No need to wash after touching unlawful object unless impure

22-8-2017 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum. Do I have to wash after touching things that are haram? I am not talking about pork or urine, but rather about things like a phone case which has a design that is haram. If I touched it, would I have to wash my hands?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

It is not required of you to wash your hands or any part of your body or clothes after touching unlawful (haraam) things as long as they are not ritually impure (Najis) under the Shariah. Note that not everything that is unlawful is impure. Statues and crosses, for instance, as well as silk and gold worn by men are unlawful, but they are all ritually pure.

Allah knows best.