Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salam,

At home we use water to clean ourselves after we`ve been to the toilet. Unfortunately, when outside we have to do without water and depend on toilet rolls/tissue only.

My question is, if one uses tissue because water is not available how does that person purify him/herself? Is it just by washing the unclean body parts or having a bath?

Will prayer be accepted if one does not clean him/herself with water when using the toilet?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Clean with tissue paper

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: Unfortunately, when outside we have to do without water and depend on toilet rolls/tissue only.

Aishah reported that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "When one of you goes to relieve himself, (in the absence of water) he should clean himself with three stones." Related by Ahmad, anNasa'i, Abu Dawud and ad-Daraqutni).

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.157 Narrated by Abu Huraira

I followed the Prophet (saws) while he was going out to answer the call of nature. He used not to look this way or that. So, when I approached near him he said to me, "Fetch for me some stones for cleaning the privates parts, and do not bring a bone or a piece of dung." So I brought the stones in the corner of my garment and placed them by his (saws) side and I then went away from him (saws). When he (saws) finished (from answering the call of nature) he (saws) used them (to clean himself) .

Sahih Muslim Hadith 2982 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘Odd number of stones are to be used for cleaning (the private parts after answering the call of nature). Whenever any one of you is required to use stones (for cleaning the private parts), he should use odd number of stones (three, five or seven).

When one wishes to answer the call of nature and water is absolutely unavailable, then it would be best to follow the guidance and use an odd number of stones to clean oneself.

The absorbent ‘tissue’ paper which is available today was obviously not available at the time of the Prophet (saws); thus it is upto the jurists and scholars in Islam to derive an opinion regarding their usage as a cleansing agent in light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah.

The majority of the scholars are of the opinion that the absorbent ‘tissue’ paper available today can be used to clean oneself after one has answered the call of nature; but since its usage is not specifically mentioned as a cleansing agent in the Quran or Sunnah, at the first availability of water, one should wash one’s private parts and only then make themselves available for prayer. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Your Question: My question is, if one uses tissue because water is not available how does that person purify him/herself? Is it just by washing the unclean body parts or having a bath?

After one has cleaned oneself thoroughly with ‘tissue’ paper after answering the call of nature, at the first availability of water one only needs to wash one’s private parts, perform the wudu and make themselves available for prayer. A full bath or ‘ghusl’ is not required in this situation as relieving oneself does not constitute a state of major ceremonial impurity.

Your Question: Will prayer be accepted if one does not clean him/herself with water when using the toilet?

If instead of water one has used stones to cleanse oneself, one is not required to wash their private parts again (if one does not wish to do so), before making the ‘wudu’ and making themselves available for prayer.

The majority of the scholars are of the opinion that since ‘tissue’ paper is not specifically mentioned as a cleansing agent in the Quran or Sunnah, it would be closer to piety and purity that at the first availability of water, one should wash their private parts with water, perform the ‘wudu’ and make themselves available for prayer.

A good practice when visiting toilets where one has prior knowledge that water will not be available, is to carry a small bottle or cup of water prior to entering the toilet; thus eliminating the need of using other cleaning agents like stones, or tissue paper, etc.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan