✿ Conditions of Purity for the Validity of Salah
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
◈ Linguistic Explanation
The word "شروط" is the plural of "شرط", which literally means “to make something obligatory”.
[Al-Qāmūs al-Muḥīṭ, p. 605]
◈ Technical Definition
ما يلزم من عدمه عدم الحكم ولا يلزم من وجوده وجود المحكم
[Al-Iḥkām by Al-Amidi 12/1, Al-Muwāfaqāt by Al-Shāṭibī 187/1, Al-Baḥr al-Muḥīṭ by Al-Zarkashī 309/1]
❝That whose absence necessitates the absence of a ruling, but whose presence does not necessarily ensure the presence of the ruling.❞
(For example: Wudu for Salah — if wudu is absent, prayer is invalid, but if wudu is present, prayer may still be invalid due to other reasons.)
It is important to note that something cannot be declared a condition unless there is clear evidence that its absence leads to the invalidity of the act it is associated with.
[Al-Sayl al-Jarrār 157/1]
◈ Qur'anic and Hadith Evidences on Purity of Garments
➊ Divine Command:
وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرُ وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرُ
[Al-Muddaththir: 4–5]
❝And purify your garments, and shun impurity.❞
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Mu‘awiyah رضي الله عنه that he asked Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها:
وهل كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يـصـلـي فى الثوب الذى يجامع فيه؟
❝Did the Prophet ﷺ pray in the garment in which he had intercourse?❞
She replied:
نعم إذا لم يكن فيه أذى
❝Yes, if there was no impurity on it.❞
This clearly implies that had there been impurity on the garment, the Prophet ﷺ would not have prayed in it.
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 352, Kitāb al-Ṭahārah: Bāb al-Ṣalāh fī al-Thawb..., Abu Dāwūd 366, Nasa’i 155/1, Ibn Mājah 540, Aḥmad 325/6, Ibn Khuzaymah 776, Sharḥ al-Sunnah 523, Bayhaqī 410/2]
➌ It is narrated from Hazrat Jabir رضي الله عنه that he heard a man ask the Prophet ﷺ:
أصلي في الثوب الذي آتي فيه أهلي؟
❝Can I pray in the garment in which I had intercourse with my wife?❞
The Prophet ﷺ said:
ونعم، إلا أن ترى فيه شيئا فتغسله
❝Yes, unless you see something (impurity) on it, then wash it.❞
[Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājah 440, Kitāb al-Ṭahārah wa Sunanihā: Bāb al-Ṣalāh fī al-Thawb..., Ibn Mājah 542, Aḥmad 89/5, Abū Ya‘lā 7460, Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār 53/1. Hafiz Busiri declared its chain authentic in Zawā’id 215/1]
Ruling Derived
These evidences indicate that purity of garments is obligatory for the one offering Salah. If someone prays while impurity is present on their clothes, they are neglecting an obligation, but the prayer is still valid. It is not invalid, as it would be if it were a condition. This is supported by the narration in which the Prophet ﷺ prayed wearing shoes with impurity, and upon realizing it, he did not repeat the prayer.
[Nayl al-Awṭār 608/1, Al-Sayl al-Jarrār 158/1]
❀ Is Prayer Valid If One Was Unaware of Impurity?
There is a difference of opinion among jurists on this matter.
- Ahmad رحمه الله, Shafi‘i رحمه الله, Abu Hanifah رحمه الله: The prayer is invalid if one unknowingly prays in impure clothing.
- Malik رحمه الله: The prayer is valid if impurity was present unknowingly or due to forgetfulness.
[Al-Majmūʿ 163/3, Al-Mughnī 109/1, Kashshāf al-Qināʿ 22/1, Al-Muhadhdhab 59/1, Al-Sharḥ al-Ṣaghīr 64/1, Fatḥ al-Qadīr 179/1, Al-Durr al-Mukhtār 373/1, Mughni al-Muhtāj 188/1]
✔ Preferred Opinion (Rājih)
If a person completes their prayer and later finds impurity on their clothing or body, without prior knowledge, the prayer remains valid, and repeating it is not necessary.
[Tamām al-Minnah, p. 55]
◈ Evidence
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ removed his shoes during prayer. The companions followed him in doing so. When the prayer ended, the Prophet ﷺ asked:
الم خامتم نعالكم؟
❝Why did you remove your shoes?❞
They replied, “O Messenger of Allah! We saw you removing your shoes, so we did the same.”
He said that Jibril عليه السلام came and informed him that there was impurity on his shoes.
Then he instructed:
فإذا جاء أحدكم المسجد فليقلب نعليه ولينظر فيهما فإن رأى خبثا فليمسه بالأرض ثم ليصل فيهما
❝When one of you comes to the mosque, let him turn his shoes and look inside. If he sees any impurity, let him rub it on the ground and then pray in them.❞
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 605, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Ṣalāh fī al-Naʿl, Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl 284, Abu Dawood 650, Ibn Abī Shaybah 417/2, Dārimī 320/1, Ibn Khuzaymah 1017, Ibn Ḥibbān 360, Ḥākim 260/1, Bayhaqī 431/2, Aḥmad 20/3]
✿ Purification of the Body
➊ It is narrated from Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه regarding madhī that the Prophet ﷺ said:
يغسل ذكره و يتوضا
❝He should wash his private part and perform wudu.❞
[Muslim 303, Kitāb al-Ḥayḍ: Bāb al-Madhī, Muwaṭṭāʾ 40/1, Abū Yaʿlā 314, Abū Dāwūd 208]
➋ The Prophet ﷺ told Hazrat Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh رضي الله عنها:
فاغسلي عنك الدم وصلي
❝Wash the blood from yourself and then perform the prayer.❞
[Bukhari 306, Kitāb al-Ḥayḍ: Bāb al-Istiḥāḍah, Muslim 333, Abū Dāwūd 282, Abū ʿAwānah 319/1, Tirmidhi 125, Ibn Mājah 621]
✔ Note by Shawkani رحمه الله
While purification of the body is obligatory, there is no clear evidence (to our knowledge) establishing it as a condition for the validity of prayer.
[Al-Sayl al-Jarrār 158/1]
