Question # 583: ASA Ya Ikhwan, Since you also residing in west you will be able better understand, relate to my question than any outsider. Allhumdullilah, I am a regular musalee. However, during work hours in the office, occasionally I get an urge to use toilet there. As you know in the offices here, there is no arrangement of muslim shower etc. Hence the only to clean is using the Toilet papers. Now my question is: Is this form of cleaning acceptable to make my next salaat instead of missing it? As you know, during the need or travel we are allowed to clean ourselves with clean stones etc. However considering in modern time we have a substitute of Toilet paper available, so can use this alternative to clean ourself when muslim shower is unavailable and pray instead of missing a salaat? In case of a necessity, is this method permissible? Or I must return to home and clean myself with water before making any salaat? JazakAllah Khairun
Bismi-llahi r-raḥmani r-raḥīm,
Assalamu ‘laikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
All praise and thanks are due to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى), and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).
Dear questioner,
First of all, we implore Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) to help us serve His cause and render our work for His sake.
Shorter Answer: When a person relieves himself, he must cleanse himself of impurities either with water – which is best and most perfect – or with something other than water, which will remove the impurities, such as toilet paper, fabric, stones, or something else; it is better if what is used for cleaning is odd-numbered, and it should not be less than three wipes. . Moreover, if the impurity spreads beyond the normal area, then using water becomes necessary and needed.
Long Answer: After relieving oneself, it is obligatory to remove whatever najasah (impurity) there is in that place, whether it is removed with water or something else, such as stones or paper or tissues, but using water is best.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin said: “When a person relieves himself, he must do one of the following three things:
- Purify himself with water: [Doing Istinja’] is permissible and the evidence for it is the hadith of Anas (رضي الله عنه) who said: “The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) used to relieve himself, then another boy and I would bring a vessel of water and a short spear [to use as a Sutrah for the prayer he was going to do after doing wudu] and he would cleanse himself with the water.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) The reason for this is that the basic way of removing impurities is to use water. Just as you use water to remove any impurities from your foot, so too you use it to remove any impurities resulting from relieving yourself.
- Purify himself using stones: Doing Istijmar (using stones to cleanse oneself after relieving oneself) is sufficient. This is indicated by the words and actions of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم). With regard to his words, Salman (رضي الله عنه) said: “The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) forbade us to use less than three stones for the purpose of Istijmar.” (Narrated by Muslim) With regard to his actions, Ibn Mas`ud (رضي الله عنه) said: “The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) went out to answer the call of nature and asked me to bring him three stones. I found two stones and searched for a third but could not find one. So I took a piece of dried dung and brought it to him. He took the two stones and threw away the dung and said, ‘This is a filthy thing.’” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari) The hadith of Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه), which states that he gathered some stones for the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and brought them to him in his garment, put them down next to him, and then went away (Narrated by Al-Bukhari) indicates that Istijmar is permissible.
- Purify himself with stones then with water: I do not know of any report to this effect from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم), but there is no doubt that this is more effective in cleaning.” (Ash-Sharh Al-Mumti’)”
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked: In Britain, we use tissues and paper to clean ourselves in the bathroom; is it obligatory to use water after using tissues or not? They replied: “It is permissible to use tissues and papers and the like to clean oneself, and that is sufficient if it is done properly and the place is cleaned, from front or back. But it is better if what is used for cleaning is odd-numbered, and it should not be less than three wipes. It is not essential to use water after that, but it is Sunnah…” (Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn ‘Abd-Allah ibn Baz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaq ‘Afifi, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allah ibn Ghadyyan, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allah ibn Qa’ud – Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah)
Shaykh Muhammad al-Salih al-‘Uthaymin was asked: It is acceptable to use tissues to clean oneself after defecating? He replied: “Yes, it is sufficient to use tissues to clean oneself after defecating, and there is nothing wrong with it because the purpose of cleaning oneself is to remove the impurity, whether it is done with tissues, cloth, dust or stones. But it is not permissible for a person to clean himself with things that are forbidden in shari’ah, such as bones and dung…” (Majmu’ Fatawa Ibn ‘Uthaymin)
[Finally,] Al-Buhooti [Hanbali Scholar; d. 1051 AH] in his book ‘Kashshaf al-Qina’ when mentioning the occasions when using water becomes compulsory, said: “If the impurity spreads on parts of the body other than its usual place such as when it spreads on the buttocks or penis, then those places should be cleaned only by water.”
Most part of the above answer is based on the following resources:
- Islamqa.info
- Islamweb.net)
Allahu A’lam (Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) knows best) and all Perfections belong to Allah, and all mistakes belong to me alone. May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgive me, Ameen.
Wassalaam
