Bathroom Etiquette for Muslims

by Asma bint Shameem

Alhamdulillaah, our Deen teaches us good manners about EVERYTHING.

And that includes even using the bathroom.

🍃 At the time of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam, one of the mushrikeen said to Salmaan al-Faarisi radhi Allaahu anhu:

“Your Prophet has taught you everything, even how to defecate!”

(Muslim)

Just goes to show the beauty and perfection of this beautiful religion. Alhamdulillaah.

1. Say Bismillaah and the duaa to enter the bathroom

بِسْمِ الله

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ

Bismillaah,

Allaahummaa innee Aa’oodhu bika min al-khubuthi wal-khabaa’ith

“With the name of Allaah,

O Allaah! I seek Your refuge from male and female devils.”

🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“These toilets are haunted (inhabited by devils), so when anyone of you goes to the toilet let him say,

‘A’oodhu Billaahi min al-khubthi wa’l-khabaa’ith

(I seek refuge Allaah from the male and female devils).” (Abu Dawood- saheeh by al-Albaani)

2. CONCEAL yourself.

🍃“The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam used to prefer to go behind a rise in the ground or a garden of date palms.”

(Muslim)

So SHUT the bathroom door when you want to relieve yourself.

And don’t pee in front of others (like men do these days in front of each other in public bathrooms)

3️. Once you’re done, use the left hand to clean yourself.

🍃The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“None of you should touch his privates with his right hand whilst urinating nor should he wipe off feces with his right.” (al-Bukhaari, Muslim)

4️. Use water (istinjaa) and/or toilet paper (istijmaar)

BOTH are allowed as long as the najaasah is completely removed.

🍃Anas radhi Allaahu anhu said:

“When I was a boy, when the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam entered the toilet I would carry a small vessel of leather filled with water, and he would clean himself with water.” (Muslim)

5️. Using toilet paper to clean yourself is the SAME as when the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam used stones after relieving himself and this is called istijmaar.

When using toilet paper, make sure to use three or more odd number of times.

🍃The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“When anyone of you cleans himself (istijmaar -with stones or similar material) let him use an ODD NUMBER.” (Ahmad- hasan by al-Albaani)

6️. Make sure to remove ALL najaasah COMPLETELY

That’s because one of the reasons of the punishment of the grave is not cleaning yourself properly from urine or feces.

🍃The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam passed by two graves, and said:

“They are being punished, but they are not being punished for any major sin. One of them used not to protect himself (i.e. keep himself clean from) his urine, and the other used to walk about spreading malicious gossip.” (al-Bukhaari)

7️. Do not pee in the bathtub, unless there’s a place for it to drain.

🍃“Allaah’s Messenger Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam forbade that he should urinate in the place where he takes a bath.”

(an-Nasaaii- saheeh)

But if the urine can be washed away, it is permissible to urinate in the shower.

🍃 Someone asked Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen:

“Is urinating in the bathtub when having a shower included in the hadeeth that forbids urinating in the place where a person washes himself or is it not, because the water is draining out of the tub?”

The Shaykh said:

“No, this is not included in that hadeeth, because if he urinates, he can pour water over it and the urine will be removed, but he should not start taking his shower until the urine has been removed by pouring water over it.

Usually there is another place for urinating, but if it happens that a person needs to urinate whilst he is having a shower, he should stop washing himself until he has urinated and washed away the urine.”

8️. Do your business and come out.

Don’t linger unnecessarily in the bathroom, or use your telephone or read, eat or drink, etc.

🍃Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:

“The bathroom is a place for relieving oneself only and one should not stay there longer than is necessary.

Eating or doing other things there requires staying there for a length of time, that is not appropriate.”

(Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 11/110)

9️. Don’t talk to anyone or say salaam or reply to the salaam.

The majority of scholars say that it is makrooh (disliked) to speak in the restroom unnecessarily.

🍃A man passed by the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam when he was urinating, and greeted him.

The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said to him later:

“If you see me in this state, do not greet me, because if you do, I will not respond.” (Ibn Maajah- saheeh by al-Albaani)

10. Don’t say any Dhikr or Duaa out loud

🍃 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said;

“A person should not remember his Lord inside the bathroom, because this place is not appropriate for that.

If he remembers Him in his HEART there is nothing wrong with that, but he should not utter the words out loud.

It is better not to speak the words out loud in this place, and to wait until he has come out of it.

With regard to places for doing wudhu that are outside the toilets where one relieves oneself, there is nothing wrong with remembering Allaah there.”

(Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 11/109)

1️1. Wash your hands

🍃Abu Hurayrah radhi Allaahu anhu said that after cleansing himself, the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam would rub his hand on the ground (to clean it) and then he would perform wudhu.” (at-Tirmidhi -hasan by al-Albaani)

12. When done, exit the bathroom and say the duaa of exiting the bathroom.

🍃Aaishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:

“When the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam

exited the toilet, he used to say

غفرانك

Ghufraanaka

(Your forgiveness).”

(at-Tirmidhi -authenticated by al-Albaani)

🔺OTHER ISSUES

🔺Can I pee standing up?

You should SIT DOWN and use the toilet.

Don’t pee standing up unless there’s a need or reason.

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam would normally sit down and relieve himself.

That was his regular practice.

🍃 Aaishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:

“Whoever tells you that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam used to urinate standing up, do not believe him.

He only ever used to urinate sitting down.” (at-Tirmidhi- saheeh by al-Albaani)

That’s the default.

But if there’s a REASON or NEED, it’s PERMISSIBLE to pee standing up, although it’s discouraged and disliked.

🍃 “Hudhayfah radhi Allaahu anhu said that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam went to the garden of some people and urinated standing up.” (al-Bukhaari, Muslim)

🔺Do I need to cover my head when I use the bathroom?

There’s NO AUTHENTIC hadeeth from the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam that would prove that he covered his head before going to the toilet.

However some of the salaf did that out of modesty especially when using the toilet outdoors.

But it’s not necessary especially nowadays when the bathrooms are indoors.

So there’s no harm in covering or uncovering the head.

🍃 Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:

“There is nothing wrong with entering the bathroom with the head uncovered, but the fuqaha’ regarded it as mustahabb to cover the head when entering the toilet.”

(Majmoo‘ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (11/68).

And Allaah knows best