The Ruling on Praying in Impure Clothes (If Due to Ignorance or Forgetfulness)
Question:
If a person prays in impure clothes out of ignorance or forgetfulness, what is the ruling on his prayer?
Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
If a person performs prayer in impure clothes and afterwards comes to know that his clothes were impure, or after the prayer he remembers that he was in impure clothes, then in such a case his prayer is considered valid and there is no need to repeat the prayer. The reason is that he committed this prohibited act out of ignorance or forgetfulness.
Evidence from the Noble Quran:
﴿رَبَّنا لا تُؤاخِذنا إِن نَسينا أَو أَخطَأنا﴾
“Our Lord! Do not hold us accountable if we forget or make a mistake.”
When the servant makes this supplication, Allah the Exalted says:
﴿قَدْ فَعَلْتُ﴾
“I have done so.”
The Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once prayed with impure sandals. During the prayer, Jibril (peace be upon him) came and informed him about this. The Prophet ﷺ removed his sandals during the prayer itself, but did not restart the prayer.
This hadith is evidence that:
◈ If someone learns of impurity during the prayer, he should remove it.
◈ The prayer can be continued provided that after removing the impurity, it is possible to cover the awrah (private parts and so on).
◈ If a person forgets the impurity and remembers it during the prayer, he should remove the impure clothes, provided the awrah remains covered.
◈ If the prayer is completed and the impurity is remembered or known afterwards, there is also no need to repeat the prayer.
Forgetfulness in the State of Wudu or Ghusl:
If a person forgets and prays without wudu, for example:
◈ His wudu had broken, and he forgot to perform wudu.
◈ After praying, he remembers that he had not performed wudu.
Then it is obligatory upon him to perform wudu and pray again.
Similarly, if a person is junub (i.e., one upon whom ghusl is obligatory), and:
◈ He does not know that he is junub, for example, he had a wet dream at night.
◈ He offered the Fajr prayer without ghusl.
◈ During the day he sees a mark of semen on his clothes.
Then he must perform ghusl and pray that prayer again.
Clarification:
Here there are two different categories of issues:
➊ Praying in impure clothes
◈ It relates to “leaving a prohibited act” (i.e., abandoning something that is forbidden).
◈ If he was unable to remove the impurity due to ignorance or forgetfulness, the prayer is still considered valid.
◈ Because removing impurity is a negative command (i.e., removing something).
➋ Praying without wudu or ghusl
◈ It relates to “an enjoined act” (i.e., performing an action that has been commanded).
◈ Performing wudu or ghusl is a positive command; that is, carrying it out is a condition for the act of worship.
◈ If this has not been done, the prayer is not valid, and it is necessary to repeat it.
ھٰذا ما عندی واللہ أعلم بالصواب
