Source : Shafii fiqh / 17 Jun 2014

Question:

As salamu alaykum,

What is the situation regarding a breastfeeding mother who has a difficult time keeping her clothing clean from the baby’s urine, poo, vomit, etc? What about things that the baby touches with its mouth after it vomits? We have a baby and its mother is always getting something on her. The baby spits up a lot. When it is time to pray it takes her so long that the baby gets left and starts to cry. What is the situation here? Thanks.

Answer:

Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatuLlahi wa barakatuHu,

Infants’ mouths are excused, even when certain that they are impure. (Fath al-‘Allam v. 1, p. 365)

According to Imam Malik, when a breastfeeding woman takes precautions to avoid the baby’s filth, and impurities still manage to get on her garment, then it is excusable [‘afw]. She may perform the prayer as such, without washing her garments. But, it is recommended that she puts on a fresh garment for prayer. (Ibid v. 1, p. 365)

Sayyid Jurdani mentioned,

ومقتضىقواعدمذهبناالعفوأيضالأنالمشقةتجلبالتيسير

“Being excused is in line with our School’s principles too; because difficulty brings about ease.” (Ibid)

Jurdani referred to Sh. Shihab Ramli’s Fath al-Jawwad with Rashidi’s commentary. This work is printed with Sh. al-Jamal’s Taqrirat in the margins (See: page 41). There, this view is stated, by both Sh. Rashidi and Sh. al-Jamal, to be in line with the School’s principles; while it is excusable only when she does not have the ability to change or when doing so entails significant difficulty.

And Allah knows best.