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What is the ruling on someone who prayed while in a state of major ritual impurity (junub), out of shyness from his colleagues, and was unable to perform ghusl before work? And is it permissible for him to stand with the congregation without the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram)? And what are the consequences for him in this situation?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

A worshipper intimately supplicates his Lord, and it is not permissible for him to stand before Allah the Almighty to supplicate Him while he is not in a state of complete ritual purity. Feeling shy of people or fearing them instead of Allah is an indication of deficient faith and weak character, and it is among the characteristics of hypocrites. One who is in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) must purify himself, and it is not permissible for one in janabah to enter the mosque. However, if he does so, the prayers of the worshippers will not be invalidated, because "and no soul earns [anything] except what is against it, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another."

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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