VISIBLE UNCLEANNESS AND HOW TO CLEANSE IT

MORE ABOUT VISIBLE UNCLEANNESS AND HOW TO CLEANSE IT.

Q.   How to cleanse the leather articles such as socks, shoes, hold-alls etc., if some filthy substance has smeared them?

  They become clean by being rubbed against the earth or any such thing provided its impression on the item concerned is fully rubbed off.

Q.   How to cleanse these articles if filth like urine, wine, etc., defiles them?

  These will be cleansed only if washed with a liquid substance like water so as to remove all traces of uncleanness. That is to say, any kind of uncleanness except  the filthy substance itself that smears the leather article, will be cleansed only if washed and in no other way.

Q.   Can the articles such as knife or sword made of metals like iron, silver, copper or aluminium be cleansed without washing?

  Articles of metal like iron (which is free from rust) of silver, gold, copper, aluminium or brass and those of glass, ivory, bone and porcelain if they are clean and have no engravings on them can be cleansed by rubbing off the traces of filth and its impressions altogether.

Q.   What do we mean by a certain thing being without engravings?

  Engravings are marks that give an uneven surface to an object. They need special provision because filth is still possible to lurk in rubbed off. They however, become clean by rubbing them if they contain only colour paint and no engravings.

Q.   How to cleanse the soil that has got defiled with urine and wine, etc.?

  Uncleanness automatically vanishes once the ground dries up and effects of uncleanness (such as colour, smell and taste) disappear.

Q.   How to cleanse uncleanness that smears the baked bricks or stones of the pavement of a house or mosque or those of a wall?

  The bricks or stones of a building if unclean, will become clean if traces of uncleanness disappear.

Q.   How to wash articles like brass vessels or thick cushions which cannot be wringed?

  The method to be followed in cleansing articles that are difficult or impossible to wring is as follows: wash them once and leave them. When water stops dripping, give them a second wash and leave them. Wash them the third time after dripping of water as a result of the second wash has stopped and they will become clean. But it is necessary to rub them as much as possible so that maximum possible efforts have been spent in cleansing them.

Q.   Can unclean clay vessels be cleansed?

  Clay vessels can also be cleansed. The method described above will hold good for them also.

Q.   Is the ashes of an unclean substance such as dung clean or unclean?

  When an unclean substance has been burnt to ashes, it become clean.

Q.   What should we do if a rat fails into ghee (a kind of butter) and dies?

  If the ghee is frozen throe out the rat and the ghee just around it. The rest of the ghee is clean. If the ghee is in the melted form the entire ghee will be unclean.

Q.   How to cleanse the unclean ghee or oil?

  Put into unclean ghee or oil an equal quantity of water and boil the two together. Then take out the ghee or oil that floats on the surface. Do it thrice and the ghee or oil will become clean and usable.

MASAH ON SOCKS

MORE ABOUT MAS-HA ON SOCKS

Q.   When should we start reckoning the stipulated permissible duration for wiping the socks?

  The permissible duration for the purpose should be calculated from the moment the ablution gets nullified. From that time onward Mas-ha is allowed on socks for a day and night or for three days and three nights as the case may be. For example, if one puts on the socks in the morning of Friday and breaks his ablution after time for dhuhr prayer is over, if he is a Muqmim (on station), he is allowed to continue to wipe his socks until dhuhr prayer on Saturday. Musafir (a person on journey), on the other hand, can continue to wipe the socks until dhuhr on Monday.

Q.   What are the things that invalidate Mas-ha?

  Acts that nullify the ablution also break Mas-ha. Apart from that the Mas-ha gets broken as soon as the stipulated permissible period for Mas-ha is over. It also breaks if the socks are taken off or the socks get torn making a hole as big as the width of three toes.

Q.   What will be the position if the socks are taken off while the ablution is still intact or the duration for the validity of Mas-ha is over?

  Under both these situation it is enough to wash the feet and put on the socks. It is, however, desirable (Mustahab) to do the ablution afresh.

Q.   What should a person on journey do if he returns home only one day and night after he undertook the Mas-ha on socks?

  He should take off the and start with a new ablution and a fresh Mas-ha.

Q.   What should a person on-station do if he starts on journey after he undertook his Mas-ha at home?

  If he starts on journey before a day and night is over he may keep the socks on and continue doing the Mas-ha for three days and three nights. If, however, he starts on his journey after the completion of one day and night he must put off the socks and begin with a fresh Mas-ha.

Q.   What will be the position if the socks are torn a little at several places?

  We must see whether the combined circumference of the tear is equal to three toes in width. If so, Mas-ha is not allowed to be made. If it is less, Mas-ha is allowed. If, however, only the combined tear of the two socks is equal to the width of three toes while the tear of each individual sock is less than that, the Mas-ha is allowed to be done.

MASAH ON SOCKS & WIPING THE BANDAGE

MAS-H ON SOCKS (wiping the socks with wet hands)

Q.   On what kinds of Socks is Mas-h (wiping with wet hands) permissible?

·        Mas-h is permissible on three kind of Socks:

(1)   Socks made of leather which cover the feet upto ankle.

(2)   Such woolen or cotton socks which have a leather sole.

(3)   Such woolen or cotton socks which are so thick that they would not be torn if one walks wearing these socks a distance of three or four miles.

Q.   When is Mas-h permissible on socks?

·        Mas-h is performed on socks to renew the ablution provided the socks have been on since the feet were last washed in ablution.

Q.   For how many days is Mash permissible to be performed on socks once put on?

·        A person on station can continue to do the Mas-h for a day and night. A person on journey can continue to do it for three days and nights.

Q.   What is the way to perform Mas-h on socks?

·        Mas-h must be performed on the upper part of the feet. Doing Mas-h on the soles or heels is not permissible.

Q.   Is Mas-h on socks permissible in both, ablution and bath?

·        Mas-h on socks is allowed to be performed in ablution, but not in bath.

Q.   What is the right method to perform Mas-h?

·        The proper way to do Mas-h is to wet the fingers of one’s hands, cover the toes with three fingers and draw them up towards the ankle’s fingers in their full length should be used for the purpose. Tips of the fingers only will not suffice.

Q.   Is Mas-h allowed on torn socks?

·        Mas-h is not permissible on socks which are torn out to the extent that foot is open equivalent to three small fingers of the foot or it may open to the same extent in walking. If the tear is less, it is permissible.

WIPING THE BANDAGE (Mas-h on Jabirah)

Q.   What is Jabirah ?

·        Jabirah, literally is a flat piece of wood used as bandage for the cure of a fractured bone. But here the term applies to a piece of wood or cotton with ointment applied on it, for the wound.

Q.   What are the injunctions of Islam about the Mas-h on such piece of wood, bandage or cotton?

·        If the removal of this piece of wood, bandage or cotton is harmful for the wound or causes pain, Mas-h is permissible on it.

Q.   On what part of the bandage is Mas-h to be done?

·        Mas-h must be done on the whole length of the bandage whether or not it covers the wound.

Q.   What is the injunction if no pain or harm is likely to be caused by removing the bandage?

·        Washing is compulsory if no harm or pain is likely to be caused to the wound. In case washing the wound is likely to cause harm or pain, but not so the wiping of it, the latter (wiping or Mas-h) may be done. If however, washing and wiping the wound are likely to give pain or do harm, Mas-h on bandage is permissible.