Fatwa: # 18148
Category: Wudu
Country: Australia
Date: 28th July 2009

Title

I am living in Australia. In here most of the time we have to use public toilet. I just want to know after go to toilet by using paper towel can I pray or do I have to take shower.

Question

Dear Imam,

Assalamualikum.

I am living in Australia. In here most of the time we have to use public toilet. I just want to know after go to toilet by using paper towel can I pray or do I have to take shower.

 

 

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

 

After relieving oneself, if the impurity does not spread to the size of a 50 cents coin (about 3 cm in diameter) or more, then doing istinja is Sunnah. It is best to use toilet paper followed by water. Second best is to only use water. Third best is to only use toilet paper. In all the three cases one will get the reward of acting upon the Sunnah, although the reward will vary. Nonetheless, if you do not use water, your salaat will still be valid.

If, however, the impurity spreads to the size of a 50 cents coin (about 3 cm in diameter) or more, then washing away the impurity with water is compulsory. Using toilet paper only is not sufficient. Your salaat will not be valid if you do not wash the besmeared area with water (or any liquid similar to water). You do not need to have a shower; you merely need to wash the besmeared area. You may take water in a bottle or something similar even in a public toilet for the purpose of washing yourself.

قال في اللباب: ( والاستنجاء سنة ) مؤكدة للرجال والنساء ، ( يجزئ فيه ) لإقامة السنة ( الحجر وما قام مقامه ) من كل عين طاهرة قالعة غير محترمة ولا متقومة كمدر ( يمسحه ) أي: المخرج ( حتى ينقيه )، لأن المقصود هو الإنقاء ، فيعتبر ما هو المقصود ... ( وبعد أسطر ) ... ( فإن تجاوزت النجاسة مخرجها ) وكان المتجاوز بانفراده – لسقوط اعتبار ذلك الموضع – أكثر من الدرهم ( لم يجز فيه ) أي: في طهارته ( إلا الماء )، أو المائع، ولا يطهر بالحجر ، لأنه من باب إزالة النجاسة الحقيقية عن البدن ( اللباب في شرح الكتاب: ص 55-56 ط بشار بكري عرابي )

وقال في حاشية ابن عابدين: ثم اعلم أن الجمع بين الماء والحجر أفضل ، ويليه في الفضل الاقتصار على الماء ، ويليه الاقتصار على الحجر وتحصل السنة بالكل وإن تفاوت الفضل كما أفاده في الإمداد وغيره ( حاشية ابن عابدين: ج 1 ص 604 ط دار المعرفة )

And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Wassalaamu `alaykum

Ml. Faizal Riza

Correspondence Iftaa Student, Australia

 

Checked and Approved by:

 

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa

DISCLAIMER - AskImam.org questions
AskImam.org answers issues pertaining to Shar'ah. Thereafter, these questions and answers are placed for public view on www.askimam.org for educational purposes. However, many of these answers are unique to a particular scenario and cannot be taken as a basis to establish a ruling in another situation or another environment. Askimam.org bears no responsibility with regards to these questions being used out of their intended context.
  • The Shar's ruling herein given is based specifically on the question posed and should be read in conjunction with the question.
  • AskImam.org bears no responsibility to any party who may or may not act on this answer and is being hereby exempted from loss or damage howsoever caused.
  • This answer may not be used as evidence in any Court of Law without prior written consent of AskImam.org.
  • Any or all links provided in our emails, answers and articles are restricted to the specific material being cited. Such referencing should not be taken as an endorsement of other contents of that website.
The Messenger of Allah said, "When Allah wishes good for someone, He bestows upon him the understanding of Deen."
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]