and drying after each wash. This is because drying is effective in extracting the impurity. The definition of drying is to leave the object until the dripping ceases. It is not a condition that it become dry (so long as the dripping ceases).”
It is stated in Radd-ul-Muhtār (Volume 1, page 221):
حد التجفيف أن يصير بحال لا تبتل منه اليد و لا يشترط صيرورته يابساً جداً
“And the definition of drying is that the object enters into such a state that one’s hands do not become wet by touching it – it is not a condition that it become very dry.”
2. If the area of the carpet stained by urine was not washed instantly and people prayed Salāh on pure parts of the carpet then their Salāh is undoubtedly valid.
3. If the area that is stained by urine becomes dry and the effect of the urine disappears then it is permissible to pray Salāh on it if the carpet is attached very closely to the ground or there is such carpeting which renders the carpet to be equivalent to the ground.
It is stated in Al Fatāwā Al Hindiyyah (Volume 1, Page 49):
الارض تطهر باليبس و ذهاب الأثر للصلاة لا للتيمم هکذا في الکافي ولا فرق بين الجفاف بالشمس والنار والريح والظل کذا في البحر الرائق و يشارک الارض في حکمها کل ما کان ثابتا فيها کالحيطان إلي أن قال الاٰجرة إذا کانت مفروشة فحکمها حکم الارض تطهر بالجفاف
“The land becomes pure for the performance of Salāh through drying and the disappearance of the effect. However it does not become pure for Tayammum (dry ablution). This is what is stated in Al Kāfī. There is no difference between drying through sunshine, through heating, through wind and through shade. This is what is stated in Al Bahr Ar Rāiq. And whatever is firmly established on the land shares the same ruling as the land like the walls…If the bricks are carpeted then their ruling is the same as land – they will become pure through drying.”
However it is more precautious to wash the impure area of the carpet and purify it before praying Salāh on it.
4. A thing cannot be considered impure based on doubt, because everything is originally pure:
“واليقين لا يزول بالشک”.
“Certainty cannot be overridden by doubt.”
It is stated in Al Fatāwā Ar Ridhwiyyah that it is forbidden to allow doubts to increase.
Therefore, it is not necessary to wash the area of the carpet the child walked on as he exited the Masjid hall based upon mere doubt. This is especially so when we bear in mind that the child remained seated for about ten to fifteen minutes after urinating and then stood up to leave as is mentioned in the question.
Allah تعالى knows best and His Knowledge is Most Complete and Most Sublime.
Written by Muftī Shamsulhudā Khān Misbāhī (Allah preserve him)
