Part 4

Besides, while answering the call of nature, it is impermissible for one to touch one’s stool and urine exits with one’s right hand. It is also impermissible to answer the call of nature at a public road or at a place used by people as a shelter, or in a source of water used by people. This is because the Prophet (PBUH) has forbidden doing so,’ as such deeds cause harm to people.

On the other hand, one should never enter a bath while having something (like a paper, a document, or anything else) containing the Name of Allah, Exalted and Ever-Majestic be He, or any Qur'anic verses. If one fears that one may lose them (that paper or document) when they are left outside the bath until one finishes, it is permissible for one to enter the bath while having them, provided that they are covered.

Moreover, one is not allowed to speak while answering the call of nature, because it is mentioned in a hadith that Allah hates such a deed", One is also prohibited to recite the Quran in a bath or while answering the call of nature.

When one finishes answering the call of nature, one must perform istinja’, istijmar, or their substitutes. In fact, it is better to combine both istinja’ and istiimaér when cleaning one’s stool and urine exits following defecation or urination, yet performing either is sufficient. During istijmar, one should clean one’s stool and urine exits with stones or what may substitute for them, such as a coarse paper, a rag, or the like, ensuring the cleanness and dryness of the stool and urine exits; one must clean them thrice or more, if necessary. It is impermissible to perform istijmdar using bones or dung, because the Prophet (PBUH) has forbidden that’. One should also remove any trace of impurity and dry it; least any impurity remains on one’ stool and urine exits, or soils one’s clothes or other parts of the body.

Some fagihs (scholars of Islamic Jurisprudence) maintain that istinja’ or istijmdar is one of the conditions of the validity of ablution that must be performed before it (in case of answering the call of nature). According to this opinion, ablution is invalid if it is performed without being preceded by istinja’ or istijmar after answering the call of nature. This ruling is based on a hadith narrated on the authority of Al-Miqdad stating:

“One should wash one’s penis and then perform ablution.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Imam An-Nawawistates that it is an act of the Sunnah (Prophetic Tradition) to perform istinja’ before ablution, so as to avoid any controversy or suspicion, and to ensure the validity of one’s ablution.

Therefore, one must purify oneself from urine, as negligence in this regard is one of the reasons for the torture in the grave. To illustrate, Aba Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said:

“Purify yourselves from urine for most of the punishment in the grave is because of it.”

Gentle reader, you should be aware that the perfection of purification leads to the easiness and perfection of performing acts of worship, and the full abidance by their integral parts. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated on the authority of one of the Prophet's Companions that when he (PBUH) was leading the people in the Subh (Morning) Prayer and reciting the surah of Ar-Riim (the Byzantines),” he was not certain about what he recited. So, when he (PBUH) finished prayer, he said:

“The Quriin becomes dubious to us because some of you perform prayer with us without performing ablution properly, so whoever witnesses the prayer with us should perform ablution properly.”

Allah has also praised the people of Quba Mosque because of the perfection of their purification, saying:

“.. Within it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves those who purify themselves.” (Qur'an: At-Tawbah: 108)

Al-Bazzar related that when those people of Quba’ were asked about the way they purify themselves, they replied saying, “We use water after using stones.” (i.e., they perform istijmar followed by istinja’)””.

In this connection, it might be worth mentioning that some people mistakenly believe that istinjd’ is an integral part of ablution. They think that one has to start with istinja’ whenever one desires to perform ablution, even if one has previously performed it (i.e, istinja’) after answering the call of nature. This is completely wrong; istinja’ is not part of ablution, but it is just one of its requirements ~ as previously mentioned - and is performed only after answering the call of nature. Thus, one does not have to perform it unnecessarily before ablution, without a reason such as answering the call of nature and the impurity of one’s stool and urine exits.

To sum up, we would like to state that our religion, Islam, is the religion of purity and cleanliness; the religion of the best standards of behavior and the noblest of manners. It stresses and clarifies whatever issues Muslims may need, and whatever principles that may rectify their lives. There is nothing that benefits Muslims unless it is stated, stressed and enjoined in Islam, so praise be to Allah for all His graces. We invoke Allah to make us steadfast in establishing and observing this great religion, grasping its rulings, abiding by its teachings, faithfully, sincerely and devoutly, so that Allah may accept our good deeds.

| The qiblah; The direction of prayer, namely towards the Ka‘bah.

4 Ahmad (11296) [3/45], Aba Dawa (15) [1/23] and Ibn Majah (342) [1/215].

5 Istinja’; Cleaning one's stool and urine exits after defecation or urination with water.

6 Istijmér: Cleaning one’s stool and urine exits after defecation or urination with stones or what may substitute for them.

9 This /radith was narrated by Ad-Daraqutni, and Al-Hafiz states that its chain of transmission is authentic, and there are witnesses to the incident of this hadith, and that its origin is stated in the Two Salihs (the Two Authentic Books of Al-Bukhari and Muslim). AdDaraqutni (458) [1/136], Al-Bukhari (218) [1/420] and Muslim (675) [2/191].

12 Ibn Majah (355) and (357) (1/222, 224]. See also Nasb Ar-Rayah [1/218-219],

*AXishah, Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Siwak (tooth-stick) is a way of purifying the mouth and satisfying the Lord.” (Related by Imam Ahmad and other compilers of Hadith)! It is reported in the Two Sahihs’ that Aba Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said:

“Five (practices) are of the natural disposition: circumcision, istinddd, cutting the moustache short, removing the hair of the armpits, and clipping the nails.”" It is also stated as a marfu* (traceable) hadith in the Two Sahihs that Ibn “Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

Due to the aforesaid hadiths as well as other related hadiths stressing the same points, fagihs (scholars of Islamic Jurisprudence) derived some rulings among which is the preference of using siwak, which is a kind of stick used in brushing the teeth and gum in order to remove yellowness and undesirable smell.

It is stated that using siwdk is one of the practices of Allah’s messengers ; Prophet Abraham (PBUH) was the first to use siwak, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has pointed out that siwak is a means of “purifying the mouth,” ie. it is a mouth cleaner that removes bad odor and the like. He (PBUH) has also stated that siwak is a way of “satisfying the Lord,’ ie. using siwak is an act that pleases and satisfies the Lord, Blessed and Exalted be He.

There are more than one hundred hadiths stressing the desirability of using siwak. This indicates that using siwdk is a stressed act of the Sunnah (Prophetic Tradition) enjoined and made desirable by the Lawgiver of Shari'ah". iwak has great benefits and virtues, the greatest and most comprehensive of which is that stated in the following hadith:

“Siwak is a way of purifying the mouth and satisfying the Lord.”

Brushing the teeth with siwak is to be done with a soft tooth-stick of an arak or olive tree, with a dry date-stalk, or with suchlike tooth-stick that does not crumble or hurt the mouth. Moreover, using siwdak is an act of the Sunnah to be observed at all times, even when one is in a state of fasting, according to the sound opinion in this regard, and it is a stressed act of the Sunnah at specific times. To illustrate, using siwak is stressed when performing ablution, for the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“But for my fear that it would be hard for my followers, I would have ordered them to use siwak on every performance of ablution.””

Thus, during ablution, siwak is to be used when rinsing one’s mouth with water to ensure the purity and cleanness of the mouth.

Using siwak is also a stressed act of the Sunnah to be observed when standing for prayer, whether it is an obligatory prayer or a supererogatory one. This is because we are commanded upon any act of worship to be in a perfect state of spiritual and physical purity befitting the honor and glory of worshipping Allah. Moreover, using siwdk is also stressed on whenever the smell of the mouth changes due to eating or the like. Furthermore, using siwak is a stressed act of the Sunnah to be observed upon reciting the Ever-Glorious Qur'an, so as to clean and purify the mouth to be worthy of reciting the Words of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He.

The way siwak is used is by rubbing the gum and teeth starting from the right side of the mouth (and then moving towards the left), and one should hold siwak with the left hand.

Among the merits presented by Islam, the True Religion, are the acts of natural disposition mentioned in the aforesaid hadith. They are called the acts of natural disposition as they are observed by those who adhere to innate, natural acts of purity upon which Allah has created all His servants, urged them to observe them, and desired such acts to be observed by them. Allah, Glory be to Him, desires such acts of natural disposition to be observed by His servants so that they attain the most perfect, honorable, dignified qualities, and combine the best appearance with the best manners. These acts of natural disposition are the old, inherent acts and practices of purification observed by all prophets and unanimously agreed upon by all Heavenly Laws. These acts are:

1Istihdéd: Istindad means shaving the pubic hair. This act, in Arabic, is called ‘istihdad’ because it is derived from the word ‘hadid, i.e. the razor used for shaving hair. Removing such hair is a way of beautification as well as purification. Also, one is free either to remove it by shaving or anything else.

2Circumcision: It is the removal of the loose foreskin covering a male’s penis. It is preferable to be done during childhood, as the wound would heal faster, and in order to let the child grow in the healthiest way. Among the numerous virtues of circumcision is to purify the organ from the impurities caused by the foreskin.

3Cutting the moustache short: Cutting the moustache too short is a way of beautification, purification, and avoidance of imitating the polytheists. There are many hadiths stressing the act of cutting the moustache too short as well as growing the beard and beautifying it, as the beard is a sign of mannish beauty and is among the features of manhood. Ironically, many people reversed this matter; they would leave their moustaches and shave their beards, cut them short, or depilate parts of them. This is regarded as excessiveness in contradicting the acts of the Sunnah (Prophetic Tradition), as well as an imitation of the enemies of Allah and His Messenger (i.e. the polytheists and the disbelievers). In addition, shaving the beard and growing the moustache is also a way of abandoning the features of manhood and gallantry, and adopting those of women and low men. Such a meaning is what the poet intended when he composed:

Another poet says; No wonder that women have masculinized But men feminized is the real wonder.

4Clipping the nails: Clipping the nails is among the qualities of natural disposition, as it is a way of beautification, a means of removing dirt beneath the fingernails, and avoiding being just like beasts. Unfortunately, this act of the Sunnah (Prophetic Tradition) is being violated by some reckless youth and light-headed women, as they leave their nails without clipping, out of blind imitation of the polytheists and contradicting, by this, the honorable Prophetic Tradition.

5Removing the hair of the armpits: This is also among the acts of natural disposition. It can be done through plucking, shaving, etc., as a way of purification, and getting rid of the increasing bad odor associated with the presence of such hair.

Those acts, dear gentle reader, are enjoined in the religion of Islam, due to the beautification, purification, and cleanliness they involve, Therefore, Muslims who adhere to such acts would attain the most favorable and perfect appearance, manner, and condition, contrary to the path of the polytheists and their practices. Such practices are also enjoined in Islam as a means of distinguishing between males and females so that each could have a distinct character befitting his or her nature and role in life. However, many of those straying people, who really wrong themselves, prefer imitating the strange traditions and fashions that agree with neither the Islamic religion nor the Muslim character rather than following the guidance of Allah's Messenger (PBUH). Moreover, they take the wicked, low people from both the East and West as examples to be followed. They, thus, exchange that which is better for that which is worse, that which is good for that which is evil, and that which is perfect for that which is imperfect. In this way, such people wrong themselves as well as their Muslim community, as they innovate bad acts and practices contrary to the Sunnah. Therefore, they shall bear the burdens (i.e. the sins) of their own innovation in religion, as well as the burdens of those who would follow their innovation. There is neither might nor power except in Allah.

We invoke Allah to guide Muslims to what may benefit them and lead them to the righteous deeds. O Allah, bestow upon them sincerity and devotion to Your Ever-Honorable, Ever-Glorious Countenance, and adherence to the Sunnah of Your Prophet (PBUH).

| Ahmad (24196) [6/57] and (7) [1/5], An-Nasd’i (5) [1/17], Ibn Majah (289) [1/186], Al-Bukhari [4/202].

2 The Two Sahihs: The Two Authentic Books of Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

5 Marfa’ (traceable) hadith is whatever word, deed, approval orattribute which is traced directly back to the Prophet (PBUH) with a connected or disconnected chain of transmission.

8 The Lawgiver of Shari'ah (Islamic Law) is Allah, Exalted be He; the term can also refer to the Prophet (PBUH) as he never ordained but what was revealed to him by Allah.

9 Ahmad (9910) [2/607] and (10676); see also Al-Bukhari (7240) [13/276] and Muslim

“O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles...”

This verse states that performing ablution whenever rising to prayer is obligatory, and tells us which organs should be washed and those which should be wiped during ablution, and specifies what part of them should be washed or wiped. Then, the Prophet (PBUH), through his sayings (hadiths) and practices, has clearly shown the way ablution is to be performed.

Every Muslim should know that ablution has certain conditions, obligatory acts, and practices of the Sunnah to be observed while performing it. Both conditions and obligatory acts must be fulfilled as much as possible in order to

ensure the validity of ablution. As for the acts of the Sunnah related to ablution, they are considered complementary practices that guarantee the perfection of ablution. Observing these acts of the Sunnah during ablution increases one's reward, yet abandoning them does not affect the validity of ablution.

There are eight conditions of ablution: 1Being a Muslim 2Being mentally sound 3Having discretion 4Having the intention of performing ablution

According to the aforementioned four conditions, ablution is invalid if performed by a disbeliever, an insane person, a young child who does not distinguish (between right and wrong), or one who does not have the intention of ablution (upon performing it), such as performing it as a way of refreshment in a hot weather, or as a means of cleaning one’s body organs or removing certain impurities or the like.