Salaah on an impure mat

QUESTION:

Considering the following type of prayer mats, if Najaasat is at the bottom (facing the floor) and the top side is pure (in the sense that the smell & visibility of the Najaasat can not be discerned), will Salaah be valid on it?

1) On a cloth mat

2) On a plastic woven mat e.g.:

https://media.4rgos.it/i/Argos/1177169_R_Z001C?w=1500&h=880&qlt=70&fmt=webp

3) On a Waterproof double-sided aluminum mat e.g.: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RzUAAOSwlahkefq1/s-l1600.jpg

ANSWER:

The following excerpt is mentioned in Bahishti Zewar (English version – Pg 49):

“A particular cloth is double folded – one side is impure and the other is pure. If both the sides are not stitched, it will be permissible to offer Salaah on the side that is pure. But if both the sides are stitched, Salaah will not be permissible even on the side that is pure.”

Taking into consideration the above-mentioned principle, the Mas’ala would be as follows:

If the two sides of the cloth-mat, plastic woven-mat or aluminium-mat are stitched (and considered as one), then Salaah will not be valid on either side in the case of it being impure. It seems from the pictures that the mats are stitched.

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Abdur Rahman Abdur Razak

Date: – 19 Rabi ul Awwal 1445 / 05 October 2023

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb