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Fatwa CenterFinding impurity on the body/clothing during prayer
Question
salam alykum.dear sheikh I read in the book alwajiz fi fiqh alkitab wassunnah that if someone finds impurities on his body during prayer if he can not easily remove it he can continue with his prayer. I want explanation since taharah is shart sihhah
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 
is His slave and Messenger.
First of all, it should be mentioned that what you quoted from Al-Wajeez is not accurate, as the book says: "If he knows about the impurity during the prayer, then if he can remove it, like if it is in his sandals or dress that is in addition to what covers his ‘Awrah, then he should remove it and continue his prayer, but if he cannot remove it, then he should pray (in that condition), and he does not have to make up for it." The author did not say "if he cannot easily remove it".
In any case, we say that the scholars differed in opinion about removing the impurity for performing the prayer, whether it is a condition for its validity or whether it is only desirable. There are two views: the first view is the view of the majority of the scholars, and the second view is one of the two views of the Maaliki School of jurisprudence and Ibn Rushd considered it to be the popular opinion of the School.
Therefore, if it is possible to remove the impurity before the time of the prayer ends, then it is obligatory to remove it according to the view of the majority of scholars, even if one finds some hardship in removing it if the hardship is bearable; however, if he could not remove it, and he did not find a pure article of clothing to pray in if the impurity was on the clothing, then this condition is cancelled; Ibn Qudaamah said in Al-Mughni: “Chapter: if there is impurity on his body and he is unable to wash it because of the lack of water, or for fear of harm by using water, then he should perform Tayammum (dry ablution) and pray.” [End of quote]
Also, Ar-Ruhaybaani from the Hanbali school, said in Mataalib Uli An-Nuha: “One should pray in impure clothing if something else is absent if purifying it is impossible in the time (of prayer), because the covering of ‘Awrah is more emphasized than the removal of impurity because it is obligatory both inside and outside of the prayer.” [End of quote]
Besides, Al-Mardaawi, from the Hanbali School, said in Al-Insaaf: “He (Ibn Qudaamah) said: "If one cannot find anything except an impure article of clothing, then he should pray in it"; this is the view of the School … and it was said, the prayer is not valid at all in impure clothing; rather, one should pray naked … according to him (Imaam Ahmad), if the time is short (i.e. the time of the prayer is near end), then he should pray in it; otherwise, no; and it was said that prayer in it is not valid at all in something that is intrinsically impure, like the skin of a dead animal, so one should pray naked. Note: where we said that he should pray naked, he does not have to repeat the prayer, according to the correct opinion of the School.” [Abridged]
Moreover, Minah Al-Jaleel fi Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel (from the Maaliki School books) reads: “If the time is short, he should pray in the impure clothing without washing it because observing the prayer at its prescribed fixed time is given precedence to removing impurity.” [End of quote]
The same was said in Mawaahib Al-Jaleel (authored by Al-Hattaab): “If the impurity is at a particular place, he should wash that particular place; otherwise, he should wash the entire article of clothing, and if he has no other clothing and the time left for prayer is short, then he should pray in it.” [End of quote]
What is meant is that if one knows that being busy with purifying the impurity from his body or clothes would make him unable to pray one Rak‘ah before the prayer time ends, then he should complete the prayer (i.e. pray in that condition) and he is not required to do anything else.
However, if he cannot remove the impurity while he is in prayer and there is enough time, then he should interrupt (stop) his prayer, remove the impurity and then pray.
Allaah Knows best.
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