Chapter 07 - The Manners of Answering the Call of Nature

Chapter 7 The Manners of Answering the Call of Nature

77. Narrated Anas bin Malik Allah's Messenger used to remove his ring[1] when entering the lavatory.
[Reported by Al-Arba'a[2], and it is defective]


[1] On that ring “Allah’s Messenger Muhammad” was carved in three lines. It means that Names of Allah and the verses of noble Quran in the written form should not be carried to the lavatory or while going out to answer the call of nature.

[2] Abu Da’ud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah

78. Narrated Anas : The Prophet on entering the lavatory used to say[3]:

اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي أَعـوذُ بِـكَ مِـنَ الْخُـبْثِ وَالْخَبائِث

[Alla’humma inni a'udhu bika minal khubthi wal khaba'ithi] "O Allah, I seek refuge with you from devils - males and females (or all offensive and wicked things, evil deeds and evil spirits, etc.)."
[Reported by As-Sab'a].

[3] Usually jinns live in such filthy places, for that reason the noble Prophet sought the refuge of Allah. Before entering the lavatory one should recite this prayer in an audible voice. According to the narration of Anas , in wilds or in jungle, one should recite this prayer before sitting for the call of nature. During the call of nature one should also be careful about one's body and clothes.



79. Narrated Anas Whenever Allah's Messenger went to the privy, a servant and I used to carry a skin water container and a spear, and he would cleanse himself with the water[4]
[Agreed upon]

[4] Most of the people [ religious scholars] prefer to purify with clod of mud and water both.



80. Narrated Al-Mughira bin Shu'ba Allah's Messenger told me, "Take the skin water container", he then went forward till he disappeared[5] from me and relieved himself.
[Agreed upon].

[5] This action of the noble Prophet guides that while going out for the call of nature, it is necessary to arrange some kind of privacy and be hidden from others. In another Hadith, it is stated that in an open space, a mound of soil or a heap of sand should be made for the purpose of screening. If someone eases himself in an open, Satan will laugh at his buttocks and will make him a laughing stock of people.

81. Narrated Abu Huraira Allah's Messenger said, "Safeguard your selves from the two matters which cause a cursing that befalls the one who relieves himself on people's path-ways[6] and under the shades."
[Reported by Muslim]

[6] It is prohibited to answer the call of nature near pathways or near the ways in the vicinity of populated areas. Sites of abandoned road or deserted place can be used for the purpose.



Narrated Mu’adh[7] He ,the Prophet said: "Guard against the three things which cause curse (i.e.) defecating at the watering places, on the roadbeds and in the shades."[8]
[Reported by Abu Da'ud]. Ahmad reported from Ibn Abbas that defecation is prohibited also at the place where water collects.
[And both the two (i.e. the previous and this Hadith) have weakness.
And Ibn 'Umar the prohibition of relieving oneself under fruity trees and on the bank of a flowing river.
[Reported by At-Tabardni with a weak chain of narrators]

[7] Mu’adh is an Ansari of Al-Khazraj tribe and was one of the virtuous, noble and most learned Sahaba. He attended Al-'Aqaba, Badr and other major battles. The Prophet appointed him as his representative in Yemen. Then 'Umar appointed him as the governor of Sham after Abu 'Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah. He died in the plague of Amwa’s in 17H or 18 H at the age of 38.

[8] Altogether these are six places. It is forbidden in a Hadith to answer the call of nature or to urinate near the gates of the mosques.




82. Narrated Jabir Allah's Messenger said, "When two people go together to relieve themselves they should disappear from each other and do not talk, for Allah detests that."
[Reported by Ahmad; Ibn As-Sakan and Ibn Al-Qattan graded it Sahih (sound) but 'it is defective[9]].

[9] This is confirmed by other authentic Ahadith, so it is correct.


83. Narrated Abu Qatada Allah's Messenger said, "Nobody should touch his pen-s with his right hand[10] when urinating, and should not clean himself (from defecation or urine) using his right hand and should not breathe in the utensil (he is drinking from)."
[Agreed upon. This version is of Muslim].

[10] Handling the male organ with right hand during urination or washing, and breathing in the utensils during drinking is prohibited according to some, while according to others it is undesirable. Breathing in the utensil is harmful because this is the cause of transmission of germs from one to another, and the Hadith which informs about three pauses while drinking means drink should be taken slowly and not at a gulp.


84. Narrated Salman[11] Allah's Messenger forbade us to face the Qiblah when defecating or urinating, or to clean ourselves using the right hand, or to clean ourselves with less than three stones, or to clean ourselves with dung or a bone.
[Reported by Muslim]

[11] He was known as "Salman the benevolent" and was nicknamed Abu 'Abdullah. His origin is from Persia. He traveled in search of a religion and became a Christian. Then he moved to Al-Madina and believed in the Prophet as soon as he arrived at Al-Madina He was a leader in Islam and died in Al-Madina in 50 H or 32 H. It is reported that he lived long for either 250 or 350 years.

85. Narrated Abu Ayub[12] Allah's Messenger said, "Neither face nor turn your back to the Qiblah[13] while defecating or urinating, but turn towards the east or the west."
[Reported by the As-Sab'a]

[12] His name is Khalid bin Zaid bin Kulaib. He hosted the Prophet when he first arrived in Al-Madina. He was one of the senior and most great Sahaba. He attended Badr and was martyred while taking part in an expedition against the Byzantinians in 50 H. His grave, situated at the walls of Istanbul, is well known and visited.

[13] In this issue 'Forbiddance' is for open places, it is not forbidden in inside the building where there are walls around. As there is a Hadith narrated by 'Abdullah bin 'Umar . He narrates: "In the house of my sister Hafsa, I went upstairs on the roof, I saw the noble Prophet answering the call of nature, he was facing towards Sham." This Hadith is of Sahih Muslim.



86. Narrated 'Aisha The Prophet said, "If anyone goes to relieve himself, he should conceal himself."
[Reported by Abu Da'ud]

87. Narrated 'Aisha When the Prophet came out of the privy, he used to say,

غُفْـرانَك

"Ghufra’naka
(O Allah! Grant me Your forgiveness)."
[Reported by Al-Khamsa[14]. Abu Hatim and Al-Hakim graded it Sahih (sound)]

[14] The Collectors of Hadith: Ahmad, Abu Da’ud, An-Nasa’i, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.

88. Narrated Ibn Mas’ud The Prophet went out to answer the call of nature and asked me to bring three stones. I found two stones and searched for the third but could not find it. So I took a dried piece of dung and brought it to him. He took the two stones and threw away the dung[15] and said, "This is a filthy thing".
Al-Bukhari. And in the version of Ahmad and Ad-Daraqutni it is added: "Bring me more (something other than dung)"][16]

[15] It is known from this Hadith that one should not clean the private parts with dung or excrement of animals, and so it is forbidden to clean with bones.

[16] The mentioned addition proves that for cleanliness three clods of mud are needed, even though two may suffice, but the condition of three is a must. More than three may be used if needed, but the number should be odd. This Hadith also proves that dung cannot be used for cleaning private parts, likewise cleaning by bones is also prohibited.


89. Narrated Abu Huraira Allah’s Messenger forbade us to use a bone or dung for cleaning and said, "These two things do not purify."
[Reported by Ad-Daraqutni who graded it Sahih (sound)]

90. Narrated Abu Huraira Allah's Messenger said, "Beware of (smearing yourselves with) urine, because it is the main cause of punishment in the grave."
[Reported by Ad-Daraqutni]
and Al-Hakim reported that: "Urination is the main cause of punishment in the grave".
[Its chain of narrators is authentic]

91. Narrated Sura’qa bin Malik[17] Allah's Messenger educated us about lavatory (manners) that we should sit on our left foot[18] and keep erect our right foot.
[Reported by Al-Baihaqi through a chain of weak narrators][19]

[17] Sura’qa bin Malik bin Ju'shum Al-Mudlaji Al-Kinani, nicknamed Abu Sufyan was a prominent Sahabi. He was the one who traced Allah’s Messenger :saws on his way to migration whereupon the forelegs of his horse sunk into the ground up to the knees. He died in 24 H.

[18] There is always advisability in every command of Islam, whether we comprehend it or not The noble Prophet instructed us to sit on the left foot (to put weight of the body on left foot) while sitting for answering the call of nature; as the stomach is on the left side, it makes the action easy; and the constipation, the mother of diseases, is also eradicated.

[19] This Hadith is weak because there are unknown narrators in its chain.


92. Narrated 'Iesa bin Yazdad[20] from his father Allah's Messenger said, "When one of you passes urine, he should empty his pen-s three times."
[Reported by Ibn Majah through a weak chain of narrators]
[20] 'Iesa and his father Yazdad are both unknown. Ibn Ma'in said, " 'Iesa and his father are unknown.”


93. Narrated Ibn 'Abbas The Prophet asked the residents of Quba’ that what had earned them the Praise of Allah and they replied, "We use water after (cleaning ourselves with) stones."
[Reported by Al-Bazzar with Da'if chain of narrators and its Asl (original source) is in Abu Da’ud and At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Khuzaima graded it Sahih (sound) through Abu Huraira without mentioning the "stones."]

Source: A b d u r r a h m a n.org