Impure water drying up on the floor
Question:-
1) If there is a Najaasat (impurity) on the floor and it disappears (e.g. through evaporation or the wind, or is removed) to the point that no sight of it remains (as is common with impure water), would that area of the floor become Taahir (pure) without washing / rinsing / passing it with clean-water?
2) Would the above ruling extend to any object that is firmly attached to the floor, even indirectly? So a wall is attached to the floor directly, but a door is indirectly attached through the wall to the floor. So if the door handle becomes Najis and the Najaasat disappears, would that spot become Taahir without washing?
Answer:-
1. If Napaak water that was remaining on the floor dried up, leaving behind no trace of the water or smell, then the floor will be regarded as clean upon which one will be permitted to perform Salaah. This is in a case when it was unknown that impure water was on the floor. However, Tayammum will not be allowed on such a floor.
شيئان يطهران بالجفاف: الأرض إذا أصابها نجاسة فجفّت ولم يُرَ أثرها جازت الصلاة فوقها – المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (1/ 205
وَ تَطْهُرُ (أَرْضٌ ) بِخِلَافِ نَحْوِ بِسَاطٍ ( بِيُبْسِهَا ) أَيْ : جَفَافِهَا وَلَوْ بِرِيحٍ ( وَذَهَابِ أَثَرِهَا كَلَوْنٍ ) وَرِيحٍ ( لِ ) أَجْلِ ( صَلَاةٍ ) عَلَيْهَا ( لَا لِتَيَمُّمٍ ) بِهَا ؛ لِأَنَّ الْمَشْرُوطَ لَهَا الطَّهَارَةُ وَلَهُ الطَّهُورِيَّةُ – رد المحتار (2/ 445
وحُكْمُ (آجُرٍّ) وَنَحْوِهِ كَلَبِنٍ (مَفْرُوشٍ وَخُصٍّ) بِالْخَاءِ تَحْجِيرَةُ سَطْحٍ ( وَشَجَرٍ وَكَلَأٍ قَائِمَيْنِ فِي أَرْضٍ كَذَلِكَ ) أَيْ : كَأَرْضٍ ، فَيَطْهُرُ بِجَفَافٍ وَكَذَا كُلُّ مَا كَانَ ثَابِتًا فِيهَا لِأَخْذِهِ حُكْمَهَا بِاتِّصَالِهِ بِهَا فَالْمُنْفَصِلُ يُغْسَلُ لَا غَيْرُ ، إلَّا حَجَرًا خَشِنًا كَرَحًى فَكَأَرْضٍ
أحسن الفتاوي ج٢ ص٨٨
فتاوي محمودية ج ٨ ص ٣٢٧
2. In our understanding, the door handle will not be considered as being attached to the floor hence, it will have to be washed.
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 20 Rajab 1444 / 11 Febrauary 2023