Does impure clothing become purified if washed in a Washing Machine?


Q. Does impure clothing become purified if washed in a Washing Machine?

A. The general requirements of purifying impure clothing is as follows:

a. If clothing is soiled with impurity and the impurity is visible, the impurity must be removed/cleansed regardless of the number of times it takes to remove the impurity from the clothing. Thus, if the impurity is removed by simply washing the clothing once, the clothing will be purified. There will be no need to wash it further. On the other hand, if the impurity can only be removed by washing the clothing ten times or more, the clothing must be washed ten times or more until the impurity is removed for the clothing to be purified.

b. If the impurity is not visible, the clothing must be washed three times and wrung/squeezed for the clothing to be purified.

In regards to clothing washed in a washing machine, the clothing is usually washed, rinsed and wrung/squeezed more than three times with fresh water being used each time which is drained. This satisfies the general rules of purifying clothing that is both visible and non-visible.

Thus, if impure clothing is washed in a washing machine, the clothes will be purified once the impurity is removed. Furthermore, if impure clothing is washed together with other pure clothing, they do not become impure by being washing together in the washing machine. (Shaami 1/333 – Tahtaawi Ala Maraaqil Falaah 1/162 – Kitaabul-Fataawa 7/343)

Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

themufti.com

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