If a woman steps on a wet carpet that has been washed from impurity with her foot, does the foot become impure, and what is the action if the impurity is left until it dries and its location becomes unclear?
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The questioner : The second paragraph says: If I stepped with my feet on it while it was wet with the water it was washed with, would my feet have become impure by this urine? And what is the action if the impurity is left until its location dries and becomes unclear to us?
The Shaykh : Yes, if you step with your wet foot on this place that has been purified, it has no effect because the place has become pure. As for leaving this place until it dries and then becoming unclear, this is not permissible. If it happens and the matter becomes unclear, it is obligatory to investigate as much as possible, then wash the place that is suspected to be the one that was affected by the impurity. I said that it is not permissible to delay washing the impure thing because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was among his ways to hasten in removing impurity. A child was brought to him and placed in his lap, and he urinated on him (peace and blessings be upon him). So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) called for water and sprinkled it on him and did not delay washing it. And when the Bedouin urinated in a part of the mosque, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered a bucket of water to be poured on it immediately. So it is known from this that the way of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is to hasten in removing impurity. This is for two reasons: First, hastening to remove filth and harm, for harm and filth are not befitting for the believer; the believer is pure, and it should be that everything he wears is pure.
Second, if he hastens to wash it, the outcome is safer, because he might forget if he delays washing it immediately. In that case, he might pray with impurity, or he might get contaminated, or the impurity might spread to a larger place. I say he might pray with impurity, and this does not mean that if he prays with impurity while forgetting, his prayer is invalid. The stronger opinion is that if he prays with impurity while forgetting or not knowing, his prayer is valid. This is like if impurity affects his garment and he is negligent in washing it, meaning he does not hasten to wash it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Then he prays while forgetting to wash it, his prayer is valid due to the saying of the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:286] Likewise, if he was unaware of it and did not know about it until after he prayed, his prayer is valid due to the previous verse. This is unlike a man who prays while in a state of ritual impurity while forgetting or not knowing; it is obligatory for him to repeat the prayer. For example, if his ablution is broken and then the prayer time arrives, and he prays while forgetting that his ablution was broken, then he remembers afterwards, it is obligatory for him to repeat the prayer after performing ablution.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Likewise, if he is invited to a wedding feast and eats meat without knowing what it is, and prays, then it becomes clear to him after his prayer that it is camel meat, it is obligatory for him to perform ablution and repeat the prayer, even if he was unaware when he ate it that it was camel meat. The difference between this and the first case, meaning the difference between the one who prays in a state of ritual impurity while forgetting or not knowing, for whom it is obligatory to repeat the prayer, and the one who prays with impurity while forgetting or not knowing, for whom it is not obligatory to repeat the prayer, is that in the issue of ritual impurity, he left what was commanded. Leaving what is commanded while forgetting or not knowing drops the sin for leaving it, but it does not drop the repetition of the prayer or the worship in a correct manner.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because that can be remedied. As for the one who prays with an impure garment while forgetting or not knowing, this is from the category of doing what is prohibited. Doing what is prohibited while forgetting or not knowing drops the sin due to his ignorance and forgetfulness. And when the sin is dropped, it is as if he did not do a forbidden thing because his sin was dropped due to ignorance and forgetfulness. And in that case, the prayer is as if this forbidden thing was not done in it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, if you step with your wet foot on this place that has been purified, it has no effect because the place has become pure. As for leaving this place until it dries and then becoming unclear, this is not permissible. If it happens and the matter becomes unclear, it is obligatory to investigate as much as possible, then wash the place that is suspected to be the one that was affected by the impurity. I said that it is not permissible to delay washing the impure thing because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was among his ways to hasten in removing impurity. A child was brought to him and placed in his lap, and he urinated on him (peace and blessings be upon him). So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) called for water and sprinkled it on him and did not delay washing it. And when the Bedouin urinated in a part of the mosque, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered a bucket of water to be poured on it immediately. So it is known from this that the way of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is to hasten in removing impurity. This is for two reasons: First, hastening to remove filth and harm, for harm and filth are not befitting for the believer; the believer is pure, and it should be that everything he wears is pure.
Second, if he hastens to wash it, the outcome is safer, because he might forget if he delays washing it immediately. In that case, he might pray with impurity, or he might get contaminated, or the impurity might spread to a larger place. I say he might pray with impurity, and this does not mean that if he prays with impurity while forgetting, his prayer is invalid. The stronger opinion is that if he prays with impurity while forgetting or not knowing, his prayer is valid. This is like if impurity affects his garment and he is negligent in washing it, meaning he does not hasten to wash it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Then he prays while forgetting to wash it, his prayer is valid due to the saying of the Exalted:
Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred.
ربنا لا تؤاخذنا إن نسينا أو أخطأناThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Likewise, if he is invited to a wedding feast and eats meat without knowing what it is, and prays, then it becomes clear to him after his prayer that it is camel meat, it is obligatory for him to perform ablution and repeat the prayer, even if he was unaware when he ate it that it was camel meat. The difference between this and the first case, meaning the difference between the one who prays in a state of ritual impurity while forgetting or not knowing, for whom it is obligatory to repeat the prayer, and the one who prays with impurity while forgetting or not knowing, for whom it is not obligatory to repeat the prayer, is that in the issue of ritual impurity, he left what was commanded. Leaving what is commanded while forgetting or not knowing drops the sin for leaving it, but it does not drop the repetition of the prayer or the worship in a correct manner.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because that can be remedied. As for the one who prays with an impure garment while forgetting or not knowing, this is from the category of doing what is prohibited. Doing what is prohibited while forgetting or not knowing drops the sin due to his ignorance and forgetfulness. And when the sin is dropped, it is as if he did not do a forbidden thing because his sin was dropped due to ignorance and forgetfulness. And in that case, the prayer is as if this forbidden thing was not done in it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.