Do I Have to Repeat All My Previous Prayers After Finding Out That I Could Have Performed Invalid Ritual Baths?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi
Question
Even though I perform ibada as required, I do so ignorantly. For example, I know that all our skins should be washed in fard ghusl. So I poured water everywhere. Some day, I discovered a small area on the side of my hip where water did not reach, although I thought it had reached in all of my previous ghusl. I was unaware of this place or had not noticed it. Do I have to redo all of my previous salat?
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
I pray this finds you in the best of states.
You can assume that all your previous prayers were valid. Nonetheless, whenever you find a place in your body that was not washed, it is obligatory for you to wash it in order to perform a valid ghusl. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]
The reason for this is that it would be highly farfetched for water not to have reached your hip while performing your ritual bath (ghusl). During all your previous ghusl, you were reasonably sure that water had reached all your body. This kind of confidence is enough for a valid ghusl. You don’t have to be 100% sure. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
Don’t fall into waswasa. Perform your ghusl and end it when you are reasonably sure that you have washed your body. You don’t have to double-check if some places of your body are dry.
The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) stated: “None makes the religion difficult except that it overcomes him. So, aim for what is right, stick to the moderate way.” [Bukhari]
The way of the Companions (Allah be pleased with them) of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) was to be lax in reaching external purity, and they would exert all their efforts in purifying their hearts. [Ghazali, Ihya Ulum al-Din]
Allah, Most High, says: “Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.” [Quran, 2:185]
In the future, please remember that in Islamic law, when it comes to your worship, the default assumption about all matters is validity and soundness.
Understanding the principles explained in this answer will help you tremendously insha Allah:
Key Principles Relating to Certainty, Doubt, and Baseless Misgivings (waswasa)
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching far and wide for answers to the fundamental questions of life and was disappointed at the answers he found. Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani. He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others. He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.
