Cleansing oneself after urinating

25-12-2005 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is there a specific way to cleanse after urinating?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

Cleansing after urinating or defecating is done by one of the following three means; any means which a person undertakes will be sufficient and acceptable from him.

1-     Combining the use of stones- or anything that could do the same purpose like tissue or handkerchief- and water. This method is the best of the three methods as by doing so, one is sure to achieve cleanliness. First, one should use stones, or what could do the same task as stones, and then washes with water. One of the Hanbali books reads: 'One should first clean with a stone or the like and then washes with water as the Prophet did so; this is reported by Ahmad and narrated by 'Aa'ishah but it is disliked if one washes with water and then cleanses with stones or the like.'

2-     Using stones only or the like; one should wipe the place of urine or defecation three times or more. This is on the condition that the urine or defecation does not affect other than their usual place from which they come out, otherwise using stones or the like is not enough, instead one should wash with water the place that is affected by these impurities.

3-     Using water only in cleansing urine or defecation. Anas said: "The Prophet used to enter to the toilet [go to an open place to relieve himself in the desert], and I and another boy within my age, used to carry a bucket [or container] of water for him [Prophet], and a stick of wood [or a spear], and when he finishes, he cleanses with water."  Finally, it should be noted that restricting oneself to the use of water only is better than using stones only or the like. 

Allaah Knows best.