Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamu Alaikkum

 

I am working in a office with a non Muslim on shift basis.  As you are aware, non Muslims don’t wash their private parts following urination and thus their clothes become impure. I used to sit the chair which my colleague used to sit as there is no option of other chairs. (Otherwise I have to keep a separate chair for me which will be embarrassing to my colleague).  The chair will become impure as he sits in the chair without washing his genital. My question is:  1. Can I sit in that chair?  2. Will my cloth become impure, if I sit in that chair?  3. If I sit in that char, do I need to change my cloth for prayer?

 

Your answer is appreciated.

 

Wassalam.

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Sitting on impure chair

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Respected brother, rest assured that just because one does not wash their private parts after relieving themselves, and subsequently that person happens to sit on a chair….that act by itself does not in any way make the chair impure! 

 

Unless and until one is absolutely confident that the impurity (urine in this instance) has actually touched or fallen on a thing (chair in this instance); that thing (chair) will be considered absolutely pure.

 

Q-1:. Can I sit in that chair?

If you have not seen the impurity (urine in this instance) itself touch the chair, the chair will not become impure in the least….you are at absolute liberty to sit in that chair used by the person, if you so wish to do so.

 

Q-2: Will my cloth become impure, if I sit in that chair?

If you have yourself seen that some impurity has touched the chair, the mere washing of that part of the chair would remove the impurity.  But if you have not seen any impurity touch the chair, the chair will be assumed to be pure and your sitting on the chair would not effect the purity of your clothes in the least.

 

Q-3: If I sit in that char, do I need to change my cloth for prayer?

If no impurity has actually touched your clothes, your clothes would be assumed pure and you need not change your clothes to offer your prayers.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan