Brown stains on one’s clothing
Question
Sometimes when I feel a bit sweaty, I scratch my perineum/groin area with my clothes. Sometimes I will see a brownish colour on my clothes, and if I smell it, it’s not really like a stool smell. Do I need to clean myself or my clothing? When I found the stains, I washed the area and squeezed it three times. Is this correct?
Answer
The brown colour could be due to perspiration, as you have stated in your query that you feel quite sweaty. Secondly, you have stated that the brown colour doesn’t smell like stool. In conclusion, if it is perspiration, then it will be considered as clean and there is no need to wash yourself or your clothing. [Re: Fataawa Qasmiyyah Vol:5 Pg:185]
However, if there is certainty that the brown colour on the clothing is stool (which seems far-fetched in your case from your query) then it should be washed off (your clothing) before performing Salaah, even though it is less than the size of the palm in circumference. You should also wash yourself in this instance so that your body is free from any impurity. However, if one performs Salaah with the stool on the clothing then Salaah will be valid with the proviso that it is less than the size of the palm in circumference which estimated to be +-5.94cm.
If the clothing was impure, then by washing the clothing thrice and squeezing it each time, it will become pure. [Re: Fataawa Uthmaaniyyah Vol:1 Pg:257-258]
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
أما النجاسة القليلة فإنها لا تمنع جواز الصلاة، سواء كانت خفيفة أو غليظة استحسانا، (بدائع الصنائع ج١ص٢٣٢)
احسن الفتاوي ج٢ص٨٩
- Answered by
- Maulana Ahmed Saeed
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Darul Ifta Ibn Masood. It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, ask the issuing Darul Ifta directly.