Etiquette of relieving oneself in a toilet

Bismillahi Ta’ala

Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullah

Etiquette Of Relieving Oneself In a Toilet

Privacy

• Find a secluded place to ensure privacy.
• Nabi ﷺ would always find a secluded place to relieve himself.
• Nowadays while we have toilets or stalls at workplaces, we must always make sure to use the more private area.
• Even when one uses toilet to relieve oneself at home, one should make sure to shut the door so the privacy is maintained.

Entering the Toilet

Enter with the left foot and recite the du’a:

“اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ”

O Allah, I seek your refuge from male and female jinn

• Ideally the du’a should be recited at the door of the toilet and then enter.
• If one forgets to recite it before entering then one could recite it in heart without verbalizing it.

Avoid Facing the Qibla

• Do not face or turn your back towards the Qibla while relieving oneself.
• If the toilets are built in such a way that you are pushed to face or turn back to Qibla, then tilt yourself slightly to avoid it.

Sitting Posture

• Do not unnecessarily expose your nakedness until you are close to relieving yourself.
• However, at the same time, if there is a chance that splashes will occur, it is better to take the pants off and then sit on the toilet.
• If at all possible in western homes, have squatting toilets to facilitate easy relief. However, if that is not feasible, then use some stool to assume a squatting position, or use squatty potty. If this is not possible as well, then you may use the toilet seat as is.

Cleanliness of the sitting toilets

• If you have a toilet seat / commode mechanism, then before sitting down always make sure that the toilet area is cleaned.
• Regardless of whether it is at home, or at work or outside at a pit-stop, always carry watering facility (like a bottle or sprinkler).
• Use the water and Toilet paper to clean and wipe dry the area. This effort is reward worthy, so do not consider any low of it.

Avoiding Waste Splatter

• Ensure that waste does not splatter on the body or clothing.
• You could put some toilet paper on water in the toilet to limit the amount of splatter.
• If in case some splatter comes onto legs or clothing, make sure to wash clean this promptly

Minimize Time

• Time spent in toilet deprives you from remembrance of Allah or His Dhikr. So, spend the minimum necessary time in the toilet.
• Do not take your phones into toilet.
• Similarly do not take any reading material as well.
• If you feel that your bowels are not regular, then seek to fix the diet so you do not have to use the facilities for long duration.

Avoiding Unnecessary Talking

• Every word uttered in toilet will have to be assessed for its futility and worthiness. Mala’ika will have to record them in the book of deeds.
• Do not talk unnecessarily while in the toilet.
• This also means if someone says “Hello” or “Assalamu Alaikum”, it is not your duty to respond. You may grunt with a voice to let them know you are in toilet.

Water Use & Use of Toilet Paper

• It is preferred practice to use water to clean oneself after relieving.
• To make this practice even better, use Toilet paper in conjunction with water.
• For this we recommend finding the best balance.
• If using toilet paper to reduce filth → wash → and then drying with toilet paper works best for you, then adopt that.
• Similarly if washing with water directly → and then drying with toilet paper works best for you, then adopt that.

• In difficult times when nothing can be managed, search and buy Wet-Wipes and use them in conjunction with toilet paper to clean oneself.
• If one feels uncomfortable, then one may make Istinja’ with water once it is available.

Use of Left Hand

• During washing use the left hand for cleaning oneself.
• Right hand should only be used if there is some genuine excuse or udhr.

Clean to toilet before leaving

• Just as you wished to find a nice and clean toilet, do this courtesy for the next person.
• Clean and wipe down the toilet seat properly
• Such acts of courtesy earn extra rewards.

Hands Washing

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap after relieving oneself.
• Keep your mental state that Allah has blessed you to be able to relieve yourself. So have a sense of Gratitude.

Exiting the Toilet

• Exit with the right foot and recite the du’a:

“غُفْرَانَكَ”

(O Allah, I seek) your pardon

These are some general etiquettes for relieving one self in toilets. One should take a full fiqh course to familiarize with all other rules and regulations from Fiqhi perspective as well.

Wallahu A’lam

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Faisal al-Mahmudi