Ruling on Praying While One’s Clothes are Soiled with Blood

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah. Blessings and peace be upon Prophet Mohammad: In principle, blood is Najasaah( ritual impurity ) for Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Say: "I find not in the message received by me by inspiration any (meat) forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be dead meat, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine,- for it is an abomination – or, what is impious, (meat) on which a name has been invoked, other than God’s".{Al-An`am/145}. As regards the ruling when blood reaches the praying person`s clothes: if it was his, then he is excused regardless of its amount, provided that he didn`t cause the blood to come out on purpose such as deliberately wearing clothes soiled with his own blood, and that his blood isn`t mixed with someone else`s. This is supported by what An-Nawawi{May his soul rest in peace} said: “ Our fellow scholars brought Jabir`s Hadith as an evidence:{Two of the Prophet`s companions were guarding the Muslims during the night of Ghazwat Dhat-ur-Riqa`(The Campaign of Rags). As one of them was praying, one of the disbelievers targeted him with an arrow that settled in his body, so he took it out, but he was hit by another one, and so he took it out, then he was hit by a third one and he took it out as well, then he bowed and prostrated while bleeding}”{Abu Dawood , this Hadith is graded as good}. The evidence here is that a lot of blood came out of the Prophet`s companion`s body, and he continued praying, so if blood had invalidated his ablution, he wouldn`t have bowed, prostrated and completed his prayer. The Prophet{PBUH} was told about that, but he didn`t consider it impermissible.” Please refer to” Al-Majmoo”. However, if it was someone else`s blood, then the praying person is excused for a little bit of it in case he wasn`t able to see it, but he isn`t excused if it was much. “ Umdat As-Saalik “ –a Shafite book- stated: “ As for blood and pus: if they were someone else`s, then a praying person is excused for the least amount of them, but if they were his, then he is excused regardless of their amount.” Ashirbini`s “ Moghni Al-Mohtajj” stated : “ A praying person is excused if his clothes were soiled with someone else`s blood… but if he soiled them intentionally, then he isn`t excused because he had transgressed…..he is excused from whatever blood that came out of his own body as long as it didn`t mix with the blood of someone else`s, but if it did such as the blood which came out of his eye, or gums, then he isn`t excused .” And Allah knows best.