Is prayer valid when performed in a garment that was stained with semen, then dried, and subsequently washed until its substance and odor were removed, but its trace remained? What is the ruling of the Maliki school regarding prayers performed in such a garment, and is it obligatory to wash it with soap to remove the trace?

The persistence of semen stains after its substance has been removed by rubbing and washing is excused, and prayer with a garment that still bears its trace is valid. It is not obligatory to wash away the semen stain with soap or similar substances, because the removal of color and odor is not a condition if it is difficult. The preponderant opinion within the Maliki school of thought is that semen is impure, but the relied-upon fatwa (definition) for us is that it is pure. We advise the questioner to disregard obsessive thoughts and not to pay attention to them.