How Do I Remove Impurities from Something that Cannot be Squeezed?
Question: How do I remove impurities from something that cannot be squeezed? Is rubbing the impurities away with a wet hand?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
Reasonable Surety
The basis for removing impurities is reasonable surety. [Tahtawi/Shurunbulali, Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah]
If you are reasonably sure that the impurity is gone, that is sufficient. This necessitates that you make a choice. Ask yourself the question – ‘Is the impurity gone or not?’ Once you decide it is gone – that suffices; do not second guess yourself after that decision.
If you still have doubts and are unable to reach reasonable surety, wash the hot bag three times and let it drip dry each time. Thereafter, ignore any doubts.
Using the Object
The presence of impurity on the hot bag does not affect your continual use of it.
False Caution
Misgivings (waswasa) occur because Shaytan plays on people’s religious sincerity and calls them to false caution, to what if’s and conjecture. This causes the person to fall into undue difficulty in their practice of the religion.
Misgivings (Waswasa)
For the one who is constantly in doubt abandoning caution is often the best cure.
“As for the one who is often inflicted with misgivings, it is necessary for them to sever the cause of the misgivings and not to give it any consideration. This is because it is the doing of Shaytan, and we have been commanded to oppose him.” [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
Knowledge
The long-term cure for these constant doubts is to seek a deeper understanding of Islamic Knowledge. With knowledge, Shaytan cannot deceive you with his whispers and plots. I would advise that you find authentic scholars in your area and study with them a basic text in Islamic Jurisprudence.
Please note that SeekersGuidance.org has classes available in Islamic Jurisprudence and many other subjects.
Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; a student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of the Qur’an and the Islamic sciences
