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!

Repentance: Clearing Mind and Soul

Assalaamualaikum wa rahmatullah

Lord, I wanted to repent to You on all the errors that we had mistakenly committed and for all the sins I had committed without I realize them or I realize. We were ignorant and we realize that now. We seek Your forgiveness and please forgive us, be Merciful to us never leave us alone... We have no Shield and vulnerable if You leave us alone.

Lord ordered us to repent through His Word in Surah at-Tahrim verse 8th : "O faithful believers, repent to the God with the real repentance!" 

The God has opened the door of hope to His servants and slaves: "Say (O Muhammad)! O My servants who had crossed the line of their limit don't give up from the mercy of the God. Indeed the God forgives all of sins. Indeed, He is Forgiver above all, the Most Compassionate." (Surah az-Zumar verse 35) 

Conditions for Repentance

I. Sincerity to repentance

II. Promise Him that we would never commit the same sins again

III. Remorse on the evil deeds committed

IV. Determination to leave the evil deeds

V. Performed before death

If one of these conditions is not fulfilled, the repentance is not valid. If the sin is related to brethren in humanity, another condition applies. The sinner must free himself from the right of the related person who had been wronged. For example, if it is in the form of property, it must be returned to the rightful. If it is in the form of punishment and sentence, the person must submit himself to apologize from the wronged. If it is in the form of insults and abusive words, the sinners must sincerely apologize to the one who was wronged. 

According to Hanbali madzhab, a person who missed the obligatory prayers without any valid reason is counted as an ingrate to the Lord which will lead to infidelity and being excommunicated from community. It is a serious evil deed. Besides performing the qadha salat service for the missed prayer services must also repent to Him.  

Time to Repent

Repentance should be done immediately once a person realizes his sins and crimes. Sin is dangerous to the heart and the purity of the soul. If a person delays his repentance, little by little he will be influenced by the sins. It is like dots in the heart and blocking the heart from receiving the Light.

Among the reason which will bring the soul toward repentance is the remembrance to death and reckoning the time when we will be alone in the grave. Death indeed is scary for most of human-being. It means that we will have to leave the people that we love. We will leave our family, children, wife, husband, friends, lovers, properties, belongings, parties, pleasures and etc. Death is the time when all of the grace will be taken away forever.

Says the Lord in surah az-Zumar verse 30: "You indeed will die and indeed they will die too!"

Beside remembering the bitterness of torments that will be faced by the sinners, death also reminds everyone about the grace of His Kingdom where the faithful believers will be rewarded in it. It will raise up the spirit and enthusiasm to repent because nothing to lose...

How to Repent

In our Path, we perform repentance with the prayer service alone without anyone except our selves with the God. The prayer is called as Salat at-Tawbah which means the Repentance Optional Service. The way we perform it just like other prayer services but with the intention to repent to Him on our sins. Perform the ghusl (shower or dipping in the water) and wudhu (ablution) in a complete manner. All of these require intention only for Him. Stand at a clean place and facing the qiblah (direction of holy land).    

The time to perform the prayer service for those who thinks they are sinful is most likely around 2/3 night which means around 02:00 in the morning and later which is also apart of the raising up at night time. Please check the time to perform optional prayer services before performing them. 

Intention to perform the prayer service for repentance is important. Make sure to place it firmly in the heart and mind to focus. Just mentally say: "I perform this prayer service to repent two units only for the God."

The first unit of the prayer service, it is optional to recite the opening supplication. And then, recite the surah al-Fatihah. And then choose any one surah from the Glorious Quran to recite in the unit after Surah al-Fatihah.

The second unit, recite the surah al-Fatihah again since it is obligatory for a valid service. Then another surah from the Glorious Quran and this is optional. While prostrating in the final second unit, recite the supplication of repentance of Jonah a.s at least 40 times. Make sure to focus the heart into sincerity and try to ponder on the meaning of this prophet's supplication. The prayer means: "There is no one except You, glory be to You, I am sincerely repenting on my sins and I am among those who exceed the limit of crime and sins." The meaning could be simple, I just make it longer in English so people could understand what Jonah a.s. is praying about.

Before the peace greeting and prayer or the Tahiyyat al-Akhir, recite astaghfar as much as possible. It means like: "Forgive me dear God, whom no gods other than Him, He is the Living God, the One who Stands alone without any support and I repent to Him." 

Recite the Sayyidul Istighfar which means the Chief of Apology to seek forgiveness from the Lord and asking for purity of the soul and heart. It means: "O our Lord, You are our God. There is no one except You who created me. And I am Your servant and slave (I am not slave to other idols which includes worldly materials and etc). And I am in Your grip and in Your covenant as firm as I can. I seek refuge with You from the evil that I had committed. I confess all of Your grace on me and I confess all of my sins to You. Please forgive me dear Lord. There is no one who could forgive me except You." 

Let us repent dear beloved brothers and sisters in faith. Don't wait until its too late. This is an advice firstly to myself and I really regret myself on my ignorance. It goes to others to also help me spread the message for repentance to others if stepping by this humble and meaningless slave's site. Make sure we equip ourselves with the knowledge of the Path so we won't go into wrong directions. Let us together try to obey the covenant of our patriarch Abraham a.s. with the Lord and recite salawat for both of noble prophets' soul and their family members.

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

Acts of Worship: Conditions to Perform Salat

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah!

Source picture from View Iran.

For compulsory salat, we must meet these conditions which are:

A Muslim

Those who believes in the six articles of the pillars of faith are bound to five articles of the pillars of the law of life.

Sane

Possess sound mind and aware of what he or she is up to. A drunk person can not perform salat because his or her mind is not sound. He or she does not know what is she talking about when communicating with the God in salat.

Meet the Age Requirement

A person who reached 10 years old are bound to this article of the law of life (salat). Seven years old age is a good time to teach children to perform salat.

Pre-Salat Conditions 

Confidence on the Time

We must have confidence that we meet the prayer time for five times daily prayers. We may check the shadows under the sun for Dzuhr and 'Asr prayer services. Nowadays we have announcements in TV and radio for those who live in majority Muslim countries like in Malaysia while for those who live in the country administrated by non-Muslims like in Thailand or any other place, they could get the information or taqwim (calender) from their associations, centers and councils. No confidence although the time is correct, our salat will be invalid.

Facing Quiblah

Turning our face and chest facing the direction of Ka'aba in the city of Mecca. Those who are unable to perform this because of troubles are given leniency to face any direction since East and West belongs to Him.

Covering 'Awrah

It is compulsory for a men to cover from his belly-button down to his knees. For women, covering according to what is prescribed in the scripture for example wearing reasonably loose-fitting garment. It is a common sense. We are summoning the God and not flirting around looking for a date, taking part in miss universe, or playing snooker while performing salat. I had talked about this with my Muslim European teacher in her room too, it is regarding fashion. I am a moderate person, I don't judge people based on their looks or attire but when we perform salat or prayer it is not a sin to follow the prescription of scripture. When we perform salat, we are communicating and summoning the God. So, we must make sure that we are in proper attire. When we meet royalties, or VIPs, or in formal occasions or to Halloween parties for example, we perhaps wear proper attire according to their dress code or theme. But when we summon Him who has the Dominion over the Universe, should we just wear skimpy, stinky, and filthy clothes without any dress code? Summoning Him is not like when we go for the Cannes Film Festival. He is more than that. 

Purity

Pure from feces and physically clean. It means clean clothes, clean body, and the place to prostrate is clean from ritual impurity mentioned in scripture. There are jurists who summarized these into their kitab (books) for practices as to make it easy for laymen who have no time to revise, studying the branches of religious science or analyze the scripture. For Hanbali jurisprudence, the impurity at the cloth is still tolerated but I don't recommend it to others if we are able to make sure that everything is clean. A woman who are in menstrual state are given the leniency not to perform salat or entering prayer hall. It is called as holiday for women here. Personally I don't like to be close to women in menstrual state, hormones imbalance and they are quite moody. I can sense that from far without having to ask them, lol.

Ritual Purification

There are three kind of ritual washing. The first one is ma'amad or ghusl. Ghusl means shower or ma'amad means we dip ourselves into the river if there is a river or pond. Ghusl is a major cleansing. Then we have tayammum, for those who can't find water such as when the area is in drought or in desert. The most common one is wudhu' or ablution which is minor cleansing. We always see people perform this at mosque too before performing salat or contact prayer with the God. After we perform this, it is the state of pure from hadath. 

Sutrah

What is this? It means barrier from people passing by in front of us while we perform salat. It is best to have a barrier when we perform salat alone. It could be a wall or simply blocking the way of passers with hands. It is forbidden to walk in front of a person who perform salat, or walking between the barrier and the person who perform salat. A person may pass in front of person who perform salat in congregational row, usually in the mosque.  

I guess this is it for our note regarding pre-conditions to perform salat.  May it benefits brothers and sisters. I apologize for false words if it happens to pop out in here. We are just ordinary human-being and no perfect but we try to do as best as we can, His Will. Thank you for passing by, may everyone be blessed.

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