If a person leaves the restroom and places his shoes at the door of the bathroom, then enters the room barefoot, knowing that the children cause impurity, does this have any effect?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : If a person leaves the restroom and places his shoes at the door of the bathroom, then enters the room barefoot, knowing that the children cause impurity, does this have any effect?
The Shaykh : This has no effect whatsoever. That is, the children walking on the floor or carpet does not necessitate their becoming impure, because doubt does not remove certainty. The certainty is that this floor or carpet is pure. So if a person doubts whether impurity has touched it or not,
then it is not impure, but rather it is pure by ruling. It is not befitting for a person to cast doubt into his heart in such matters, because if he casts doubt into his heart, this doubt may develop until it becomes an obsessive compulsion from which he is unable to free himself.
It is mentioned that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by the owner of a pool, and he and his companion drank from this pool. His companion asked the owner of the pool to clarify to him whether it was impure or pure. So 'Umar said to him: "O owner of the pool, do not inform us". This is the athar or its meaning.
This indicates that it is not befitting for a person to be overly strict in matters where the original ruling is permissibility or where the original state is purity. Rather, one remains on the original state until this original state is removed by certainty. This is attested to by the fact that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about a man who feels something in his belly and it is difficult for him to know whether something has come out of him or not. He said, may the prayers and peace be upon him:Sahih Muslim 362 This is an indication from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to build upon the original state, which is purity.
Accordingly, if there are sandals at the bathroom, and he enters with them, then performs wudu' and exits, then removes them and walks in his house, there is no harm in that for him, and his feet do not become impure by stepping on the floor that the boys step on.
And on this occasion, I say: Since most houses today are carpeted with carpets that are difficult to carry and wash, if impurity falls on these carpets, it should first be dried with a sponge by pressing the sponge over the place until it absorbs the impurity, then it is squeezed in another place in a container or elsewhere. Then, when it dries, water is poured over it three times; every time water is poured over it, it is rubbed with the hand, then dried. By this, it becomes pure.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : This has no effect whatsoever. That is, the children walking on the floor or carpet does not necessitate their becoming impure, because doubt does not remove certainty. The certainty is that this floor or carpet is pure. So if a person doubts whether impurity has touched it or not,
then it is not impure, but rather it is pure by ruling. It is not befitting for a person to cast doubt into his heart in such matters, because if he casts doubt into his heart, this doubt may develop until it becomes an obsessive compulsion from which he is unable to free himself.
It is mentioned that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by the owner of a pool, and he and his companion drank from this pool. His companion asked the owner of the pool to clarify to him whether it was impure or pure. So 'Umar said to him: "O owner of the pool, do not inform us". This is the athar or its meaning.
This indicates that it is not befitting for a person to be overly strict in matters where the original ruling is permissibility or where the original state is purity. Rather, one remains on the original state until this original state is removed by certainty. This is attested to by the fact that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about a man who feels something in his belly and it is difficult for him to know whether something has come out of him or not. He said, may the prayers and peace be upon him:
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: If any one of you has pain in his abdomen, but is doubtful whether or not anything has issued from him, be should not leave the mosque unless he hears a sound or perceives a smell.
لا يخرج - يعني من المسجد - حتى يسمع صوتا أو يجد ريحاAccordingly, if there are sandals at the bathroom, and he enters with them, then performs wudu' and exits, then removes them and walks in his house, there is no harm in that for him, and his feet do not become impure by stepping on the floor that the boys step on.
And on this occasion, I say: Since most houses today are carpeted with carpets that are difficult to carry and wash, if impurity falls on these carpets, it should first be dried with a sponge by pressing the sponge over the place until it absorbs the impurity, then it is squeezed in another place in a container or elsewhere. Then, when it dries, water is poured over it three times; every time water is poured over it, it is rubbed with the hand, then dried. By this, it becomes pure.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.