Seeking the Place to Relieve Oneself and the Etiquettes of Entering and Exiting

Hadith.36 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "The Messenger of Allah (sw) was the most cautious of people regarding urine, to the extent that when he intended to relieve himself, he would go to an elevated spot of land or a place with abundant soil to avoid any splashing of urine onto himself."

Allahumma adhhib ‘anni al-qadha wa al-adha wa aj‘alni mina al-mutatahhireen "O’ Allah (swt), remove from me impurities and harm, and make me among those who are purified" And when he strained to relieve himself, He would say: Allahumma kama at‘amtanihi tayyiban fi ‘afiyah fa akhrijhu minni khabeethan fi ‘afiyah "O’ Allah (swt), as You provided this to me as pure sustenance and in good health, so allow it to leave me as impurity in good health."

Hadith.38 - Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) used to say: "There is no servant (of Allah (swt)) except that there is an angel appointed to turn his head to look at his excrement, and then the angel says to him: 'O’ child of Adam, this is your provision, so consider from where you took it and to what it has turned.' It is appropriate for the servant at that moment to say: Allāhumma urzuqnī al-ḥalāla wa jannibnī al-ḥarāma ‘O’ Allah (swt), grant me lawful provision and keep me away from the unlawful.'"

Hadith.40 - When Imam Ali (as) would enter the restroom, he would say: Alhamdulillah al-Hafiz al-Mu’addi "Praise be to Allah (swt), the Preserver and the One who brings all matters to their fulfilment." Upon exiting, he would wipe his abdomen and say: Alhamdulillahi alladhi akhraja ‘anni adhaahu wa abqa fiyya quwwatahu, fa ya laha min ni‘matin la yaqdiru al-qadiroona qadraha "Praise be to Allah (swt), who has removed harm from me and left within me strength. What a blessing it is, one whose value cannot be fully appreciated by any capable of appreciation.'"

Hadith.42 - I found in the handwriting of Sa’d ibn Abdullah a narration attributed to Imam Al-Sadiq (as), in which He said: "Whoever experiences frequent forgetfulness in prayer should say, upon entering the restroom: Bismillāhi wa billāhi a‘ūdhu billāhi mina al-rijsi al-najsi al-khabīthi al-mukhbithi al-shayṭāni al-rajīm 'In the name of Allah (swt) and by Allah (swt). I seek refuge in Allah (swt) from the unclean, impure, evil, defiling devil, the accursed.'"

Hadith.43 - Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) said: "When one of you uncovers himself to urinate or for any other reason, let him say, 'In the name of Allah (swt),' for then the devil will lower his gaze from him until he is finished."

Hadith.44 - A man asked Imam Ali ibn Al-Hussain (as): "Where should strangers relieve themself?" Imam (as) said: "They should avoid the banks of rivers, public pathways, under fruit-bearing trees, and places of cursing (where excreta will cause agitation to people)’. He was then asked: "What are places of cursing? (that cause agitation)” Imam (as) said: ‘The entrances of houses’. 45 - وَ فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ: «لَعَنَ اَللَّهُ اَلْمُتَغَوِّطَ فِي ظِلِّ اَلنُّزَّلِ وَ اَلْمَانِعَ اَلْمَاءَ اَلْمُنْتَابَ وَ اَلسَّادَّ اَلطَّرِيقَ اَلْمَسْلُوكَ. Hadith.45 - In another report, it states that "May Allah (swt) curse the one who defecates in the shade of a resting place, the one who prevents access to flowing water, and the one who obstructs a frequently used pathway”.

Hadith.48 - In another narration, it is stated: "Do not face the crescent moon, nor turn your back to it (whilst relieving oneself)."

Hadith.49 - Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) entered the restroom and found a piece of bread in the filth. He took it, washed (purified) it, and handed it to a servant who was with Him, saying: 'Keep it with you for me, to eat when I come out.' When he emerged, he asked the servant: 'Where is the piece of bread?' (The Servant) replied: "I have eaten it, O’ son of the Messenger of Allah (sw)." Imam (as) said: "It has not settled in the stomach of anyone except that Paradise is obligatory for him. Go, for you are free, as I dislike to employ a man from the people of Paradise”.

Hadith.50 - The Messenger of Allah (sw) prohibited a man from directing his urine into the air from a rooftop or any elevated place.

Hadith.51 - Imam (as) said: "Urinating while standing without a reason is from rudeness, and using the right hand for cleansing is also from rudeness."

Hadith.52 - It has been narrated: "There is no harm if the left hand is incapacitated (or missing)."

Hadith.53 - Hisham ibn Salim asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) saying: "Is it permissible for me to perform ghusl (ritual washing) from major impurity (junub) and other reasons in a restroom where people urinate, while wearing Sindhi sandals?" Imam (as) said: "If the water flowing from your body reaches the soles of your feet, then do not wash the soles of your feet”.

Hadith.54 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) was asked about how a man should sit when he wants to perform istinja (cleaning oneself after using the toilet). Imam (as) said: "As he would sit for relieving himself."

Hadith.55 - Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) said: "When a man urinates, he should not touch his private parts with his right hand."

Hadith.56 - Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) said: "Prolonged sitting in the restroom causes hemorrhoids”.

Hadith.57 - Omar ibn Yazid asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about the recitation of supplications in the restroom and reading the Qur'an. Imam (as) said: "It is not permitted to recite more than the Ayat al-Kursi or to praise Allah (swt) (by saying) 'All praise is due to Allah (swt), the Lord (azj) of the worlds' while in the restroom."

Hadith.58 - When Allah (swt) spoke to Musa ibn Imran (as), Musa (as) asked: "O’ Lord (azj), are You far from me that I should call to You, or are You near that I may converse with You?" Allah (swt), Glorious and Exalted, revealed to him: "I am with the one who remembers Me. " Musa (as) then said: "O’ Lord (azj), there are circumstances in which I hold You in such reverence that I would not mention You." Allah (swt) said: "O’ Musa, remember Me in all circumstances."