Impure clothes washed in washing machine
| Fatwa #2348 | Category: Tahaarah (Purity) | Country: Zambia | Date: 23rd July 2026 |
| Fatwa #2348 | Date: 23rd July 2026 |
| Category: Tahaarah (Purity) | |
| Country: Zambia | |
Question
Assalamu Alaykum,
I am desperately seeking clarity on a matter that’s causing me immense hardship. If you could please respond according to the Hanafi fiqh.
Whenever I have a wet dream, my clothes quickly dry up, leaving no visible trace. My mum washes these impure clothes together with other pure clothes in the washing machine. I recently checked with the company and was told that for all wash modes (i.e. cotton, eco mode), the wash cycle (water added at the start, clothes are spun, water drained) only happens once, and it’s not possible to add additional cycles. I have seen opinions stating that for invisible impurities, 3 cycles must be used. Even though the clothes are washed for 1 hour 20 minutes, and I don’t see any impurity (as the impurity was invisible anyway prior to washing), are all clothes now deemed impure?
This has been happening for over 10 years, and I am now anxious whether past prayers need to be repeated, for me and my family, and if all clothes need to be rewashed.
More recently, I started washing impure clothes separately before they are washed with the pure clothes. Because the impurity is not visible, I cannot identify the exact afflicted area, so I hold the garment under a running tap, ensuring water reaches everywhere. I then squeeze out as much water as I reasonably can and repeat this 3 times. However, because I felt wetness both inside and outside the garment during the wet dream, I also turn the garment inside out and repeat the process again, making it 6 washes in total. Is this excessive? I also find it difficult to fully wring out the garment due to not being physically strong, so I am unsure whether the garment is properly purified as I’ve read that all water must be squeezed out. Also, the garments are still severely soaked when I place them in the machine with the other pure clothes, so am I spreading najasah water?
Another concern I have is that even if I take these precautions, other family members are not doing the same, and so they could be adding their impure clothes into the same wash.
Lastly, if it is acceptable for impure and pure clothes to be washed together in 1 cycle, does washing powder/detergent have to be used, or does water alone suffice? Also, can I stop doing my current method of washing impure clothes separately, as I am finding it exhausting and difficult to maintain?
I sincerely apologise for overloading so much detail, I hope it’s all clear.
Jazakum Allahu khayran
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Impure clothes when washed in a washing machine, whether just with water or with detergent, will become pure.[1] There is no reason for all the extra difficulty you are undergoing yourself and imposing on others around you.
It appears you are affected by waswasa. See the following link on how to combat waswasa.
https://daruliftaazambia.com/fatwa/?id=496
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Bilal Pandor
Concurred by
Mufti Muhammad Patel
Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah
Lusaka, Zambia
فتاوى دار العلوم زكريا ج1 ص546 [1]
آپ کے مسائل اور ان کا حل ج٢ ص٩٩
https://daruliftaazambia.com/fatwa/?id=754
https://daruliftaazambia.com/fatwa/?id=1142
https://daruliftaazambia.com/fatwa/?id=777