Are clothing cleaned by the dry-cleaning process Paak?
According to the Shariah impure garments (Napaak or Najis) are purified normally with water, but could be purified with any Taahir (pure) liquid. Hence, if impure clothing is washed with a pure (Taahir) chemical, such clothing will be purified. However, even if pure chemical solvents are used in the present day dry-cleaning processes, the garments will not be regarded as Paak (Taahir or pure) according to the Shariah because the liquid is used over and over again. The Shariah stipulates that the impure liquid (impure because of the impure garment washed in it) be squeezed out and discarded as waste. But this is not the case in the dry-cleaning business, the same impure (Najas) liquid is repeatedly used. Hence, garments washed in our present dry-cleaning setups will not be regarded as Paak in the Shariah. According to the Shariah the garment impurified by solid najaasat (impurity), is to be washed to such an extent that all impression of the impurity is eliminated from the garment. The
