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THE 75TH MEETING OF THE PERLIS STATE FATWA COMMITTEE / 2025

25–26 AUGUST 2025 / 1-2 RABIUL AWWAL 1447

THE RULING ON THE USE OF SUBSTANCES OTHER THAN WATER TO REMOVE IMPURITY

The removal of ritual impurity is aimed at eliminating the impurity and its perceptible traces. This signifies that once the physical substance of the impurity and its evident traces have been removed, the process of purification is deemed complete in the sight of the Sharī'ah. The substance upon which there is scholarly consensus for the removal of impurity is absolute water, and it remains the most preferred medium for this purpose.

Although pure water is the material that cleanses most effectively, in certain circumstances the use of materials other than water is preferable when there is a need. This includes situations such as shortage of water, illness which makes the use of water difficult, or where the use of water may cause loss, damage to property, and the like.

Accordingly, the use of any pure material for istinja’ or for removing impurity from the body, clothing, or place—such as dry tissues, wet wipes, steam, or any other material—is permissible if the impurity and its visible effects can thereby be removed. Once the process of removing impurity is effected, the person, clothing, and place concerned may be used for acts of worship. Nevertheless, one must avoid using materials that possess a status of honour, such as food, or paper containing Quranic text, hadith, or religious knowledge.

PRESENCE AND APPROVAL BY:

1. Sahibus Samahah Professor Dato' Arif Perkasa Dr. Mohd Asri bin Zainul Abidin
2. Sahibul Fadhilah Ustaz Tajul Urus bin Abdul Halim
3. Sahibul Fadhilah Professor Dr. Basri bin Ibrahim
4. Sahibul Fadhilah Professor Dr. Muhamad Rozaimi bin Ramle
5. Sahibul Fadhilah Dr. Hj. Zaharuddin bin Hj. Abdul Rahman
6. Sahibul Fadhilah Professor Dr. Azman bin Mohd Noor
7. Sahibul Fadhilah Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Akram bin Dato' Dahaman @ Dahlan
8. Sahibul Fadhilah Dr. Ahmad Sufian bin Che Abdullah
9. Sahibul Fadhilah Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmad Wifaq bin Mokhtar
10. Sahibul Fadhilah Ustaz Syed Abu Bakar bin Syed Kamal Bharin
11. Sahibul Fadhilah K.H. Dr. Zaitun bin Rasmin
12. Sahibul Fadhilah Dr. Muhammad Lukman bin Mat Sin
13. Sahibul Fadhilah Ustaz Aidil bin Abdul Rahman
14. Sahibul Fadhilah Ustaz Burhanudin bin Lokman
15. Al-Fadhil Ustaz Muhammad Khidhir bin Abdul Ghani – Secretary

Endorsed at the Council Session of the Islamic Religious Affairs and Malay Customs Council of Perlis No. 5/2025, on 2 October 2025.