Stepping on dry impurity
Fatwa No: 350434

Question

Assalaam alaykum. I accidentally stepped on a dry impurity (feces from more than two months ago that was never properly cleaned. The area is left with dark stains, yet no pieces of fecal matter.) with a partially wet sandal. Then I walked a few steps until I arrived at a room which has a curtain that hangs over the entrance. When I entered the room, I realized that I had stepped on the impurity, so I left to check if my sandal was actually wet, which it was. Therefore, I returned to the room and poured water over the area which I had stepped on in the room. However, I completely forgot about the curtain, which touched the bottom of my jeans, feet, and sandals. It also touched the water on the floor, wetting its ends. The problem is that I did not check for traces of impurity on the floor before pouring water on it. So, do I assume that there were no traces, therefore not rendering the floor and curtain impure? I read that if there are no traces of impurity, one can assume purity. How far does one go in checking for traces of impurity? In addition, the area which I live in is very sandy/dusty. So there is a light layer of sand/dust all over the building and the areas that I stepped on, except for the inside of the room. (Maybe stepping over this dust/sand would have purified the bottom of my shoe.) May Allaah reward you.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

You have asked us many questions which prove that you are affected with Waswaas (obsessive doubts). We have warned you many times against them and against being carried away with them, because getting carried away with such doubts leads to a great evil.

In any case, some scholars are of the view that the impurity is not transferred to your shoes in the case which you mentioned, if we presume that you stepped on impurity.

So you should ignore these doubts and not pay any attention to them. You should know that the earth and whatever is connected to it become pure by dryness according to the view of many scholars.

As for your second question, then please send it separately, according to the policy of the site, so that we can answer it.

Allah knows best.

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