Are clothes washed in an automatic washing machine considered pure?

Purity is one of the main principles of our religion. The acceptance of many acts of worship is directly connected to purity. It is well known that prayer is the most virtuous act of worship for a Muslim. Among the external obligations of prayer is that our body, clothing, and the place where we pray must be free from impurity.

Allah says in the Qur'an: "And purify your garments" [1].

Therefore, a Muslim must be especially careful to keep their body, clothing, and place of worship clean from anything that is considered impure by Sharia. It is also very important for a Muslim to know what things are regarded as impure in Islamic law.

In general, things that become impure can be purified in different ways. For example, items like glass, knives, and mirrors can be cleaned by wiping. The ground is purified by drying. If impurity such as blood is visibly present on clothing, it is purified by removing it. If, after washing, a stain remains but the impurity is gone, it does not matter. If the impurity is invisible, it should first be washed and then wrung out. Even if the impurity is removed in one wash, it is recommended to wash the affected area three times. Clothing is considered pure when the smell, color, and taste of the impurity are gone.

If pure clothes are washed together with impure clothes in the same container, all of them become impure. As for clothes washed in an automatic washing machine, they are considered pure and can be used for all acts of worship. Regarding the ruling on clothes washed in automatic washing machines, the Egyptian Fatwa Committee concluded as follows [2]:

فتطهير الملابس بوضعها في الغسالات الأوتوماتيكية أبلغ في الطهارة من غيرها؛ لإزالتها عين النجاسة من الطعم واللون والريح أولًا بعدة غسلات، ثم إزالة حكمها بعدة غسلات، الأمر الذي ينقي الملبس من النجاسة تنقية بالغة.

"Washing clothes in automatic washing machines cleans them more thoroughly than other methods. This is because several washes remove the visible impurity, and subsequent washes remove any invisible traces. Washing clothes in automatic machines completely purifies them from any kind of impurity."

Therefore, when impure clothes are washed in an automatic washing machine with detergent, the clothes are agitated and washed, causing the impurities to dissolve in the water and be removed from the clothes. The used water is then drained, and the clothes are rinsed with clean water. In the end, automatic machines wash and rinse the clothes several times (4-5 times), draining the water each time.

According to the Hanafi school, impurities can be removed with pure water, as well as with other liquids like flower or fruit juice [3]. Therefore, if clothes are washed with water mixed with soap or detergent, they are considered pure.

In conclusion, since automatic washing machines wash clothes several times, draining the used water and rinsing the clothes each time, we can say that clothes washed in automatic machines are considered pure. This ruling applies to automatic washing machines. It does not apply to semi-automatic or other types of washing machines. Allah knows best.

Department of Sharia and Fatwa

• [1] Surah Al-Muddathir, verse 4.

• [2] https://www.dar-alifta.org/ar/ViewResearch.aspx?%20sec=fatwa&ID=151

• [3] Maraqi al-Falah, p. 68.