Elements of Islamic Studies
Lesson 22: Rules of the Toilet
The following rules must be observed when going to the toilet:
The place where one sits to urinate or to relieve bowels, must be such as to hide one’s private parts from onlookers
It is haraam to urinate or relieve bowels in the following places:-
(a) In the property of another person without the permission of the owner;
(b) In a place which is waqf for a certain group - for a person who is not from that group;
(c) On the grave of a Mu’min and in all places which are sacred in the religion, like a Mosque, Husayniyah, etc.It is haraam to face qibla, or to sit with one’s back to the qibla when urinating or relieving bowels.
After urinating, the part of the body concerned must be washed twice (better, thrice) with water.
After relieving bowels, the part of the body concerned may be cleansed by water or alternatively with clothes, paper, or clay, provided the clothes, paper or clay itself is tahir and dry .It is wajib to use three separate pieces even if the body becomes clean before that. If after using the three pieces, the body is not clean, extra pieces should be used till the body becomes clean.
If the stool was mixed by some other najasah (like blood), or the stool had spread outside the body (more than normal), of if some external najasah had reached the part of the body concerned, then the only way of cleaning it is with water. Paper etc. cannot make it tahir.
It is better to use water after relieving bowels even when using paper etc. is allowed.
It is haraam to use sacred things in cleaning the body after relieving bowels: for example, khak al-shifa or a paper having the names of Allah or Ma’sumeen on it.
It is now allowed to use bone or dung in cleaning the body after relieving bowels.