What is the ruling on an impure substance hidden in clothing when intending to pray?
Chapter on Praying with Impurity and Other Matters
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
The entire body or garment must be washed if impurity is hidden and one intends to pray, until the removal of the impurity is certain. Certainty requires washing every area that the impurity might have contacted. If the location is unknown on the garment, the entire garment must be washed. If the side of contact is known, that entire side must be washed. If seen on the body or worn clothing, everything visible to the eye must be washed. This is the view of al-Nakha'i, al-Shafi'i, Malik, and Ibn al-Mundhir.
Supporting text
Ata, al-Hakam, and Hammad stated that if impurity is hidden in clothing, the entire item should be sprinkled (Nadh). Ibn Shubrumah stated that one should investigate the location of the impurity and wash it. They might rely on the Hadith of Sahl ibn Hunaif regarding Madhy (pre-seminal fluid), where the Prophet commanded him to take a handful of water and sprinkle it where he believed it had landed. However, our evidence is that the impurity is a confirmed impediment to prayer, so only certainty of its removal permits prayer, similar to one certain of ritual impurity (Hadath) but doubtful about ritual purity (Taharah). Sprinkling (Nadh) does not remove impurity, and the Hadith of Sahl pertains specifically to Madhy, which cannot be generalized because rulings concerning impurities differ.