How is istibra made? Is prayer harmed if urine drops on the clothes?

- After I come out of the toilet and take some steps, I make wudu but I feel that a drop of urine comes out. Do I have to make wudu again in that case and do I have to change my underpants?
- If the urine that smears my underpants does not cover a place as a big as a hand’s palm, is it permissible to make wudu and perform prayers wearing those underpants?

Dear Brother / Sister,

ISTIBRA means stopping of the leakage after urination; it is wajib. It is necessary to make istibra before istinja for the wudu and prayer to be sound but it is permissible to do it after istinja too.

The leakage of urine after urination takes place in every person. However, it stops more quickly in some people; in others, it goes on a bit longer. Since everybody knows their state better, they should try to stop the leakage well and make istinja after that.  

If a person makes wudu without completing istibra, the leakage that will come afterwards will invalidate his wudu. One should take some measures like walking, moving, coughing, moving his feet, lying down and waiting in order to ensure that leakage is over.

Istibra is not necessary for women. It is enough for them to wait a bit. If a leakage comes after making wudu, a person’s wudu is invalidated and he will perform the prayer without wudu, which will necessitate penalty in the hereafter. For, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) states the following in a hadith: 

"Beware of urine because most of the punishment in the grave is due to it”; thus, Muslims are asked to pay attention to making istibra after urinating.  

"Most of the penalty in the grave is due to urine." (Ibn Majah, Taharah, 26)

To make istibra will enable the urine remaining in the channel to be released. It is a few drops in urine. Therefore, it does not harm prayer when it touches the clothes or the body.

It is certainly better to wash the place where it drops or to use paper to prevent the clothes from being smeared. However, it is not appropriate at all to abandon prayer because of very few drops of urine on the clothes.  

The urine remaining in the channel will come out slowly. It is not necessary to jump and hop in an excessive manner for it. It is enough to walk a bit. It is enough to take thirty-forty steps. If a person makes wudu without istibra, the remaining urine in the channel can come out and invalidate wudu. It is not appropriate to act in an exaggerated manner in istibra.

For more information, please click on the link given below;

Will you give detailed information about najasah (impurity) that prevents prayer?

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