How Do You Wash Filthy Clothes Using a Bucket?

Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi

Question

Suppose there is filth on a cloth such as madhi and I am washing that cloth in a bucket. Do I have to fill the bucket with fresh water three times to wash that cloth? Please explain how to wash filthy clothes using a Bucket?

Answer

I pray this finds you in the best of states.

No, you don’t have to wash a cloth affected by pre-ejaculate (mazi) three times. If you are confident that one washing was enough to remove the filth, then it is enough for you to deem this cloth ritually pure. If you feel that several washing are needed, don’t go beyond three washing, especially if you are affected by misgivings. Three washing is always enough to deem the washed cloth pure. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

The easiest way to wash a filthy cloth is simply to pour running water on it, by putting it under a tap, for example. You can deem the cloth pure as soon as you are confident that the filth is gone. No squeezing is needed. [Ibid]

Allah, Most High, says: “He (Allah) sends down upon you from the sky water to purify you.” [8.11]

Washing a cloth using a single bucket

Washing a filthy cloth using a single bucket can be time-consuming.

You will have to fill the bucket with pure water. Then you will put the filthy cloth in it to wash it. You will have to remove the cloth from the bucket and squeeze it as hard as possible without destroying it. You have achieved your first washing. You can stop there if you think the cloth is already pure.

If not, you will have to perform a second washing by first emptying the bucket and washing the empty bucket three times. After filling it again with pure water, you can wash the cloth for a second time. After squeezing it, you can judge whether or not the cloth is pure by following your personal inclination.

If you think that a third washing is needed, you will have first to empty the bucket and wash it only two times this time. After filling it, you can wash the cloth for a third time. After squeezing, you are religiously bound to deem the cloth pure. No washing is needed anymore.

As for the bucket, it will have to be washed one time after emptying it in order for it to be pure.[Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

And Allah knows best.

[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.