Whispers about The Impurity of Water Fatwa No: 389317
- Fatwa Date:1-1-2019
Assalamualaikum i have been suffering from ocd for quite a long time but recently the hostel i stay in the water supply was contaminated with drainage water so i started using bottled water i stay in hostel for studies but the problem is the people here use that dirty water only and they spread impurity everywhere so when i wash my self with pure water while my hands or feet are wet i touch any place my hands become impure as a result i keep washinh things until time for prayer is over.Also i have become more obsessed my hands sweat a little and i touch my hands on those places and then other place they become impure, i keep worrying about getting impure a lot.I cannot leave the studies as this is my last year and i have spent a lot on this and i cant shift outside because staying alone is not safe here.Am i obsessed or is it really a problem? Please advice me on this one sheikh told me to leave hostel but its not safe outside.
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.
Do not leave that hostel, and do not pay any attention to those thoughts and whispers.
You should know that the view of the Maaliki School and the view chosen by Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah is that water does not become impure except if it is changed [in its color, taste, or smell]. Therefore, you can act according to this opinion.
Since, you see that this water was not changed with impurity, and this is something certain, then it is pure othewise people would not be using it. So, you should rule that it is pure and treat it as pure. You may use it for anything you need and should not pay attention to the doubts and thoughts that you have.
If you doubt that it has changed, then act according to the principle, that it did not change.
If it did change but you are in doubt whether it changed with something pure or something impure, then in principle it did not change with impurity.
If you act according to what we have mentioned to you above, then those illusions and thoughts will disappear and all your affairs will be good.
You should avoid all kinds of whispers, as the only way to treat such whispers is by repelling and ignoring them, and not paying any attention to them.
For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 373315, 377887, 386326 and 386329.
Allah knows best.