One might say: Is it not possible that, even after exercising judgment, he may pray in an impure garment?

The answer is: Yes, but this is the extent of his ability. Moreover, the correct view is that praying in an impure garment is permissible in cases of necessity. According to the madhhab, however, they hold that one must pray in it and then repeat the prayer. Thus, if we suppose that a man is in the desert and has only an impure garment, with nothing by which to purify it, and he remains there for an entire month, he must pray in the impure garment, and, once he has purified it, he must repeat every prayer he offered in it.

He prays because the time for prayer has come and he has been commanded to perform it; and he repeats it because he prayed in an impure garment.

This is weak. The stronger view is that he should pray and not repeat the prayer. They themselves have said that, in the Prayer of Fear, if one is compelled to carry an impure weapon, he may carry it and does not have to repeat the prayer because of necessity (1). It should therefore be said: this too is a case of necessity; otherwise, what is he to do?

Or if they are prohibited, he prays one prayer in each garment, equal to the number of impure or prohibited garments, and adds one further prayer …

His statement, “Or if they are prohibited, he prays one prayer in each garment, equal to the number of impure or prohibited garments, and adds one further prayer,” means: if prohibited garments are confused with permissible ones, this issue has two cases:

The first is that they are prohibited on account of the right of Allah, such as silk.

For example, he has ten garments of natural silk and one garment of synthetic silk, but they become confused. He must then offer eleven prayers, so that he may be certain that he has prayed in a lawful garment.