How Do I Wash a Dry Impurity?

Answered by Shaykh Umer Mian

Question: Assalamu alaykum

How do I wash a dry impurity?

Answer: Wa alaikum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

Maraqi al-Falah is a relied-upon manual of Hanafi fiqh. The following is stated in the chapter on purification from filth:

يطهر محل النجاسة غير المرئية بغسلها ثلاثا وجوبا والعصر كل مرة

“It is necessary to purify any area that has a non-visible impurity by washing thrice and wringing it out each time.”

ووضعه في الماء الجاري يغني عن التثليث والعصر

“Placing it in flowing water removes the need to wash thrice and squeeze.”

Therefore, for dry filth whose traces (color, smell, etc.) are not apparent, you have two options: a) wash and wring it out three times, or b) hold it under flowing water (e.g. an open faucet) for a period of time that’s roughly equivalent to the time it takes to wash and wring it out three times. Note that if you choose option (a), the “wringing out” should be done thoroughly enough that the garment does not drip anymore. Also, if you choose option (a) and the item cannot be wrung out (e.g. leather materials, shoes, human body, etc.), it should be washed and dried out three times (Al-Hadiyah al-Ala’iya).

Regarding the transfer of filth, the basic principle is that unless there is a noticeable trace of the filth on the clean substance then no filth transferred. In your case, you mentioned that traces of the filth weren’t even noticeable on your hand, let alone on the things that your hand touched. Therefore, you should consider those other things pure unless you notice some traces of the filth on them.

Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Umer Mian