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22 / 05 / 2026
The Ruling on the Impurity of Infant Vomit
The questioner says: Ibn Qayyim stated in 'The Gift of the Mourner': 'The saliva and spit of the newborn are among the issues that are widespread, and the legislator knows that the child vomits a lot, and it is not possible to wash his mouth, and his saliva continues to flow on those who raise him. The legislator did not command washing the clothes from that, nor did he prohibit praying in them, nor did he command avoiding the saliva of the child. A group of jurists said: This is an impurity that is excused due to difficulty and necessity, like the mud of the streets, the impurity after cleaning oneself, and the impurity on the bottom of the shoe after rubbing it on the ground.' I hope to clarify the meaning of vomit filling the mouth and what the standard of its impurity is. And if it is a small amount, is it considered excused? Previously, I did not take precautions against the vomit of the infant; what is the ruling on my previous prayers?
Answer
I say, and with God's success: The issue of the impurity of vomit is a matter of dispute. The opinion of our esteemed Hanafi scholars is that it is impure if it is abundant, which is what cannot be contained by the mouth, and such a substance would be considered expelled from the stomach, as it is a place for impurities. If a small child vomits a large amount, it takes this ruling. As for what comes out of his mouth directly, it is considered little and excused. However, if a child vomits a large quantity, the mother will not be able to tolerate keeping these clothes on due to their foul smell. And God knows best.
