Manners of Cleaning After Having a Bowel Movement or Urinating

It is necessary to know the rules of going to toilet and having a bowel movement or urinating.

* When entering the toilet, it is necessary to leave the pages containing some parts or verses of the Quran outside or to have them in the pocket as wrapped in cloth or nylon. If a person is wearing a ring with the name of Allah written on it, it is enough to turn the ring so that the name will face the palm.

* It is recommended (mustahab) to say bismillah and read the following prayer before entering the toilet:

“Allahumma inni audhu bika mina’l-khubthi wa’l-khabaith...” (O Allah! I seek Your protection against filth and impurities).

* It is necessary to enter the toilet with the left foot and exit with the right foot.

* One should not face the qiblah in the toilet and should not turn his back directly to the qiblah. It is makruh (abominable) to do it. However, if the toilets in the homes were built as facing the qiblah, then there is no objection to it because it is an obligation.

According to Shafiis and Malikis, there is no drawback to turning to the qiblah in the toilets in the closed buildings. Turning or not turning to the qiblah is in question in the open areas in the countryside.

* One must not talk in the toilet unless it is obligatory. One must not answer the greeting of another person while he is in the toilet.

* It is one of the manners of the toilet not to spit or not to blow your nose, causing an unpleasant view in the toilet.

* It is one of the manners of the toilet not to urinate while standing unless there is an obligation. According to what Hazrat Umar narrates, once the Messenger of Allah saw him urinating while standing and said to him, “O Umar, do not urinate while standing.” Hazrat Umar never urinated while standing after that. However, when there is an obligation and when it is possible to be protected from being soiled, it is permissible to urinate while standing. Some of the Companions saw the Messenger of Allah urinating while standing. This situation was interpreted as obligation and protection from being soiled.

Urinating while sitting is better in terms of cleanliness, too. The urinary bladder is emptied better this way. And the leakage lessens.

* It is one of the manners of toilet to say the following when you come out of the toilet:

“Alhamdu lillahi’lladhi adhhaba anni’l-aza wa afani (Praise be to Allah, who relieved me from the suffering and gave me health).