Istinja'

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

This topic is an extremely important topic and the basis for every da'ie. This is among the basic things that one needs to practice and know how to explain to people before they have the right to tie on whatever turban on his head. Practicing is actually a better way to explain to people because it shows in visual form.

Those who are involved within orthodox circles perhaps would understand what am I talking about. Just avoid looking down on others though he looks like an "ordinary secular public" for not tying on the turban or wearing the long white robe like an Arab Sheikh or not holding the kain sebai or using Urdu or Arabic terms while chatting. This is the first thing that we were taught while in i'dadi level in the madrasah. I think this topic is also taught in our national school curriculum for Islamic education from 15 years old up to 17 years old. It has to do with ritual purity that will validate our worship.

I had also talked about this in several previous posts but never mind, let me put this again until we remember every detail about it. Sadly, many people still are not aware about this although they are interested in mysticism. I don't mind for people to talk about mysticism but many other basic things which we do not know yet. So, what is the point of learning things to impress others or to show off while we are not aware about our self? I am just listing this up here as reminder for myself and others.

Definition of Istinja'

Now, this term refers to the act of cleaning the filth. It is obligatory for those filth which come on either way of the anus and urinary tract. Some reference books would mention the wudhu' or ablution before the istinja'. This means that ablution is something which should be done before the istinja'. The term for this is tahaarat qawiyya which means that the ablution is a priority as there is no filth. However for the tayammum or the wudhu' saaheb al-dharurat, we must therefore perform the istinja' first as it is the taharat al-dhaifa or the filth is the heavy ones. The term wudhu' saaheb al-dharurat means the ablution is the necessity after the calls of nature. 

Actually I don't know how to explain these in simple words, lol. However, most people are talking about istinja' first since it is customary and according to common sense; we would have to perform ablution after the calls of nature to validate our prayer services or before we touch the copy of Glorious Quran and reciting it. When we are in the condition without wudhu' or just after answering for the calls of nature; we are in the condition known as hadath or in worldly occupations. Before we perform the ablution, there would be the greater or lesser incidents depends on what is our condition. It is prescribed in the Divine Path to perform the ablution during the Laylat al-Israa' night. 

Istinja' by using purely clean water was introduced by our patriarch, the noble prophet Abraham a.s. But the istinja' by using certain things like stones are the convenience given by the God the Highest specifically for the nations in the epoch of Muhammad s.a.w. When someone is in the lavatory or toilet, it is not legal to face the direction of quibla or the prayer direction. Also, it is not legal to face the direction of the sun rise or sun goes down. That is why we have to check this aspect when we buy a house or building a house for our selves.

Pillars of Istinja'

There are four matters for a person the istinja' which are:

1. The person who has just pissing or pooping.

2. Ways where those filth come out.

3. Filth which comes out.

4. Stuffs to clean off those filth. 

Method of Istinja'

How to perform istinja' or to clean our selves once a person is pissing or pooping? 

1. Clean off the area in contact with the filth i.e the anus and genital with pure clean water. Just spray it or sprinkle it with water before wiping them clean with toilet paper. Or use the toilet paper to clean it off and spray the area with water. Then wipe again with toilet paper. 

2. Wiping the area contaminated with the filth with rough surfaces for e,g by using three different stones. Or using a handful stone but wipe them with different clean parts. Never use the same part to wipe the filth as it would make matters more complicated. 

3. Much better if one cleans his or her filth with stones and then sprinkle or spraying water. Water would be favorable but my experience when I was in Bangkok or Japan, there were no water hose in the toilet. So, I have to use toilet paper and I almost finished a roll of toilet paper just to stay clean, haha.

Tools for Cleaning

1. Pure water

This refers to clean water which is not the water mixed with other elements for example cordial, chemical stuffs and others. Just clean water.

Types of clean water suggested to us through scholars of jurisprudence studies are such as:

a. rain water

b. river water   

c. sea water

d. water from the well

e. water from the spring

f. gathered morning dew

g. melted snow

This is based from the hadith reported by imam Anas bin Maalik r.a. Imam Anas bin Maalik r.a is a companion of prophet Muhammad s.a.w. He is also the founder of Maliki jurisprudence school and a scholar of followers' period. The hadith was reported by Abu al-Walid Hisham bin Abdul Malik who heard this report from Shu'ba who heard this from 'Atha bin Abu Maimuna who heard the hadith from imam Anas bin Maalik report. It means, "Prophet Muhammad s.a.w went out for the toilet one day. I followed him and saw that another boy which is almost the same age with me following the prophet s.a.w while holding a pot of water to provide him with water to perform istinja'".

There was no water hose like nowadays and people in the desert cities usually using the water pot to perform istinja' or to clean the feces once they answer the calls of nature. I saw this myself while traveling during performing pilgrimage. I went to a friend's house... I just call him Ahmad but I have no idea what is his real name, lolol. He invited me to visit him in a neighborhood known as Odaibiyya in Holy Mecca where I found that people still use water pot in their toilet.    

2. Clean Earth

Clean earth means the soil that we have gotten from the place where no one spoils it with dirty things like feces, urine, and others. Maybe the soil could be taken from the hill. This type of soil is also the type of soil that one use to perform tayammum.

3. Rough Stuffs

They are for example stones, toilet paper, leaves and such things in the case of no clean water available. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w said, "When one of you are off to the toilet, use three stones as it is sufficient for you" - Ahmad and Nasa'ie.

If one is using stones or other rough surfaced stuffs for example, make sure that he use the stones in odd numbers. For e.g three, seven and so on. This is based from the Sunnah as narrated in hadiths for example:

"Narrated by Abu Huraira, prophet Muhammad s.a.w said: "If one is about to perform istinja' with stones, bring with him stones in odd numbers. It is much better of the person to do as such. However, if one is not using stones in odd number, he is not sinful at all" - Ahmad and Abu Dawud.

The same hadith is also reported of our lady 'Aisha r.a regarding the usage of three stones or rough matters in odd numbers. It is just a suggestion for us.  

Conditions for Istinja'

The ways to clean the filth is to achieve the objective of to get rid the filth from both parts where filth come out. It is also to get rid the smell of the feces and urine. 

Besides, one has to clean of the physical form of the filth. If one could not eliminate the smell or the color as the result of the filth, it is not a sin because nowadays people eat complicated stuffs and that is why the stool stains so weirdly. Ancient people just eat simple stuffs like rough empty bread or natural fruits. Maybe once in a while they take meat and just eat to survive, not to taste.

Other than that, make sure that the stuffs for e.g toilet paper, stones or leaves are clean. Never take anything from respected stuffs as cleaning tool for stools or urine such as bread, fruits and all food stuffs! It is a no no to use stuffs such as animal bones to clean poops and piss. 

I guess there is a hadith regarding the bones and dried stools whether of human or animal narrated by Ibnu Mas'ud where prophet Muhammad s.a.w said, "Never perform istinja' by using dry stools and never with bones. Bones are the food for your brethren amongst genie race" - al-Tirmidzie.   

It is also prohibited to use papers or other stuffs which consist sacred writing for e.g from the Glorious Quran or written with the Name of the Lord of Universe. As for this, I also extend this regulation to other non-Muslims religious or sacred stuffs. It is prohibited and manner less to defecate theirs' though we do not share the same faith.

For those who use stones to perform istinja' make sure that stones are clean. The stool or piss is not yet dry. Wipe the filth until it is clean and repeatedly with different stone. Make sure the stool or piss do not touch other body parts or having the contact with cloth. Unless one has to clean his cloth too. Make sure the stool or the piss do not mix with other things as one has to clean everything if this happen.

Manner for Istinja'

While performing istinja' use one's left hand but never right hand.... This is based from a narration of a conversation between Salman the Persian r.a with an anonymous person from imam Muslim report where the guy asked him...

Guy: Your prophet has taught you many things which also include on how to clean dirt and filth?

Salman: Yes... We are prohibited to face quibla direction while pooping or pissing, nor using right hand while cleaning the filth with lots of stones or pebbles and never use filthy things to clean filthy things and not to use bones while cleaning the filth. 

Make sure that the right foot stepping out first when one is going out of the toilet after the process. Mentally, praise the God while moving out for banishing diseases from one self... A hadith reported by Abu Dzar al-Ghifari r.a which means that prophet Muhammad s.a.w said this prayer after moving out from the toilet which means, "All praises due to the God who casts away diseases from myself and restoring my health". - Nasa'ie.

Relevance of Knowing

I had encountered some non-Muslims such as some Buddhists in my state who said that these rules and regulations are nonsense. I know they talked like that since there are some arrogant fellow Muslims who just talk blatantly without thinking with their head. On the behalf of them, I would like to apologize to Buddhist friends. I was a Buddhist myself and never feel ashamed about that. I studied Buddhism as a Buddhist and not as a Muslim. I could even write and read in Pallava sacred script if I wanted too because I picked up Sanskrit language and some Bali Prakrittam which shows that I studied Buddhism and Brahmanism with sincere heart. There are several rules from Praadimoksha hermitage codes which also correspond to the Sunnah but performed only by the monks and hermits. I still remember some of them as bind in the Sutta Vibbhanga such as no peeing while standing for monk, no covering on the head, cover the whole upper body while in the public, no spitting on the crop, no spitting on the water, no sermon for people who disrespect monk and stuffs... up to 227.  I still respect and remember these laws.

Some modern people or Westerner perhaps saying that these are the underdeveloped people customs and religious practices because they see some annoying muzzies in their country who behave differently to the teachings. My questions too, what would people say about European Union nonsense regulations related to environmental policies or the Public Health policies in Britain? As for me, I believe they had done researches to get to the point that they had put the policies nicely in the paper such as Green Paper, White Paper, Yellow whatever paper. 

I read some of the method on how the European Union and Britain framing their particular policies before execution by their governance. Sometimes they seem nonsense too but beneficial for environmental health. I am interested in them especially about public health and environment. The same thing also applies to a Muslim life and our Divine Path. We have the guidelines from the God the Highest and we also have scholars who conduct researches about cleanliness. When we see those people looks dirty or filthy, it is because they are not taught by their teachers about cleanliness or their mentality is below the scholarly mentality. These guidelines has both spiritual and physical significance. Thank you for visiting this humble site. May the God the Highest bless everyone.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!