Washing Clothes with Detergents That May Contain Impure Ingredients

29-9-2021 | IslamWeb

Question:

I learned that most washing detergents contain ingredients of animal sources, since i live in Germany it can be assumed that they are impure, now i wonder if i can pray in my clothes since after putting them in the washing machine they should be clean. But what about possible residue of the detergent? I would appreciate a direct answer since this matter is quite important to me. Thank you a lot.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is permissible for you to pray in the clothes that you are asking about; your prayer is valid, and you are not required to repeat it.

The aforementioned garments are judged to be pure. Doubt about the impurity of the contents of washing detergents should not be considered, for the basic principle with regard to things is that they are pure, and they are not judged to be impure except with evidence.

Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said in Majmoo‘a Al-Fatawa:

“All the jurists have agreed in a consensus that the basic principle about objects (things) is that they are pure.” [End of quote]

Allah Knows best.