Question:
I run an Airbnb and have had non-Muslim guests. I now have a Muslim guest. If all my cutlery and crockery are washed in a dishwasher that runs at about 70 degrees, does this purify them to be suitable for Muslims to use?
Answer:
Assalamu alaykum,
Filth From Dogs and Pigs
Thank you for your question. In the Shafi’i school, the purification of an item is not achieved by the temperature of the water used, but, rather by the number of times, it has been washed, especially if pork was eaten on it. Specifically one purifies traces of pork by washing the item seven times, one of the seven, being with earthy water. See the details here:
https://seekersguidance.org/answers/shafii-fiqh/purity-and-dogs/
Ease
As mentioned in the link, you can wash the dishes with soap (instead of earth) and rinse them off 6 more times by yourself, according to Imam Nawawi’s position which is permissible to follow. I wouldn’t tell you to run your dishwasher a few times (assuming each wash has a few rinse cycles) as that is a waste of water.
You may consider following the Hanafi school for purifying your dishes from pork for your business. See those details here:
https://seekersguidance.org/answers/hanafi-fiqh/are-dishes-in-which-pork-and-other-haram-food-was-eaten-made-pure-just-by-washing/
Make Your Own Rules
I am familiar with many Airbnb owners who don’t allow pork and alcohol in their contracts as well as unmarried guests of the opposite gender. It is far more commonly done than you think, and you have every right to impose your rules, for Allah’s pleasure and for the cleanliness of your properties. May Allah reward you for your sincerity and efforts.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafseer, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.