Question # 516: One year ago i peed while standing on carpet i am not sure if urine dropped from the carpet but i think i heard some drops but i ignore it my family walked on the carpet and i dint care after some days or months i realized and cleaned only area where i think i was standing with soaking it with water and rubbing with a cloth and soap now after a year i feel the urine drops have transferred everywhere because my family member sit on carpet touch it pray salah on it with a prayer mat now i can’t even concentrate on anything and feel urine on everything in my house i cant clean everything with by washing as it is beyond my power please help me in this regard JAZAKALLAh

bismi-llahi r-raḥmani r-raḥīm,

Assalamu ‘laikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

All praise and thanks are due to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى), and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

Dear questioner,

First of all, we implore Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) to help us serve His cause and render our work for His sake.

Shorter Answer: If an impurity falls onto a large carpet, then the way to purify it is by pouring water onto the site until the impurity disappears and then removing the contaminated water using a sponge or similar absorbent aid. It does not matter if the color of the impurity remains so long as the substance of the impurity itself has disappeared. Impurities that cannot be seen with the eye, such as urine, must be washed; although it is not essential to do it more than once, washing it a second and third time is recommended.

However, if the impurity has dried up and no trace of it can be detected, such as color, taste, or smell, then in this case, there is a difference of opinion among the scholars. The more correct view is that water is not needed to remove the impurity; rather, once its characteristics disappear, the ruling no longer applies to it. Furthermore, if the impurity becomes dry on the carpet before or after washing it, then whatever touches it does not become impure just by getting in contact with the place of impurity.

Lastly, it is recommended not to think about this matter as this may be waswasah (whispers) and doubts from the shaytan, and you should not pay attention to any of them.

Long Answer: If an impurity falls onto a large carpet, then the way to purify it is by pouring water onto the site of the impurity until the water overwhelms the impurity that fell on it. Then the contaminated water should be removed using a sponge or other tool. If the impurity disappears as a result, and no trace is left of it, then this is the desired outcome. If it has not disappeared, then it should be washed again, a second and third time, until you think it is most likely that it has disappeared.

It does not matter if the color of the impurity remains on furnishings or garments, so long as the substance of the impurity itself has disappeared, because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said concerning menstrual blood that gets on one’s clothing: “It is sufficient to use water, and any trace left does not matter.” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albani)

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It should be understood that what is required with regard to removing impurity is to get rid of it completely. If the impurity is deemed to be such on the basis of a ruling, which is an impurity that cannot be seen with the eye, such as urine and the like, it must be washed once, and it is not essential to do more than that, but it is recommended to wash it a second and third time because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “When one of you wakes up from sleep, let him not put his hand into a vessel until he has washed it three times.” But if the impurity is visible, such as blood and the like, it is essential to remove its substance, and after removing it is recommended to wash it a second and third time. (Sharh Muslim)

The scholars of the Permanent Committee were asked: Many people use luxury carpets in their homes. If a child of any age, for example, urinates on the carpet, is it sufficient to pour water on it in order to cleanse it of the impurity, seeing that the carpet may be large and may be attached to the floor [fitted carpet], or there may be large pieces of furniture and beds on it, or not? They replied: If the one who has urinated on these carpets and the like is a [baby] boy who is not yet eating solid food, sprinkling water over the entire area affected by the impurity is sufficient to purify it, and it is not essential to squeeze it or wash it.

But if the child is eating solid food, or is a girl, regardless of whether she is eating solid food or not, then it must be purified by washing. It is sufficient to pour water on the site of the impurity, and it is not essential to remove the carpet or squeeze it; this is like the way of removing impurities on the ground because it is proven from Anas (رضي الله عنه) that a Bedouin urinated in the mosque, and the people ran to (beat) him. Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “Do not interrupt his urination (i.e., let him finish).” Then the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) asked for a tumbler of water and poured the water over the place of urine. (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the way to purify a large carpet from impurity? Is squeezing when washing it required after removing the substance of the impurity? He replied: The way to purify a large carpet from impurity is to first remove the substance of the impurity if it has mass. If it is solid, it may be picked up, and if it is liquid – like urine – it may be soaked up with a sponge until it is completely removed, then after that, water should be poured on it until it is thought most likely that its traces, or the impurity, has disappeared. In the case of urine, that may be achieved by pouring water on it twice or three times.    As for squeezing it, that is not necessary unless the removal of the impurity depends on that, such as if the impurity has penetrated into the thing being washed, and it is not possible to clean its interior except by squeezing it; in that case, it must be squeezed. (Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb)

[However,] if the impurity has dried up and no trace of it can be detected, such as color, taste, or smell, then in this case, there is a difference of opinion among the scholars. The more correct view is that water is not needed to remove the impurity; rather, once its characteristics disappear, the ruling no longer applies to it, whether the characteristics were removed with water or any other liquid, or because it has remained for a long time and has been exposed to air, sun, and wind.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: The ground becomes pure from the impurity of urine when it dries out due to the effect of the sun. Is it essential that the sun should have a direct effect on it, or [does it become pure] simply as a result of drying out? Is the ruling on the carpets inside the house the same, whether they are attached to the ground [fitted carpets] or not? He replied: What is meant by the ground becoming pure due to the effect of the sun and wind is not simply drying up; rather, the traces of the impurity must disappear so that no visible trace remains of the urine or impure thing. Based on that, we say: If there is urine on the ground and it dries up, but there is still a visible trace of the urine in that spot, then it does not become pure thereby. But if some time passes, and all traces of it disappear, then it becomes pure because impurity has a substance that must be removed and got rid of. If this substance is removed by any means, then the place becomes pure. With regard to carpets that are spread on the ground, whether they are attached to the ground [fitted carpets] or otherwise, they must be washed, and the way to wash them is by pouring water on them, then drying them up with a sponge, then pouring water a second time and a third time, until it is thought most likely that all traces of the impurity have been removed. (Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb)

[Furthermore,] if the impurity becomes dry on the chair or bed [or carpet] before washing it, then it does not transfer to whatever it comes in contact with if the latter is also dry. Therefore, if someone sits on a chair that was stained with impurity, and its impurity has dried, then his clothes do not become impure just by getting in contact with the place of impurity.

[Lastly, it is recommended to] not to think about this matter as this may be waswasah (whispers) and doubts from the shaytan, and you should not pay attention to any of them.

(The above reply is based on various answers on similar topics provided by:

  • Islamqa.info; and
  • Islamweb.net, a website belonging to the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in the State of Qatar)

Allahu A’lam (Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) knows best) and all Perfections belong to Allah, and all mistakes belong to me alone. May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgive me, Ameen.

Wassalaam