Finding impurities on ones clothes after completing the prayer.

Question

A man performed the prayer, and some time later, he saw something impure on his clothes. Should he repeat his prayer, bearing in mind that the prayer was five months ago?


Answer

If he did not know that it was impure, except after he finished the prayer, then his prayer is correct. This is because when the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) was informed by Jibril during his prayer that there was something impure on his shoes, he removed them and did not repeat the first part of the prayer. The same case if he knows about it before the prayer, then forgot about it and prayed, not remembering until after the prayer, based upon the words of Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful:

“Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 286]

And it has been authentically reported from the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam) that Allah answered this supplication. (Narrated by Muslim in his Sahih).


Shaikh Ibn Baz (Rahimahullah)


Reference: Fatawa Islamiyah Volume 2 Pages 33-34