A woman afflicted with obsessive doubts regarding purity and prayer: if a child urinates on the carpet, how can it be purified, given that this carpet cannot be moved, and how much water is sufficient to purify it?
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The questioner : She says that she is afflicted with obsessive doubts regarding purity and ritual impurity in prayer. As for purity, she says, "I am very strict about washing everything that falls or washing everything that urine falls on, because I am the mother of three children, and I am constantly or frequently exposed to impurity, as they urinate on the carpet and on their clothes, or when I wash their impure clothes, drops of water fall on my clothes. I have become unable to bear impurity and am greatly distressed when I see one of my children has urinated on something or in their clothes. I have become suspicious of everything the children touch, such as door handles, tables, carpets, their clothes, and the like. So I say, I hope you will find a solution for these obsessive doubts, because I have reached a point where I have become reluctant to perform the prayers and I calculate them a thousand times over. If the child urinates on the carpet, how can it be purified? I mean the carpet that is laid in the rooms and cannot be moved, and how much water is sufficient to purify it? And if I step on the carpet with my foot while it is wet with the water used to wash it, does my foot become impure? And what is the action if I leave the impurity until it dries in its place and we become uncertain about it? And in truth, she has many questions remaining regarding impurity. Should we mention them point by point, or do we continue?"
The Shaykh : ... No, point by point.
The questioner : Yes, so these are two points. The first is: if the boy urinates on a carpet that cannot be removed, like the large carpets that are in the rooms and chambers, how can it be purified? And how much water is sufficient to purify it?
The Shaykh : Yes, before answering these two subsidiary issues.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : We answer regarding the root of the disease. The root of the disease is obsessive doubts. This is what Satan casts into the heart of the son of Adam. And Satan, as Allah Mighty and Majestic said,[Fatir 35:6] and he is eager for everything that disturbs the human being and prevents him from happiness in this world and the Hereafter, as Allah Mighty and Majestic said, [Al-Mujadila 58:10] So Satan is eager for the corruption of the son of Adam and to corrupt his religion and his worldly life. And these obsessive doubts that befall some of the sons of Adam, whether they are doubts in creed, or related to the Lord, Exalted and Majestic is He, or related to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), or related to Islam in general, or in a matter of the religion such as prayer, ablution, purity, and the like, the cure for all of that is what Allah guided to and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) guided to. Allah the Exalted said, [Al-A'raf 7:200] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to a man who complained to him that Satan was preventing him from his prayer, that he should say when he feels it, [An-Nahl 16:98] And if he persists in leaving it and not turning to it, it will disappear by the power of Allah.
As for the two subsidiary issues.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : They are, first, if the boy urinates on a carpet that cannot be removed, like the large carpets that are in the rooms and chambers, then its purification is by pouring water on it. If water is poured on it and rubbed by hand, a sponge is brought to absorb this water, then other water is poured on it and done with it likewise, then a third time, and with this the place is purified.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If it is merely urine. But if it is something else that has substance, then the substance must be removed first, then purified. What is the second subsidiary issue?
The Shaykh : ... No, point by point.
The questioner : Yes, so these are two points. The first is: if the boy urinates on a carpet that cannot be removed, like the large carpets that are in the rooms and chambers, how can it be purified? And how much water is sufficient to purify it?
The Shaykh : Yes, before answering these two subsidiary issues.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : We answer regarding the root of the disease. The root of the disease is obsessive doubts. This is what Satan casts into the heart of the son of Adam. And Satan, as Allah Mighty and Majestic said,
Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze.
إن الشيطان لكم عدو فاتخذوه عدواً إنما يدعوا حزبه ليكونوا من أصحاب السعيرPrivate conversation is only from Satan that he may grieve those who have believed, but he will not harm them at all except by permission of Allah
إنما النجوى من الشيطان ليحزن الذين ءامنوا وليس بضارهم شيئا إلا بإذن اللهAnd if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah
وإما ينزغنك من الشيطان نزغ فاستعذ باللهseek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy].
أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيمAs for the two subsidiary issues.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : They are, first, if the boy urinates on a carpet that cannot be removed, like the large carpets that are in the rooms and chambers, then its purification is by pouring water on it. If water is poured on it and rubbed by hand, a sponge is brought to absorb this water, then other water is poured on it and done with it likewise, then a third time, and with this the place is purified.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If it is merely urine. But if it is something else that has substance, then the substance must be removed first, then purified. What is the second subsidiary issue?