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Fatwa CenterRemoving Najassah
Question
Once again I thank you for your help and for the effort that you do through this website. My questions are regarding Najas.1) If a Najas (e.g. a towel with urine on it) falls on a book, how can I clean that book? And is letting it dry sufficient? And I do not have it on me during Salat.2) If a dog or animal urinates on a suitcase that was left in a store or on a pavement, is there a way in Islam to deal with what has happened other than having to wash all that is in it, particularly that it is full of many clothes and other objects such as books, electrical appliances…etc.3) I pass by rural areas and in fields where cows are kept and the ground has a lot of cow waste on it, and the cows walk on it and so do the cars and mix it with the earth. I know that this is not Najas, but sometimes the farmer's dogs go into that area and they may also pass waste on it but after the cows have walked over the area and after cars have passed it is impossible to know exactly where the dogs have been. So when I walk in the field or drive through it, is the ground considered Najas or not (I would not pray on it because it is muddy and has cow waste on it, but this would leave remains on my car, even if I hose down with water or leave remains on my bags, etc.4) Finally, the scholars say that what is difficult to clean is considered Tahir. How much should I keep cleaning until I can say I have done enough and the rest is Tahir?
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.
Purifying things that are contaminated with impurities should be done with pure water for Allah's Statement: {… and He caused water (rain) to descend on you from the sky, to clean you thereby …} [Quran 8: 11].
And it is sufficient to pour much water on the thing without a limited number until the impurity is removed.
Some scholars of Islam believe that we have to wash things that are contaminated by dog or pig seven times, one of them with dust for the Prophetic Hadith that reads: "If a dog licks a pot, wash it seven times" . Another narration adds: "One of them should be with soil" . A third narration adds: "Soil it (the thing which is impure) with dust" [Reported by Imam Muslim ].
But, if washing may ruin impure things such as electrical machines, and so on, then you should clean them with wet cloth or something that removes impurities.
Scholars state that we can purify contaminated things such as polished sword, mirror and knives by removing and wiping impurities if they will be ruined due to washing them.
As for contaminated books, they are to be purified with water if they contain some Qur'anic passages, Hadith or Allah's Names. Then, if they become not suitable for use, then we burn or bury them as a sign of respect.
As for passing by pastoral areas that contain droppings of cows and urine of dogs that are mixed with earth, this land is not impure. Then, there is no harm on you as long as you do not see any form of impurity on your body or clothes.
As for your saying 'scholars say that what is difficult to clean is considered Tahir', we state that this statement has a correct meaning although we do not know any scholar whoever delivered such a statement. For sure, texts of Qur'an, Sunnah and Sharia rulings support this statement.
Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {… and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship, …} [Quran 22: 78]. He also Says: {… Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. …} [Quran 2: 185].
al-Sheikh Khalil Ibn Ishaq al-Maliki said: 'What is difficult to do is forgiven' .
al-Qarrafi said: 'Slaves will not be held responsible for not doing very difficult orders or for being unable to shun what is not allowed' .
As for what one is required to purify, we say that all impurities should be removed.
The most well-known kinds of impurities are: blood, pus, urine, feces, wine, a dead animal, and droppings and urine of animals that are not Halal for eating.
As a rule, everything is clean and pure unless what is proved that it is impure.
Our dear inquirer, know that it is allowed to use contaminated things outside the mosque, prayer, food and drinks of a human being. But, it is Haram to use the Najasha (blood, pus, ….) itself.
Allah knows best.
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