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:

Asalamulikum ! Burhan Bhai,

Kindly  let  us  know that is it forbidden in Islam to drink (water or tea, etc)  and  read newspaper in toilet. Since a lot of people used to do this, reason being getting  late  from  office etc. Also people used to talk on mobile phones while in toilet.

Your Guidance in this matter is solicited.

(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:

Talking eating in toilets

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.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.17b

Topic: One should not talk when answering the call of nature.

One should not respond to a greeting, or repeat what the caller to prayer is saying. He may speak if there is some necessity (i.e., to guide a blind man, or a child, etc. who fears they may be harmed). If he sneezes, he should praise Allah to himself and simply move his lips (without making a sound).

Ibn Umar related that a man passed by the Prophet (saws), and greeted him while he (the Prophet (saws)) was urinating. The Prophet (saws) did not return his greeting.

Related by Muslim.

Abu Sa'eed reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say, "Allah detests those who converse while they relieve themselves?"

Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah.

The absolute majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam consider it forbidden and discourage conversing, unless absolutely necessary or in a state of emergency, when one is answering the call of nature.

When the replying of even the ‘salaam’ greetings are discouraged when one is in one’s privy, it is only obvious and common-sense that the toilets are not the place where one should eat, drink, or read at leisure. Is it not amazing that the people who choose to eat, drink or read when in their privy would detest that a place be assigned to them near (leave alone inside!) the toilets when they visit any restaurant, or a flight, or a train, 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