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Fatwa CenterHas doubts about the purity of the seats in a public swimming pool complex
Question
Assalamu'alaikum.
I am going for Swimming at a public place where people of all religions also come. After doing swimming, and after taking bath as well as Gusl, I go to dress myself. But the path in between is such that people walk with sleepers (or shoes). So, it's the case of Paaki-Naapaaki. Also there are seats to sit and wear the pyjamahs but the people (I've heard, not seen) tie their shoe-laces by keeping their shoes on the seats. So now what to do?
Case 1: If I wear the pyjamah by sitting on the seat.
Case 2: If I wear it by standing only. In this case the lower end of the pyjamah falls on the ground which is wet and where the people walk with their shoes.
So, my question is, if I follow any of the above cases, whether my dress is Paak or not; or whether I have to change my clothes after coming home and take Gusl in order to perform the duties of Islam.
Please guide me through the eyes of Shariat (I am Hanafi).
If you have any other case other than the two metioned above, please show me that.
Waiting for your prompt reply.
Thanking you for your sincere efforts.
Allah Hafiz.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
First of all, you should know that swimming is not permissible in swimming pools where men and women freely intermix or ‘Awrahs (parts of the body that must be covered in Islam) are uncovered. If the swimming pool is exclusive to men and ‘Awrahs are not likely to be uncovered, it is permissible for you to go there. For further information, see Fataawa 84712 and 84231.
In principle, the earth surface is pure. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "The whole earth has been made for us a place of worship and its soil has been made for us a means of purification." [Muslim]
Also, shoes are in principle pure even if the person walks on impure lands with them. This is because the earth that he treads on after that purifies them. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah 
that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "If one of you treads on impurities with his shoes, the soil purifies them." [Abu Daawood] Thus, it is permissible for the Muslim to perform prayer while wearing shoes on condition that they are free from any impurities. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Whoever comes to the Masjid (whose floor was then covered with pebbles) should look at his sandals; if he found impurities attached to them, let him remove the impurities and perform prayer in them." [Abu Daawood]
Therefore, people's treading on the ground or the seats with their shoes does not make them impure. If the ground and the seats do not have impurities, there will be no harm in sitting on the seats or if the clothes touch the ground. However, if you are sure that there is an impurity on the ground or the seats and that it touched your clothes or your body, you must wash the area of the body or the clothes which is touched by an impurity.
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