Excusable Filth in the Four Madhhabs

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Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat answers a series of questions about the excusable amount of filth according to the four madhhabs.

Question:

Assalam alaykum wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh.

I have a big problem. I suffer from OCD. It’s driving me crazy. I need to know how much filth (najasa) is excusable. I know what the four Madhhabs say about excusable amounts of filth for prayer, but I don’t know which is the best and correct position.

Sometimes when urinating I feel a tiny drop on my foot or when I’m washing myself I feel used water drop on my feet but when I check my feet, I don’t see anything. The Shafi‘is say that tiny drops we cannot see are excused and they think its true.

Please tell me which madhhab’s position is true and please explain why? And please tell me if the water of istinja is impure? (Water flows while I’m washing myself.) It doesn’t seem so to me, because there is more water than urine, so the color and smell doesn’t change.

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh.

I pray you are well.

The Four Schools of Law

All of the four schools of law are correct, because they are based on sound understandings of the the greatest scholars of the Umma. These scholars had the highest levels of knowledge, understanding, and ability. They did not make rulings up; rather they interpreted the Qurʾan and the Sunna to give the the rulings of the Shariʿa.

So if they are all valid, and all their rulings are correct, which one should you choose to follow? The answer is, the easier one for you, and the one which you can easily learn and apply.

I personally feel that the Hanafi school is very easy to learn; and there is a lot of flexibility in the rulings relating to purity. I think the Shafi‘i is slightly harder in this matter. See which school you can easily learn with local scholars or with a course at SeekersGuidance, and apply it.

Purity

As for the water for istinja, you cannot tell if it is actually impure. Also the fact that it is flowing means it is pure as long as the colour, smell or taste of impurity do not show. You can assume the drops are pure. Even small drops of urine in situations like this are excused (Maydani, al-Lubab fi Sharh al-Kitab; Shurubnulali, Maraqi al-Falah).

I advise you to learn a school with a qualified scholar, and have your questions on purity answered. Also, please look at our OCD archives and get some therapy if you need it to get over the issue.

May Allah facilitate every good for you in this world and the next.

Abdul-Rahim

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

Excused Liquid Filth and Ignoring Baseless Doubts About Purity

How to Deal With Waswas During Istinja?

How to Avoid Waswasa of Dripping Urine After Using the Restroom

How to Handle Constant Waswasa in Acts of Purification and Worship

Can I Get Married Through a Video Call? (Hanbali)

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Answered by Shaykh Sulayman Van Ael

Question: Assalam alaykum,

I have met a girl online and she embraced Islam through me.

We married online on a video call with a proposal and acceptance and we have fixed a dowry.

Are we really married?

Answer: Dear questioner about online marriage

Conditions

There are some conditions that have to be present if one speaks about an Islamic marriage:

1. A mahram

2. Rida and qabul (that both parties agree)

3. Mahr (dowry)

4. Witness

5. Making the marriage known

Not valid

It seems to me that the way you did it is not sufficiently right to call this a marriage.

What you should do

You should look for an Islamic center in your neighbourhood and ask them if they want to marry you and look for a man (imam/khateeb/scholar) that wants to fulfill the role of a (mahram). People should witness this and the marriage should be made public and the mahr should be given. And I advice you to register your marriage at the local authorities as this is a form of protection these days against evil minds and people that do not want to take their responsibilities. (Advice from Sh. az-Zuhaylee)

EXTRA

Parents of a new muslima and marriage

One of the mistakes a lot of people make is not to involve the parents of a new muslima. They do not take them into consideration. It is true that there is no wilaya, but it is false to think that one should not talk to the parents and involve them in the marriage. They are the parents of that particular lady. So it is the source of wisdom to talk to them and to get to know them.

Wassalam
[Shaykh] Sulayman Van Ael

Shaykh Sulayman Van Ael received ijazah from various luminaries in the ten Qur’anic readings, in Ihya Ulum al-Din, in the major books of hadith, in different texts in Guelph classical Islamic sciences–including grammar, tafsir, fiqh, and usul.

Do I Have to Make up Missed Prayers During a Travel? (Hanbali)

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Answered by Shaykh Sulayman Van Ael

Question: Assalam alaykum,

While travelling, sometimes it is impossible to offer even the shortened prayers due to the impossibility to perform wudu. Do I still have to make these prayers up?

Answer: Dear questioner about making up prayers,

YOU HAVE TO MAKE WUDU

Before answering your question I have to point out that the absence of water or being unable to perform wudu is not a reason not to perform prayer. If there is water, wudu is obligatory. If it is difficult, then one can just perform the obligatory actions of the wudu, and wash the limbs only once. If one is not able to perform ablution because of a valid reason then he or she prays after doing tayammum.

MAKING UP PRAYERS

You have to make up the prayers you have missed. Without regards being still on your journey or after the journey you will perform all of them – apart from Fajr and Maghreb – four raka’at, and should never miss them again and ask Allah swt to forgive you, as this is one of the major sins.

NOT BEING ABLE TO PERFORM ABLUTION AFTER MENSTRUATION

If a woman stops menstruating and she is not able to perform wudu because of a valid reason then she should clean her intimate parts in the best of ways, remove the traces of blood and perform tayammum and pray if she fears that the prayer-time will pass.

I ask Allah to make us of those who preserve and establish their prayers, amin.

Wassalam
[Shaykh] Sulayman Van Ael

Shaykh Sulayman Van Ael received ijazah from various luminaries in the ten Qoranic readings, in Ihya ulum ad din, in several books of hadeeth, in Matn abi Shuja’, in several books of Shaykh Abu Ghudda and in many different basic texts in grammar, fundamentals of fiqh, tajweed and other islamic sciences.