OCD and Najis

lightofnur

Junior Member
There has been a problem that has been plaguing me for some time. For quite some time back, I have realized that I have a disorder, OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This is a definition of OCD, from a website, "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as handwashing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called "rituals," however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety."

My case of OCD is that of thinking I'm not clean. I keep washing my hands when I think I've touched something I consider dirty; making it almost like a ritual. Also, this problem has increased over time. At this point, I'm afraid of even sitting or touching the ground, in case it's dirty. For instance, at our school's assembly, we were asked to sit down on the tar and stones asphalt road. We weren't in the hall during that time, but outside. So with great reluctance, I sat on the ground, all the time thinking that I have dirtied my clothes by sitting there. I had also seen a dog walk around this area somewhere, and I wondered that I might have sat where it walked on or defecated on; though I can't see the najis, I only suspected it could be at random anywhere in the whole of the ground; so I may have possible sat on that area, I thought. Or that I might have stepped on najis (dog's faeces) with my shoe, and walked around my school, therefore anywhere sit on is likely dirty. This problem is pretty valid, as when I walk to school, the dogs often defecate by the road frequently, and I do walk along the path.

And then I think, do I have to purify myself like I have to if I touched a dog, or when it's wet? But then I think to myself, using this logic, that means everywhere I go or step on, I may have to purify myself in that manner, which I think Allah would not want to burden us with, and which seems impossible.

The thing is this.
My father wears slippers around the house, because he feels comfortable with it.
One day he was in a hurry, and accidentally went out of the house across the road with the same slippers. He re-entered the house, and walked around the house with the same slippers. In my area, there are many stray dogs which defecate and urinate on the road often. I became paranoid, thinking he may have stepped on the dog's faeces/urine by mistake (since I was not watching where he walked), and what was worst, he walked around the house with the slippers.

From that point on, I became paranoid, wondering whether to purify myself or not, whenever I accidentally stepped on wherever he walked on with his slippers. I know I sound very paranoid, but I can't help feeling worried. We have persuaded my father to wash his slippers (with soap, at least, and not the purifying method), but he is adamant, thinking I'm being too paranoid. He keeps on walking outside and inside with the slippers.
Sometimes, we wash the slippers, but he'll use it again to walk outside whenever he's in a hurry.


So my questions are,

1)Must we clean ourselves if we suspect an area to be filthy (and we were in contact with it), even though we can't see the najis, just purely out of suspicion?

2)If any object, such as clothes, items, etc is touched/in contact with by a dog, dog feces, etc, (or something equivalent to it), or is put on an area which is suspected to be dirty, even though we can't see the najis; how must we clean it? Or do we have to clean it at all?

3)If a dog has walked or defecated on an area, (at an open area, like outside), if the rain cleanses the area, is it considered purified?

4)Must I wash my father's slippers with soap or my using the 6 times water/1 time earth+water method?

5)Considering the problem with the slippers above, should I wash the areas he stepped on with soap, or leave it be? Or should I wash it with the purifying method using the earth? Can I pray on these places, or anyplace near it?

6)Also, I have found a soap, which is certified by various religious departments in my country which contains (90% earth). Can I use it?

I should just remind everyone that my father can be difficult, VERY strict and is adamant about his views. He would never listen to me and calls me "overly paranoid". He is not religiously inclined, but he respects me for following the right path. It's just that he has problems that I mentioned above. And no, this isn't about mistreatment of women (and even if it was, Islam doesn't teach that stuff).

I've found this ritual (no offense) extremely tiring, and I have to admit that I go through depression nowadays, and blame myself for being "paranoid". I don't know if I can ever live comfortably with this problem, and I have cried about it often. My family often berates me for being "overly paranoid". In my judgment, I am only trying to be clean to please Allah and so that my prayers are accepted. However, I do think that Allah does not place a heavy burden upon muslims - and on this part I agree with my family.
The only verse that calms me is this one (surah 2 verse 286),

"That verse is "On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear" 2:286. (This verse is also repeated in 6:152, 7:42 and 65:7)."

Please, please provide fatwa's/hadeeth/respectable views on this matter. I need an answer, as quick as possible. I follow only Islam's way, but technically speaking, I am definitely leaning towards the Shafi'e way of doing things. I'm not saying the Shafi'e way is wrong or anything, but anything with authenticity like hadeeth, the Al-Quran, is something that I follow without doubt - as all Muslims do, naturally.
May Allah Bless you.
 

queenislam

★★★I LOVE ALLAH★★★
~Salam to all!

:bismillah:
:salam2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB7WZfDUwk0
Surah An Nas


Dearest sister,

Your situation is not difficult but this have to be in details not just to explain in forum fearing you might and go into futher difficulty and confused!

I suggest you to seek an ustaz/ustazah(religious teacher) and consult help near your place and receive counseling regarding the matter .There i know where you get a clear explaination regarding your problem insya allah!

~May Allah help and guide you~Amin!

~Salam Ramadhan Kariim to all!

Take Care!
Thank you,

~Wassalam :)
 

lightofnur

Junior Member
:bismillah:
:salam2:


Dearest sister,

Your situation is not difficult but this have to be in details not just to explain in forum fearing you might and go into futher difficulty and confused!

I suggest you to seek an ustaz/ustazah(religious teacher) and consult help near your place and receive counseling regarding the matter .There i know where you get a clear explaination regarding your problem insya allah!

~May Allah help and guide you~Amin!

~Salam Ramadhan Kariim to all!

Take Care!
Thank you,

~Wassalam :)

Thanks sis for taking the time to answer and for the comfort. May Allah Bless you. The problem with ustaz/ustazah's near my area is that they can be pretty lenient about things. It's not that I don't trust them, but I would like to get a general opinion before jumping into an action. I know some pretty good ustazah's/ustaz, and I do trust their answers, but they are giving mixed answers. I would like to see some response on this forum and see what others think of the issue.

Also, a number of ustaz (1-3 people) have said that it would be wiser to use the 1 times earth+water/ 6 times water method, just in case. They claim there is no harm in doing so, and besides, there won't be any issue of was-was, then. I'm mentioning their answers not to confuse people or teach something different, but just to know the general opinion before acting on it, which is why I claimed that if anyone had hadeeth/excerpts from the Quran to put forward, I would be grateful.

Also, my father is quite the strict man, and he would definitely not tolerate me washing the house like that (I wouldn't care either way, if Islam said so, but it would be hard). And anyhow, he wouldn't clean his feet, and walk over the house anyways, so the effort might be wasted. I need someone to clarify to me the rules of taharah, with regard to my questions above. There are no obvious signs of filth, just suspicion really. And there were black, sodden - but little - marks (like that when you walk out in soil in shoes and leave light footprints). He could have stepped on the sand/soil, but I can't be too sure.

But another answer I got was that Islam is not a religion of burden, and that I should wash the ground with soap and water only, since there is no obvious smell, taste and color. I've read this part in a good website :

"The impurities mentioned are considered “gross impurity” (najasat al-ghaliza). Any amount of them contaminates whatever it touches. However, if it is on person’s body or clothes when he or she is praying or on the ground or mat where he or she is praying, its amount is taken into consideration. Any solid filth weighing more than 3 grams, and any liquid more than the amount that spreads over a person’s palm, invalidates the prayer."

So I wonder whether the impurity is the same for me?
I hope someone can answer my question, as I am getting increasingly desperate, and in some ways, my condition is somewhat worsening. May Allah Bless you.
 

thariq2005

Praise be to Allah!
Assalaamu `alaykkum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh

Respected sister, may Allaah have mercy on you and make things easy for you. The problem you have is indeed waswaas and this leads to extremism in the deen in specific things. Indeed the `ulemah speak out against this. As Ibn Qayyim mentions, shaytaan enters the heart through two doors, and if both of these doors are shut, then this person is safe... 1) False desires 2) Doubts.

The problem you are experiencing is doubts and indeed this makes the deen very hard, to the extent that a person gets fed up of this deen and abandons acting upon the rulings of Islaam.

There is a principle in Shari`ah, which if you understand will make your life much more easier, and may Allaah have mercy on you... "Mere doubt does not take away certainty"

The sahaabah of the Messenger of Allaah :saw2: used to walk in rain, barafooted, and enter the masjid and pray, and they never did wudoo' again. Kamal ibn Ziyaad said: "I saw `Ali ibn Abi Taalib (radiaAllaahu anhu) walk in pouring rain, then enter the mosque and perform salaah"

Ibraahim an Nakha'ee rahimahullaah also mentions something similar: "The sahaabah of the Prophet :saw2: used to walk in rain (on wet clay), enter the mosque and perform Salaah"

Based on this, we come to a very fundamental principle, that a thing remains pure unless it is certain that impurity has entered that thing.

Ibn Hajar Al Haythami was asked regarding the remedy for waswasah, and he replied "there is an effective remedy for it, which is to ignore them completely, no matter how frequently they may come to mind. When these whispers are ignored, they do not become established, rather they go away after a short time, as many people have experienced. But for those who pay attention to them and act upon them, they increase until they make him like one who is insane or even worse, as we see among many of those who have suffered from them and paid attention to them and to the devil whose task it is to insinuate these whispers, whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned us against when he said, “Beware the whispers with regard to water (i.e., wudoo’) which is caused by a devil called al-Walhaan” – because that causes a person to go to extremes with regard to doing wudoo’, as was explained in Sharh Mishkaat al-Anwaar. "

So my questions are,

1)Must we clean ourselves if we suspect an area to be filthy (and we were in contact with it), even though we can't see the najis, just purely out of suspicion?

2)If any object, such as clothes, items, etc is touched/in contact with by a dog, dog feces, etc, (or something equivalent to it), or is put on an area which is suspected to be dirty, even though we can't see the najis; how must we clean it? Or do we have to clean it at all?

3)If a dog has walked or defecated on an area, (at an open area, like outside), if the rain cleanses the area, is it considered purified?

4)Must I wash my father's slippers with soap or my using the 6 times water/1 time earth+water method?

5)Considering the problem with the slippers above, should I wash the areas he stepped on with soap, or leave it be? Or should I wash it with the purifying method using the earth? Can I pray on these places, or anyplace near it?

6)Also, I have found a soap, which is certified by various religious departments in my country which contains (90% earth). Can I use it?

1) No you do not have to clean it, since it is not certain that there is impurity.

2) If it is certain that something (example: clothes) has touched dog feces or urine, then washing it is sufficient, since the hadeeth referring to washing 7 times (along with earth the first time) refers to the dog "licking" that particular thing. Thus if a dog's skin touches your clothes (provided the skin of the dog is not wet), then it is no problem, you do not have to wash your clothes or anything.

3) Yes it is considered pure. If not, then there will be no place on the face of this planet that will be pure, since some animal or the other has relieved itself on every single spot of this earth.

4) You do not need to wash your father's slippers if your just suspicious of him stepping on dog feces or urine. But if it is certain, then him walking on earth is enough of a purification for the slipper as Umm Salamah asked the Messenger of Allaah :saw2::" I am a woman who wears long dresses and I have to walk through a dirty place (remember she is certain that this place is dirty and not doubt), so what should I do?", the Messenger of Allaah :saw2: replied "What comes after it would clean it" [Abu Dawood], but if there remains any najis on the slipper, then washing it is sufficient.

5) With regards to the floor, if you see any impurity on the floor, then washing that spot is sufficient, and there is no need to wash every single spot your father stepped on.

6) Here is a fatwa you can refer to, as to whether you could use soap or not....
The scholars differed to whether something else may be used instead of soil, such as soap or other cleaning materials.

Imam al-Shaafa’i was of the view that it is obligatory to use soil, and nothing else will do, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned soil specifically and enjoined using it.

The view of Imam Ahmad is that it is permissible to use something other than soil, such as soap etc.

See: al-Majmoo’, 2/600; Rawdat al-Taalibeen, p. 16; al-Mughni, 1/74; al-Insaaf, 2/248.

It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (10/139):

If a dog licks a vessel, then in order for this vessel to be purified it must be washed seven times, one of which must be with soil. This is according to the Hanbalis and Shaafa’is.

If something else is used instead of soil, such as potash (a substance used for cleaning in the olden days) or soap etc, or it is washed eight times, the correct view is that this is not acceptable, because this is the way of purification that has been enjoined in this case and we should do it as instructed as a sign of obedience to Allaah, hence nothing else can take its place.

Some of the Hanbalis said that it is permissible to use something else instead of soil if no soil is available, or if it will damage the place to be washed. But if soil is available and it will not cause any damage, then it is not permissible to use something else. This is the view of Ibn Haamid. End quote.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (1/292) concerning the view that nothing else will do instead of soil: this is subject to further discussion because of the following:

1- The Lawgiver mentioned soil in particular, and it is obligatory to follow the text.

2- Lotus leaves and potash existed at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), but he did not refer to them.

3- Perhaps there is some substance in soil that kills the germs in the dog’s saliva.

4- Soil is one of the two things that purify, because it takes the place of water in the case of tayammum if water is not available. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The earth has been made a place of prostration and a means of purification for me.”

The correct view is that nothing can take the place of soil, but if we assume that there is no soil available – which is an unlikely possibility – then using potash or soap is better than not using them. End quote.

And finally here is one more fatwa kind of relating to your scenario...
I am suffering from strong waswaas in all my acts of worship especially istinjaa’. When I use the toilet I just spend too long time. It became a very hateful place to me for whatever reason. Every time I enter the toilet I cry of how strong this waswaas is. I do not feel sure of my tuhr (purification) at all. Many things put doubt in my heart like when my hand touches a tahir (clean) place after I washed a najis (unclean) place, so I have to wash that position as well. Also when water of istinjaa’ sprinkles on my feet and body I doubt my tuhr so I have to wash them after finishing.
What is the solution? Many have said to me to just ignore this waswaas. But I do not really know how to make sure I am on tuhr. If the urine touches any other place do I have to wash it or not? If I ignore washing it I doubt and wonder that if I am not pure then my salaah will not be accepted. On the other hand if I wash I feel it is really heavy and beyond my ability.
Another question:
What is the ruling on prematurely ending my salaah or wudu’ or ghusl? As this comes to my mind a lot. Sometimes I think that it is not a problem to cut my intention during the act of worship and I just complete it. Other times I think that deciding to cut an act of worship spoils it as I cut my intention as well so I stop it then start over. This matter became also out of my control, what should I do? Shall I continue my salaah, wudu’ or ghusl even if I decide during it to cut it? Or I should start it over then?
These doubts do not leave me since I start my salaah until the end of it. Something whispers to me to stop it or repeat it or start it over again after you complete it. I am tired and this is beyond my ability. Will my salaah be acceptable despite having all these doubts along the salaah? What is the solution? Please help me, may Allah bless you!.

Praise be to Allaah.

What the questioner mentions has to do with a kind of waswaas (whispers from the shaytaan), because purification and prayer are simple matters that do not need such concern. The religion of Allaah is easy and there is no hardship in it, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and [Allaah] has not laid upon you in religion any hardship”

[al-Hajj 22:78]

“Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you”

[al-Baqarah 2:185]

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the glad tidings that you will be rewarded.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (39).

The remedy for what you are suffering involves three things:

1- Constantly persisting in remembering Allaah, may He be exalted.

2- Turning to Him and asking Him for healing and recovery from this problem.

3- Turning away completely from that which the waswaas is calling you to do. So when you have relieved yourself and washed yourself (istinja’), get up and do not pay any attention to whether your hand touched a taahir (pure) place after touching the najaasah (impurity), or that drops of the istinja’ water landed on your feet or body, because the basic principle is that things remain taahir (pure), and uncertainty as to whether your body or clothes have become impure does not have any effect. You should understand that your body and clothes, the place where you pray, and other things are pure and continue to be regarded as pure unless we are certain that they have become impure. As for doubts, imagination and waswaas, no attention should be paid to them. See the answers to questions no. 62839 and 25778.

Purification and removal of impurity is done by washing the private part; it is not essential to wash the area around it, so do not pay any attention to the water that drops elsewhere, as stated above. Be confident that you are taahir (pure), praise be to Allaah, and that your prayer offered with this purification is valid and accepted, if Allaah wills, for Allaah is Most Merciful and Kind, and He shows mercy to His sinful slaves, so how about those who are obedient and love Him?

With regard to deciding to stop wudoo’ or prayer, that does not matter either, rather you should ignore these thoughts and carry on with your wudoo’ or prayer, because there is no reason to interrupt an act of worship, rather this is waswaas and it does not affect your act of worship, praise be to Allaah. No matter what thoughts of interrupting your act of worship or repeating it come to you, do not pay any attention to that, and carry on with it, and ask Allaah to accept it, because you have done as much as you could, and you have done what was required of you, and Allaah does not burden any person beyond his scope.

Remember this advice, and carry on, and ignore the waswaas, for it is a trick of the shaytaan, but his tricks are weak as our Lord has told us. Be confident that if you ignore the waswaas it will disappear, by the power of Allaah.

We ask Allaah to help you to obey Him and to make you happy by worshipping Him, and to take away the problem that you are facing.

And Allaah knows best.

Wassalaamu `alaykkum
 

aslamjiffry

Hubbu Rasoolullah
Dear Sister Salaams to you..

it is better to consult a religious Scholar and he will explain better than us..

Wassalaam!
 

lightofnur

Junior Member
Assalaamu `alaykkum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh

Respected sister, may Allaah have mercy on you and make things easy for you. The problem you have is indeed waswaas and this leads to extremism in the deen in specific things. Indeed the `ulemah speak out against this. As Ibn Qayyim mentions, shaytaan enters the heart through two doors, and if both of these doors are shut, then this person is safe... 1) False desires 2) Doubts.

The problem you are experiencing is doubts and indeed this makes the deen very hard, to the extent that a person gets fed up of this deen and abandons acting upon the rulings of Islaam.

There is a principle in Shari`ah, which if you understand will make your life much more easier, and may Allaah have mercy on you... "Mere doubt does not take away certainty"

The sahaabah of the Messenger of Allaah :saw2: used to walk in rain, barafooted, and enter the masjid and pray, and they never did wudoo' again. Kamal ibn Ziyaad said: "I saw `Ali ibn Abi Taalib (radiaAllaahu anhu) walk in pouring rain, then enter the mosque and perform salaah"

Ibraahim an Nakha'ee rahimahullaah also mentions something similar: "The sahaabah of the Prophet :saw2: used to walk in rain (on wet clay), enter the mosque and perform Salaah"

Based on this, we come to a very fundamental principle, that a thing remains pure unless it is certain that impurity has entered that thing.

Ibn Hajar Al Haythami was asked regarding the remedy for waswasah, and he replied "there is an effective remedy for it, which is to ignore them completely, no matter how frequently they may come to mind. When these whispers are ignored, they do not become established, rather they go away after a short time, as many people have experienced. But for those who pay attention to them and act upon them, they increase until they make him like one who is insane or even worse, as we see among many of those who have suffered from them and paid attention to them and to the devil whose task it is to insinuate these whispers, whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned us against when he said, “Beware the whispers with regard to water (i.e., wudoo’) which is caused by a devil called al-Walhaan” – because that causes a person to go to extremes with regard to doing wudoo’, as was explained in Sharh Mishkaat al-Anwaar. "



1) No you do not have to clean it, since it is not certain that there is impurity.

2) If it is certain that something (example: clothes) has touched dog feces or urine, then washing it is sufficient, since the hadeeth referring to washing 7 times (along with earth the first time) refers to the dog "licking" that particular thing. Thus if a dog's skin touches your clothes (provided the skin of the dog is not wet), then it is no problem, you do not have to wash your clothes or anything.

3) Yes it is considered pure. If not, then there will be no place on the face of this planet that will be pure, since some animal or the other has relieved itself on every single spot of this earth.

4) You do not need to wash your father's slippers if your just suspicious of him stepping on dog feces or urine. But if it is certain, then him walking on earth is enough of a purification for the slipper as Umm Salamah asked the Messenger of Allaah :saw2::" I am a woman who wears long dresses and I have to walk through a dirty place (remember she is certain that this place is dirty and not doubt), so what should I do?", the Messenger of Allaah :saw2: replied "What comes after it would clean it" [Abu Dawood], but if there remains any najis on the slipper, then washing it is sufficient.

5) With regards to the floor, if you see any impurity on the floor, then washing that spot is sufficient, and there is no need to wash every single spot your father stepped on.

6) Here is a fatwa you can refer to, as to whether you could use soap or not....

And finally here is one more fatwa kind of relating to your scenario...

Wassalaamu `alaykkum

May Allah Bless you, brother thariq. You were the only one in numerous forum posts in this forum (and on another forum) who was able to answer me directly. I cannot begin to even thank you for relieving so much of confusion in one go. I think that my prayers have been worth it, and 2 years worth of depression over this matter have quite subsided. The fact that you have provided not only fatwa, but hadeeth on this matter has really set my heart to rest. I know that after this, I may still have pangs of doubt, but that is my struggle to fight for. As long as I know that I am trying, that should be sufficient. I think Allah will also understand.

I've known for very long that this was extremism, and that's why I've been trying just so hard to fight it off. My family (aside from my father, who doesn't know about my problem, but has a hint about it) have been sympathetic, then upset by my actions, then mad again. So you see that this problem has also affected my life in a way.

But just as to clear a bit of doubt for others and to shed a more detailed part on my problem so that there is no confusion, please read this which I have posted in reply to queenislam :

"Thanks sis for taking the time to answer and for the comfort. May Allah Bless you. The problem with ustaz/ustazah's near my area is that they can be pretty lenient about things. It's not that I don't trust them, but I would like to get a general opinion before jumping into an action. I know some pretty good ustazah's/ustaz, and I do trust their answers, but they are giving mixed answers. I would like to see some response on this forum and see what others think of the issue.

Also, a number of ustaz (1-3 people) have said that it would be wiser to use the 1 times earth+water/ 6 times water method, just in case. They claim there is no harm in doing so, and besides, there won't be any issue of was-was, then. I'm mentioning their answers not to confuse people or teach something different, but just to know the general opinion before acting on it, which is why I claimed that if anyone had hadeeth/excerpts from the Quran to put forward, I would be grateful.

Also, my father is quite the strict man, and he would definitely not tolerate me washing the house like that (I wouldn't care either way, if Islam said so, but it would be hard). And anyhow, he wouldn't clean his feet, and walk over the house anyways, so the effort might be wasted. I need someone to clarify to me the rules of taharah, with regard to my questions above. There are no obvious signs of filth, just suspicion really. And there were black, sodden - but little - marks (like that when you walk out in soil in shoes and leave light footprints). He could have stepped on the sand/soil, but I can't be too sure.

But another answer I got was that Islam is not a religion of burden, and that I should wash the ground with soap and water only, since there is no obvious smell, taste and color. I've read this part in a good website :

"The impurities mentioned are considered “gross impurity” (najasat al-ghaliza). Any amount of them contaminates whatever it touches. However, if it is on person’s body or clothes when he or she is praying or on the ground or mat where he or she is praying, its amount is taken into consideration. Any solid filth weighing more than 3 grams, and any liquid more than the amount that spreads over a person’s palm, invalidates the prayer."

So I wonder whether the impurity is the same for me?
I hope someone can answer my question, as I am getting increasingly desperate, and in some ways, my condition is somewhat worsening. May Allah Bless you."


Could you please explain whether your answer to whether I should clean the floor (sufficient using soap, and the filth is not obvious or not sure of what the filth is) still applies to this problem?

Also, my previous question :

1)Must we clean ourselves if we suspect an area to be filthy (and we were in contact with it), even though we can't see the najis, just purely out of suspicion?

To which your answer was :

1) No you do not have to clean it, since it is not certain that there is impurity.

Just to be clear, the filth I was talking about referred to the suspicion of whether my father walked on faeces with his slipper and walked in the house with it. And then took of his slipper, and walked around the house which I doubted to be still clean. So your answer still applies, right?

And this answer :

4) You do not need to wash your father's slippers if your just suspicious of him stepping on dog feces or urine. But if it is certain, then him walking on earth is enough of a purification for the slipper as Umm Salamah asked the Messenger of Allaah :" I am a woman who wears long dresses and I have to walk through a dirty place (remember she is certain that this place is dirty and not doubt), so what should I do?", the Messenger of Allaah replied "What comes after it would clean it" [Abu Dawood], but if there remains any najis on the slipper, then washing it is sufficient.

5) With regards to the floor, if you see any impurity on the floor, then washing that spot is sufficient, and there is no need to wash every single spot your father stepped on.

Washing it is sufficient. Did you mean washing with the soil method, or water method?

Thank you so, so much for your answers, your time taken to answer my long-winded, increasingly weird questions, and comfort. Allah is Most Loving and Forgiving, and has answered my prayers, I feel. I can go back to being my normal self before this, thanks to you. Insya'allah, I shall pray for you in my dua's. Thank you again, May Allah Bless you.
 

lightofnur

Junior Member
I wanted to edit, but there's no button, so I had to double post (the bits in bold and are underlined are the ones I newly edited) :

May Allah Bless you, brother thariq. You were the only one in numerous forum posts in this forum (and on another forum) who was able to answer me directly. I cannot begin to even thank you for relieving so much of confusion in one go. I think that my prayers have been worth it, and 2 years worth of depression over this matter have quite subsided. The fact that you have provided not only fatwa, but hadeeth on this matter has really set my heart to rest. I know that after this, I may still have pangs of doubt, but that is my struggle to fight for. As long as I know that I am trying, that should be sufficient. I think Allah will also understand.

I've known for very long that this was extremism, and that's why I've been trying just so hard to fight it off. My family (aside from my father, who doesn't know about my problem, but has a hint about it) have been sympathetic, then upset by my actions, then mad again. So you see that this problem has also affected my life in a way.

But just as to clear a bit of doubt for others and to shed a more detailed part on my problem so that there is no confusion, please read this which I have posted in reply to queenislam :

"Thanks sis for taking the time to answer and for the comfort. May Allah Bless you. The problem with ustaz/ustazah's near my area is that they can be pretty lenient about things. It's not that I don't trust them, but I would like to get a general opinion before jumping into an action. I know some pretty good ustazah's/ustaz, and I do trust their answers, but they are giving mixed answers. I would like to see some response on this forum and see what others think of the issue.

Also, a number of ustaz (1-3 people) have said that it would be wiser to use the 1 times earth+water/ 6 times water method, just in case. They claim there is no harm in doing so, and besides, there won't be any issue of was-was, then. I'm mentioning their answers not to confuse people or teach something different, but just to know the general opinion before acting on it, which is why I claimed that if anyone had hadeeth/excerpts from the Quran to put forward, I would be grateful.

Also, my father is quite the strict man, and he would definitely not tolerate me washing the house like that (I wouldn't care either way, if Islam said so, but it would be hard). And anyhow, he wouldn't clean his feet, and walk over the house anyways, so the effort might be wasted. I need someone to clarify to me the rules of taharah, with regard to my questions above. There are no obvious signs of filth, just suspicion really. And there were black, sodden - but little - marks (like that when you walk out in soil in shoes and leave light footprints). He could have stepped on the sand/soil, but I can't be too sure.

But another answer I got was that Islam is not a religion of burden, and that I should wash the ground with soap and water only, since there is no obvious smell, taste and color. I've read this part in a good website :

"The impurities mentioned are considered “gross impurity” (najasat al-ghaliza). Any amount of them contaminates whatever it touches. However, if it is on person’s body or clothes when he or she is praying or on the ground or mat where he or she is praying, its amount is taken into consideration. Any solid filth weighing more than 3 grams, and any liquid more than the amount that spreads over a person’s palm, invalidates the prayer."

So I wonder whether the impurity is the same for me?
I hope someone can answer my question, as I am getting increasingly desperate, and in some ways, my condition is somewhat worsening. May Allah Bless you."


Could you please explain whether your answer to whether I should clean the floor (sufficient using soap, and the filth is not obvious or not sure of what the filth is) still applies to this problem?

Also, my previous question :

1)Must we clean ourselves if we suspect an area to be filthy (and we were in contact with it), even though we can't see the najis, just purely out of suspicion?

To which your answer was :

1) No you do not have to clean it, since it is not certain that there is impurity.

Just to be clear, the filth I was talking about referred to the suspicion of whether my father walked on faeces with his slipper and walked in the house with it. And then took of his slipper, and walked around the house which I doubted to be still clean. So your answer still applies, right?

And this answer :

4) You do not need to wash your father's slippers if your just suspicious of him stepping on dog feces or urine. But if it is certain, then him walking on earth is enough of a purification for the slipper as Umm Salamah asked the Messenger of Allaah :" I am a woman who wears long dresses and I have to walk through a dirty place (remember she is certain that this place is dirty and not doubt), so what should I do?", the Messenger of Allaah replied "What comes after it would clean it" [Abu Dawood], but if there remains any najis on the slipper, then washing it is sufficient.

5) With regards to the floor, if you see any impurity on the floor, then washing that spot is sufficient, and there is no need to wash every single spot your father stepped on.

Washing it is sufficient. Did you mean washing with the soil method, or water method?

I've got a few other questions. If you could please answer them it'd be great :

Can we pray on that area, with regards to my original question 4, and your answer? Another question is, if I had dropped my handphone in the place I suspected dirty (and the one my father had stepped on after I washed his slippers with soap and water), what do I do? I can't wash my phone, obviously, and it would be quite crazy to throw it away.



Thank you so, so much for your answers, your time taken to answer my long-winded, increasingly weird questions, and comfort. Allah is Most Loving and Forgiving, and has answered my prayers, I feel. I can go back to being my normal self before this, thanks to you. Insya'allah, I shall pray for you in my dua's. Thank you again, May Allah Bless you.
 

thariq2005

Praise be to Allah!
"The impurities mentioned are considered “gross impurity” (najasat al-ghaliza). Any amount of them contaminates whatever it touches. However, if it is on person’s body or clothes when he or she is praying or on the ground or mat where he or she is praying, its amount is taken into consideration. Any solid filth weighing more than 3 grams, and any liquid more than the amount that spreads over a person’s palm, invalidates the prayer."

Whoever said that ^^^ needs to bring evidence to prove his/her point. Especially specifying 3 grams of impurity or 4 grams or whatever invalidates the prayer, needs evidence. The general principle is that if you see impurity (not suspicious but rather certain about the impurity) on your clothes then that is when you should remove it, during your prayer (if your able to), if not possible and only washing will remove that impurity, then that is when you should be breaking your salaah. And the evidence is that there was impurity under the shoes of the Messenger of Allaah :saw2: and he removed it during salaah and did not break his salaah.

So I wonder whether the impurity is the same for me?
I hope someone can answer my question, as I am getting increasingly desperate, and in some ways, my condition is somewhat worsening. May Allah Bless you."[/B]

Could you please explain whether your answer to whether I should clean the floor (sufficient using soap, and the filth is not obvious or not sure of what the filth is) still applies to this problem?

Also, my previous question :

1)Must we clean ourselves if we suspect an area to be filthy (and we were in contact with it), even though we can't see the najis, just purely out of suspicion?

To which your answer was :

1) No you do not have to clean it, since it is not certain that there is impurity.

Just to be clear, the filth I was talking about referred to the suspicion of whether my father walked on faeces with his slipper and walked in the house with it. And then took of his slipper, and walked around the house which I doubted to be still clean. So your answer still applies, right?

And this answer :

4) You do not need to wash your father's slippers if your just suspicious of him stepping on dog feces or urine. But if it is certain, then him walking on earth is enough of a purification for the slipper as Umm Salamah asked the Messenger of Allaah :" I am a woman who wears long dresses and I have to walk through a dirty place (remember she is certain that this place is dirty and not doubt), so what should I do?", the Messenger of Allaah replied "What comes after it would clean it" [Abu Dawood], but if there remains any najis on the slipper, then washing it is sufficient.

5) With regards to the floor, if you see any impurity on the floor, then washing that spot is sufficient, and there is no need to wash every single spot your father stepped on.

Washing it is sufficient. Did you mean washing with the soil method, or water method?

I've got a few other questions. If you could please answer them it'd be great :

Can we pray on that area, with regards to my original question 4, and your answer? Another question is, if I had dropped my handphone in the place I suspected dirty (and the one my father had stepped on after I washed his slippers with soap and water), what do I do? I can't wash my phone, obviously, and it would be quite crazy to throw it away.



Thank you so, so much for your answers, your time taken to answer my long-winded, increasingly weird questions, and comfort. Allah is Most Loving and Forgiving, and has answered my prayers, I feel. I can go back to being my normal self before this, thanks to you. Insya'allah, I shall pray for you in my dua's. Thank you again, May Allah Bless you.

May Allaah have mercy on you, but as I said earlier if only you are certain (remember your suspicion is out of waswasah, and you should ignore such doubts) that it is impurity, then that is when you should consider cleaning that thing (whether it is your father's slippers or floor or your phone). As for how to clean it (whether with soil etc, or just pouring water over that place) then the whole process of using soil+water is used when you are certain that a dog licked your floor or father's slippers then that is when you use soil along with water the first time then wash it 6 times with water. And this is not the case almost always.

If you are certain that it is impurity, but have doubt as to whether it is the saliva of the dog, then you should get rid of this doubt by paying no attention to it. If it is impurity such as dog feces or urine, then just pouring water over it until the impurity disappears is sufficient and the evidence is the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (337) from Asma’ bint Abi Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: A woman came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: If one of us sees menstrual blood on her garment, what should she do? He said: “Scratch it, then rub it with your fingers whilst pouring water on it and continue to pour water on it (until it is clean), and then pray in it.”

And another report narrated by al-Bukhaari from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: A Bedouin came and urinated in the mosque. The people rebuked him but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told them not to do that. When (the man) had finished urinating, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ordered that a bucket of water be poured over it.

So thus if you are certain that it is dog feces or urine, then just pouring water over that spot is sufficient (it doesn't mean you have to use like 10 buckets of water or so, but rather enough water to clean away the impurity and that can even be a handful of water). Also remember, if there is some mud from outside on your floor or so, then this is not impurity and thus your floor requires no cleaning.

Remember the shari`ah is based on certainty and not mere doubts, this is why the person who *doubts* that he has passed wind should hear a sound or smell it as the Messenger of Allaah :saw2: said: 'If one is in prayer and feels movement in his behind, (and is in question whether) he has passed wind or not, and he is in doubt, then he should not leave unless he hears the sound or detects the smell"

And Allaah knows best

Wassalaamu `alaykkum
 

Michelle_A

New Member
My sister has OCD, so I understand a little what you are going through. She did a course of therapy to learn ways to help her cope. One thing she was told was to ask if someone without OCD would be concerned about that issue? i can't help you with whether you need to cleanse the area, but I hope this might help you as well.
 

lightofnur

Junior Member
Brother Thariq, what about this? What if I felt that when my father walked with his slippers outside, he was sure to step on the najis because there is a lot of dry/maybe wet? ones out there? You could almost be sure to step on them. Even though I don't know for sure, just afraid; because there is a lot of najis out there, I walk on them by mistake many times when I go to school. I'm really worried.
 

thariq2005

Praise be to Allah!
Brother Thariq, what about this? What if I felt that when my father walked with his slippers outside, he was sure to step on the najis because there is a lot of dry/maybe wet? ones out there? You could almost be sure to step on them. Even though I don't know for sure, just afraid; because there is a lot of najis out there, I walk on them by mistake many times when I go to school. I'm really worried.

Assalaaamu `alaykkum, as I mentioned before, if you see the najis on your floor etc, that is when you need to clean it. Even if you know for a fact that your father stepped on najis doesn't mean anything, unless you see it on your floor. Do not overstress yourself, and make your life and deen hard upon yourself. BarakAllaahu feeki

Wassalaamu `alaykkum
 

lightofnur

Junior Member
Assalaaamu `alaykkum, as I mentioned before, if you see the najis on your floor etc, that is when you need to clean it. Even if you know for a fact that your father stepped on najis doesn't mean anything, unless you see it on your floor. Do not overstress yourself, and make your life and deen hard upon yourself. BarakAllaahu feeki

Wassalaamu `alaykkum

Wa'alaikumussalam. Sorry for not greeting earlier in my post.
Anyways, thanks very much for the answer. May ALLAH Bless you, as He always does. Also, thanks to your answer, I've been steadily improving every day. Now I find myself not so paranoid anymore. I can see the changes! Thanks very very much.
 

Aapa

Mirajmom
Assalaam walaikum,

I can not give you what you need. The others have been very sincere.

I will suggest that OCD stems from a need to be in control over something that you can not have control over. Simple example you can not change the major circumstances in your life so you keep doing the same thing over and over and over again to have control over a simple task in your life.

Dhirk is a good substitute for the repetitive behavior. It is physical, use of fingers or beads gives you something concrete to focus on and there are immediate results.

OCD is an outlet of anxiety. And the best solution for anxiety is reading the Quran.

In attempting to clean a person wishes to exert being in charge. You take responsibility. You can decide what is good or bad..by replacing the behaviors with physical acts of worship the decision is made.

If this makes any sense let me know, please.
 

Fessal

Member
I have a similar problem as the sister in the first post. I am a lot better now but
My problem is also related to the dirtiness on the streets. In my street there is lots of people walking dogs who have fouled everywhere with there faeces etc. I have seen people step on these faeces by mistake and then walk along the same street and everywhere. I have had to walk to places where these people have walked and come inside my house. Also I may have walked on dry dog faeces (as I can see stains on the footpath and it's hard to completely avoid them. I too have severe OCD and it leads me to hours of cleaning and washing and life is so hard that I avoid going outdoors and can't work and have a normal life. It's taken over my life and even near mosques i have seen faeces on the footpath pavements close by. So people may have stepped on this and gone in doors.

1)Can someone like brother Tariq help as my question is do I have to wash my hands always if I pick something dropped on the floor from an area which has had people walking over it with shoes that have been in dry or wet dog faeces? (Let's presume they wouldn't have washed there shoes if they had stepped in these places unless it was a large wet chunk which was obvious.)

2) do I have to wash my shoes and floor if I come inside after stepping on dry dog faeces or stepping on areas where others who have walked on with shoes that have had dog faeces stepped on but not necessarily still stuck on there shoes?

I no all this may sound stupid and I know it's waswasa but I need this help to try and concentrate on bring a good muslim and praying.

May Allah give blessings and rewards for those who can kindly help and to all. Ameen
 

Hassan

Laa ilaha ilaa Allah
Staff member
Anyone please?
Asalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

When you ask "do I have to wash ..." from an OCD viewpoint I think you will, but I think you meant islamically. The answer needs some very precise understanding. I do not know enough to answer you, have patience. In shaa Allah someone who can answer will, though you should speak to an imam or someone of learning who also knows this road and has seen the state of it for their self.

From people with OCD I have spoken to I can understand this is like a torture for you. I pray Allah swt eases your thoughts and grants you peace of mind.
 

Tabassum07

Smile for Allah
:salam:

I suddenly began suffering from OCD last year - it was horrible, I was always wondering if my clothes or anything got anything dirty on them from walking on the road - wudhu and prayer started becoming confusing and forgetful for me. I tried a LOT of dua, dhikr and trying to be strong and use just my willpower to fight this, but for six months nothing happened.

OCD is a disease just like any other - I went to a doctor and after only a couple months medication, got completely better alhamdulillah, and I thought it was so silly I didn't go to a doctor earlier. I would strongly strongly advise anyone suffering from OCD not to torture yourself more and to please seek medical help ASAP.
 

deema1234

New Member
There has been a problem that has been plaguing me for some time. For quite some time back, I have realized that I have a disorder, OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This is a definition of OCD, from a website, "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as handwashing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called "rituals," however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety."

My case of OCD is that of thinking I'm not clean. I keep washing my hands when I think I've touched something I consider dirty; making it almost like a ritual. Also, this problem has increased over time. At this point, I'm afraid of even sitting or touching the ground, in case it's dirty. For instance, at our school's assembly, we were asked to sit down on the tar and stones asphalt road. We weren't in the hall during that time, but outside. So with great reluctance, I sat on the ground, all the time thinking that I have dirtied my clothes by sitting there. I had also seen a dog walk around this area somewhere, and I wondered that I might have sat where it walked on or defecated on; though I can't see the najis, I only suspected it could be at random anywhere in the whole of the ground; so I may have possible sat on that area, I thought. Or that I might have stepped on najis (dog's faeces) with my shoe, and walked around my school, therefore anywhere sit on is likely dirty. This problem is pretty valid, as when I walk to school, the dogs often defecate by the road frequently, and I do walk along the path.

And then I think, do I have to purify myself like I have to if I touched a dog, or when it's wet? But then I think to myself, using this logic, that means everywhere I go or step on, I may have to purify myself in that manner, which I think Allah would not want to burden us with, and which seems impossible.

The thing is this.
My father wears slippers around the house, because he feels comfortable with it.
One day he was in a hurry, and accidentally went out of the house across the road with the same slippers. He re-entered the house, and walked around the house with the same slippers. In my area, there are many stray dogs which defecate and urinate on the road often. I became paranoid, thinking he may have stepped on the dog's faeces/urine by mistake (since I was not watching where he walked), and what was worst, he walked around the house with the slippers.

From that point on, I became paranoid, wondering whether to purify myself or not, whenever I accidentally stepped on wherever he walked on with his slippers. I know I sound very paranoid, but I can't help feeling worried. We have persuaded my father to wash his slippers (with soap, at least, and not the purifying method), but he is adamant, thinking I'm being too paranoid. He keeps on walking outside and inside with the slippers.
Sometimes, we wash the slippers, but he'll use it again to walk outside whenever he's in a hurry.


So my questions are,

1)Must we clean ourselves if we suspect an area to be filthy (and we were in contact with it), even though we can't see the najis, just purely out of suspicion?

2)If any object, such as clothes, items, etc is touched/in contact with by a dog, dog feces, etc, (or something equivalent to it), or is put on an area which is suspected to be dirty, even though we can't see the najis; how must we clean it? Or do we have to clean it at all?

3)If a dog has walked or defecated on an area, (at an open area, like outside), if the rain cleanses the area, is it considered purified?

4)Must I wash my father's slippers with soap or my using the 6 times water/1 time earth+water method?

5)Considering the problem with the slippers above, should I wash the areas he stepped on with soap, or leave it be? Or should I wash it with the purifying method using the earth? Can I pray on these places, or anyplace near it?

6)Also, I have found a soap, which is certified by various religious departments in my country which contains (90% earth). Can I use it?

I should just remind everyone that my father can be difficult, VERY strict and is adamant about his views. He would never listen to me and calls me "overly paranoid". He is not religiously inclined, but he respects me for following the right path. It's just that he has problems that I mentioned above. And no, this isn't about mistreatment of women (and even if it was, Islam doesn't teach that stuff).

I've found this ritual (no offense) extremely tiring, and I have to admit that I go through depression nowadays, and blame myself for being "paranoid". I don't know if I can ever live comfortably with this problem, and I have cried about it often. My family often berates me for being "overly paranoid". In my judgment, I am only trying to be clean to please Allah and so that my prayers are accepted. However, I do think that Allah does not place a heavy burden upon muslims - and on this part I agree with my family.
The only verse that calms me is this one (surah 2 verse 286),

"That verse is "On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear" 2:286. (This verse is also repeated in 6:152, 7:42 and 65:7)."

Please, please provide fatwa's/hadeeth/respectable views on this matter. I need an answer, as quick as possible. I follow only Islam's way, but technically speaking, I am definitely leaning towards the Shafi'e way of doing things. I'm not saying the Shafi'e way is wrong or anything, but anything with authenticity like hadeeth, the Al-Quran, is something that I follow without doubt - as all Muslims do, naturally.
May Allah Bless you.
salam sister i completely understand i’m going through the exact same thing i’m only 15 and it’s been so hard i just wanted to let you know ur not alone may allah make things easier for you❤️
 
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