Question
Assalamu alaikum I have 2 issues that are bothering me. I have outlined them, and questions at the end.
1) my mum used to wipe the toilet with a wet sponge, and urine and faeces would go on the sponge as we have siblings who are not yet trained. She then used this same wet sponge (without washing it) to wipe the entire bath (even the outside of it) and walls which transfers the urine and faeces impurity as it was still visible on the sponge and the sponge is wet. The bath and walls has not been rinsed with water since then, especially not the outside of the bath as this would make water go everywhere.
2) We have a bathtub with a shower. My mum used to fill the bath for my 6 year old sister who would urinate in the bath, making the water and anywhere in the bath that touched this water, impure. She doesn’t rinse the bath after this. she just put water on a sponge and wipe the entire bath which just spreads the impurity as she is not actually pouring any water.
My overall concern is that she doesn:t pour water over any impurities, just spreads them instead. She also would clean the walls with the same sponge, making the walls impure too. I am certain she does this as I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
– Q1: Does this mean that the bath and walls are impure as she spread impurity onto them, and did not rinse them?
– Q2: when I use the bath do I become impure too? As my body is wet and I am in the impure bath.
– Q3: if so, how can I purify myself and the bath?
Please can you give reasonings for your answer. May Allah reward you with goodness.
Answer
Thank you for your question. I will attempt to answer this question from a multifaceted approach. The conclusion though is the cleaning set up you have described is very unlikely to cause any issues to acts of worship, which is the very objective in cleanliness.
Firstly, a good wash and rinse to a sponge is sufficient to clean it so long as the traces of the filth have been removed. Could it be possible that your mother is washing or rinsing the sponge before cleaning the bathtub and beyond? If this is the case, then there isn’t an issue Insha’Allah. It is very unlikely that this isn’t the case as it is against our good nature to wipe our bath-walls and tubs with a sponge wet from urine and faeces.
Moreover, as for the urine of a child, it is among the heavy impurities and will render the bathwater and the inner vessel impure.[1] But again, it is unlikely that the tub isn’t rinsed and cleaned after the bath.
Nonetheless, if the case is as you have suggested, the following will apply. To use a sponge wet from urine or faeces, which has not been rinsed and washed, on another surface area is to transfer that impurity from one place to another. If this is taking place, then it is very strange. You must advise your mother to stop doing this immediately. If necessary, gift her with multiple sponges to encourage her against her current practices. If she used this wet sponge on the bathtub and its outer, this would become impure.
As bathtubs are made from porcelain or a derivative thereof, the fiqh determines that wiping with a clean wet sponge is sufficient to clean such materials.[2] Though, a thorough cleaning with water and a cleaning product may be advisable.
As for baths taken in such a bathtub, if traces of the impurities are found on the body while bathing, one’s body becomes impure.[3] However, it is farfetched to consider how the traces of impurities on the sponge which have been transferred on to the bathtub can then transfer on to a bathing body. Thus, a person bathing in such a bathtub is very unlikely to become impure.
I hope this is sufficient.
Answered by:
Maulana Ikramul Hoque Miah
Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel
[1] الفتاوى الهندية (1/ 45) وَهِيَ نَوْعَانِ (الْأَوَّلُ) الْمُغَلَّظَةُ ]…[ كُلُّ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَدَنِ الْإِنْسَانِ مِمَّا يُوجِبُ خُرُوجُهُ الْوُضُوءَ أَوْ الْغُسْلَ فَهُوَ مُغَلَّظٌ كَالْغَائِطِ وَالْبَوْلِ وَالْمَنِيِّ وَالْمَذْيِ وَالْوَدْيِ وَالْقَيْحِ وَالصَّدِيدِ وَالْقَيْءِ إذَا مَلَأَ الْفَمَ. كَذَا فِي الْبَحْرِ الرَّائِقِ. وَكَذَا دَمُ الْحَيْضِ وَالنِّفَاسِ وَالِاسْتِحَاضَةِ هَكَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِ الْوَهَّاجِ وَكَذَلِكَ بَوْلُ الصَّغِيرِ وَالصَّغِيرَةِ أَكَلَا أَوْ لَا. كَذَا فِي الِاخْتِيَارِ شَرْحِ الْمُخْتَارِ
البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (1/ 239) (قَوْلُهُ: وَعُفِيَ قَدْرُ الدِّرْهَمِ كَعَرْضِ الْكَفِّ مِنْ نَجَسٍ مُغَلَّظٍ كَالدَّمِ وَالْبَوْلِ وَالْخَمْرِ وَخُرْءِ الدَّجَاجِ وَبَوْلِ مَا لَا يُؤْكَلُ لَحْمُهُ وَالرَّوْثُ وَالْخِثْيُ) وفال ابن نجيم في: (1/ 241) وَأَرَادَ بِالْبَوْلِ كُلَّ بَوْلٍ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ بَوْلَ آدَمِيٍّ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ إلَّا بَوْلَ الْخُفَّاشِ فَإِنَّهُ طَاهِرٌ كَمَا سَيَأْتِي وَإِلَّا بَوْلَ مَا يُؤْكَلُ لَحْمُهُ فَإِنَّهُ سَيُصَرِّحُ بِتَخْفِيفِهِ وَأَطْلَقَهُ فَشَمَلَ بَوْلَ الصَّغِيرِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَطْعَمْ
[2] حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح (ص: 163-4 ) ويطهر السيف ونحوه” كالمرآة والأواني المدهونة والخشب الخرائطي والآبنوس والظفر “بالمسح” بتراب زخرفة لأنها لا تتداخلها أجزاء النجاسة أو صوف الشاة المذبوحة فلا يبقى بعد المسح إلا القليل وهو غير معتبر. ويحصل بالمسح حقيقة التطهير في رواية فإذا قطع بها البطيخ يحل أكله واختاره الإسبيجاني ويحرم على رواية التقليل واختاره القدوري ولا فرق بين الرطب والجاف والبول والعذرة على المختار للفتوى لأن الصحابة رضي الله عنهم كانوا يقتلون الكفار بسيوفهم ثم يمسحونها ويصلون معها … “على المختار للفتوى” وقيل طريقه أن يمسحه بثوب مبلول ذكره السيد أي يمسح النجس اليابس
البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (1/ 251) وَفِي الْحَاوِي الْقُدْسِيِّ وَالْأَوَانِي ثَلَاثَةُ أَنْوَاعٍ: خَزَفٌ وَخَشَبٌ وَحَدِيدٌ وَنَحْوُهَا وَتَطْهِيرُهَا عَلَى أَرْبَعَةِ أَوْجُهٍ حَرْقٌ وَنَحْتٌ وَمَسْحٌ وَغَسْلٌ، فَإِنْ كَانَ الْإِنَاءُ مِنْ خَزَفٍ أَوْ حَجَرٍ وَكَانَ جَدِيدًا وَدَخَلَتْ النَّجَاسَةُ فِي أَجْزَائِهِ يُحْرَقُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ عَتِيقًا يُغْسَلُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ خَشَبٍ وَكَانَ جَدِيدًا يُنْحَتُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ عَتِيقًا يُغْسَلُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ أَوْ صُفْرٍ أَوْ زُجَاجٍ أَوْ رَصَاصٍ وَكَانَ صَقِيلًا يُمْسَحُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ خَشِنًا يُغْسَلُ. اهـ.
[3] يُنْحَتُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ عَتِيقًا يُغْسَلُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ أَوْ صُفْرٍ أَوْ زُجَاجٍ أَوْ رَصَاصٍ وَكَانَ صَقِيلًا يُمْسَحُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ خَشِنًا يُغْسَلُ. اهـ.
[3] حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح (ص: 158) ولو ابتل فراش أو تراب نجسا” وكان ابتلالهما “من عرق نائم” عليهما “أو” كان من “بلل قدم وظهر أثر النجاسة” وهو طعم أو لون أو ريح “في البدن والقدم تنجسا” لوجودها بالأثر “وإلا” أي وإن لم يظهر أثرها فيهما “فلا” ينجسان…. “من عرق نائم” قيد اتفاقي فالمستيقظ كذلك كما يفهم من مسألة القدم ولو وضع قدمه الجاف الطاهر أو نام على نحو بساط نجس رطب إن إبتل ما أصاب ذلك تنجس وإلا فلا ولا عبرة بمجرد النداوة على المختار كما في السراج عن الفتاوى قوله: “عليهما” أي على من نام على الفراش أو التراب النجسين قوله: “أو كان من بلل قدم الخ” أي كان ابتلال الفراش أو التراب الخ قوله: “لوجودها بالأثر” أي لوجود النجاسة بوجود أثرها في جنب النائم أو قدمه قوله: “فلا ينجسان” أي البدن والقدم