Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings. I don't remember the details exactly as the incident happened several days ago and I am still thinking about it. I went to perform ablution and saw a color resembling blood on my lips, but I can't recall if it was fresh blood, old blood, or just a color on my lips. After some time, I discovered a wound nearby after the incident itself. I assumed it was blood and wanted to purify it in either case at that time before knowing about the wound. However, I forgot and began my ablution. When I finished washing my right hand, I accidentally touched some foreign water, so I wanted to redo my ablution. I left the restroom, dried my body with a towel, placed the towel next to the sink, and started ablution again. After washing my face, I remembered that I hadn't purified my lips. I should note that sometimes during ablution, I press my lips inward, and I only recently learned that this is not permissible during ablution. I don't remember if I pressed my lips during the first ablution, but I mostly think I didn't do it in the second ablution based on my memory, and that impurity may have reached my hands. However, I am not 100% sure about that, but I want to purify the areas where I mostly think impurity reached as a precaution because my family members pray in some of those places. Also, an hour before the first ablution, I had already showered, so if there was blood, it likely got purified at that time, and what I saw afterward was just a color on my lips. However, I am not exactly sure because after stopping the second ablution, I entered the restroom, washed my face, and saw the color gradually fade, which made me remember that sometimes I press my lips. It is strange that the color did not go away during the first or second ablution but faded when I washed my face. I have been suffering from doubts about impurity for about a month, and I wanted to rely on purity, but this is the first time I am almost sure that the place has become impure, and I do not want my family members to pray in an impure place. What should I do in this case? I am a follower of Ayatollah Khamenei.
🤖
AI Notice: This translation was generated by AI and is currently awaiting human verification.
1 Answer
Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.
Ayatollah Khamenei and Ayatollah Sistani (may Allah protect them):
First: Regarding impurity and the obligation to purify everything you mentioned, the ruling is to assume purity and not to declare anything impure, as from the beginning you are not sure about the presence of blood but are in doubt about it. Therefore, the ruling is to assume purity unless you know for certain about the impurity.
Second: Regarding ablution and the obligation to wash the lips, this is correct, but it is not necessary to open the mouth; rather, the lips should be pressed together, meaning the area that does not show when the mouth is closed naturally does not need to be washed. Therefore, if you pressed your lips in an unnatural way and pushed them inward, your ablution would not be valid.
Third: It is clear that you are suffering from obsessive thoughts, and therefore even if you were aware of the impurity and pressed your lips, you should not assume impurity or declare your ablution invalid, because a person with obsessive thoughts may have knowledge and certainty contrary to the norm and doubts and builds on matters that others do not build on or are certain about.
May you be successful in all good.
Source:
Ayatollah Khamenei (may Allah protect him): Educational Message, Purity, Impurities (3), Rulings on Impurities + Rulings on Obsession + Fiqh of the Guardian: Rulings on Ablution + Answers to Inquiries, Rulings on Obsession.
Ayatollah Sistani (may Allah protect him): Minhaj al-Salihin, Vol. 1, Impure Substances, M 404 + Minhaj al-Salihin - Vol. 1 - Parts of Ablution - M 71 + Official Website