What cleaning after the toilet (istinja) is, and what may be used for it
What cleaning after the toilet (istinja) is, what may be used for it, the five conditions a dry substance must meet, and when wiping no longer suffices and washing with water becomes obligatory.
Istinja is cleaning the impurity off your body after using the toilet, from the front or the back.
Cleaning yourself after using the toilet, whether you urinated or passed stool, is an important sunnah, as long as the impurity has not spread past the place it came out of.
12What you can wipe with
- It has to be solid.
- It has to be clean itself.
- It has to actually take the impurity away.
- It must not be something that deserves respect, like paper with writing on it.
- It must not be food.
When you must use water
- You cleaned with a liquid that was not water, or with something impure.
- Impurity got on you from somewhere else as well.
- The impurity moved to another part of your body, or dried on.
- Stool went past the inner part of the buttocks, or urine went past the head of the penis. If it did not go past, wiping is enough.
If the impurity goes past the place it came out of, that part has to be washed, not just wiped.
1| What spread beyond | How much is too much |
|---|---|
| Something liquid, like urine | About the size of a dirham coin, roughly 3 to 5 cm across |
| Something solid, like stool | About the weight of a mithqal, roughly 4.86 grams |
Only what went past the place it came out of counts. What is right at that place, and just around it, is not counted.
Wiping first with something dry and clean, then washing with water, is the best way. Just one of the two is allowed; if you can only do one, water is better.
1234| You may use | You should not use | Better to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Stones, clay, sand, or water, or anything else clean that actually removes the impurity | Food, animal feed, leaves, anything valuable like clothes or paper, or water already used for wudu or Zamzam water | Fired bricks, coal, glass, bones, lime, anything impure, or a stone already used before |
A few simple rules
- It is sunnah to clean yourself well after using the toilet. It is a good habit (mustahabb) to do it after urinating too.
- It is best to use both stones (or something like them) and water together, though using just one of them is still enough.
- If you use water, make sure you have privacy first.
- If you use stones, an odd number is best, and at least three.
Istinja is the removal of impurity from the body, front or back, after using the toilet, also called taking a purification.
| Category | Materials |
|---|---|
| Permitted | Stones, clay, sand, and water, and, more generally, anything clean that effectively removes the impurity |
| Not to be used | Food, animal feed, tree leaves, valuable or respected items (such as clothing or paper, whether blank or written on), and water already used, such as wudu leftover or Zamzam water |
| Disliked to use | Fired bricks, coal, glass, bones, lime, anything impure, or a stone or clay already used for a previous istinja |
Istinja after urinating and after passing stool is a sunnah muakkadah, where the impurity has not spread beyond the place it came out of and what lies immediately around it.
12The five conditions for a dry substance to take the place of stones
- It is solid.
- It is itself pure.
- It removes the filth.
- It is not something that deserves respect or is worthy of veneration.
- It is not something edible.
When washing with water becomes obligatory
- One has washed the filth away with a liquid other than water, or with something impure.
- One has become soiled with filth from a separate source.
- The waste has moved from where it exited, reaching another part of the body, or it has dried.
- Faeces have spread beyond the inner buttocks, meaning the part that is enfolded when standing, or urine has moved beyond the head of the penis. Where they do not pass beyond, stones suffice.
Where the filth goes beyond the point of exit and what lies immediately around it, what is beyond must be washed, not wiped.
12| The filth that spread beyond | Excused up to | Beyond that |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid, such as urine | The area of a dirham, roughly 3 to 5 cm across, taken as the extent of the inner palm | The prayer is not valid until it is washed off |
| Solid, such as faeces | The weight of one mithqal, roughly 4.86 grams | The prayer is not valid until it is washed off |
Below the measure, removing it is recommended and the prayer is valid without it. What lies at the point of exit itself, and immediately around it, does not count towards the amount that spread beyond.
Cleaning with a pure solid substance such as a stone or tissue (istimjar) and then with water (istinja) is best. Either one alone is permitted; if only one can be had, water is the better of the two.
1234It is mustahabb to perform istinja after urinating.
12Istinja should ideally be done with both stones and water together. Using only one of the two still fulfils the sunnah, but using both is more preferable.
1Istinjāʼ is the removal of najāsah from the body, front or back, following the call of nature, termed also istibrāʼ or 'taking a purification.'
| Category | Materials |
|---|---|
| Permitted | Stones, clay, sand, and water; more generally, anything ṭāhir (clean) capable of effectively removing the najāsah |
| Impermissible | Food, animal feed, tree leaves, items of value or sanctity (clothing, paper, whether blank or inscribed), and mustaʿmal water such as wuḍūʾ run-off or Zamzam water |
| Makrūh | Fired bricks, coal, glass, bone, lime, any impure substance, or a stone or clay already used in a prior istinjāʼ |
Istinjāʼ after urination and after stool is sunnah muʾakkadah, on condition that the najāsah has not spread beyond its point of exit and its immediate surrounds.
12The five conditions on a substitute for stones
- That it be solid.
- That it be ṭāhir in itself.
- That it remove the najāsah.
- That it be nothing deserving respect or veneration.
- That it be nothing edible.
Where washing with water becomes obligatory
- Where the najāsah was removed with a liquid other than water, or with something impure.
- Where one has been soiled by najāsah from a separate source.
- Where the waste has shifted from its point of exit, reaching another part of the person, or has dried.
- Where the stool has passed beyond the inner buttocks, that is, what is enfolded when standing, or the urine beyond the head of the penis. Not passing beyond them, stones suffice.
Najāsah passing beyond the maḥall and its immediate surrounds must be washed off, not wiped.
12| Najāsah beyond the point of exit | Excused up to | Beyond it |
|---|---|---|
| Ghalīẓah in liquid form, as urine | The area of a dirham, given as roughly 3-5 cm across and as the extent of the inner palm by estimation | Ṣalāh is invalid until it is washed away |
| Ghalīẓah in solid form, as faeces | The weight of one mithqāl, roughly 4.86 g | Ṣalāh is invalid until it is washed away |
Below the measure its removal is mustaḥabb and the prayer stands without it. What lies at the maḥall itself and immediately about it is not reckoned in the amount that has spread beyond.
Istimjār with a pure solid, then istinjāʼ with water, is the fullest form. Either alone is permitted; where only one is available, water is the more excellent.
1234Istinjāʼ after urination is mustaḥabb.
12Performing istinjāʼ after leech-bloodletting, or merely upon waking with no actual need, is described as bidʿah, an innovation without basis.
Istinjāʼ is ideally performed with both stones and water; either alone discharges the sunnah, but combining the two is more excellent (afḍal).
1This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 311 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.
Rulings of Istinja (Cleansing after Relieving Oneself) 67. Definition of Istinja
Istinja refers to the act of removing impurity (from the front or back) from the body (also known as "ablution" or "purification"). This process is also known as "Istinja" or "taking a purification."
Rulings of Istinja (Cleansing after Relieving Oneself) 68. Rules of Istinja
- Istinja is a confirmed Sunnah when impurity is spread from its source. If the impurity spreads to a dirham-sized area, washing becomes obligatory; if more than that, it is a requirement.
- After urinating, performing Istinja is recommended (mustahabb).
- Performing Istinja after a leech's blood removal or after waking up is an innovation (bid'ah).
- Istinja should be done with both stones and water. Although using only one of them (stone or water) fulfills the Sunnah, using both is more preferred.
- When using water for Istinja, it is essential to ensure privacy. If it is not possible to expose one's private parts in public, it is better to avoid water and use stones instead.
- There is no specific number for stones during Istinja, but cleanliness and purity are the essential conditions. However, it is recommended to use an odd number, with at least three stones.
- If a man’s hands are paralyzed or if he is unable to do Istinja himself, his wife should perform Istinja for him. Likewise, if the wife is disabled, her husband should perform Istinja for her. If neither the husband nor the wife is available, then Istinja is exempted.
Rulings of Istinja (Cleansing after Relieving Oneself) 69. Things that can be used for Istinja
- The permissible substances for Istinja are stones, clay, sand, and water.
- Anything that is clean and can effectively remove impurity is allowed for Istinja.
- However, things like food, animal feed, tree leaves, items that are valuable or respected (like clothes or paper, whether plain or written on), and used water like that from Wudu or Zamzam water should not be used for Istinja.
- Additionally, using things like fired bricks, coal, glass, bones, lime, and any impure substance, or stones or clay previously used for Istinja, is disliked.
Terms on this page
Related
- What dry ablution (tayammum) may be done with, and when it is allowed Which materials dry ablution (tayammum) can and cannot be performed on, and the situations that make it permissible instead of water.
- The procedure and etiquette of relieving oneself The words to say, the order of cleaning, forbidden places to relieve oneself, and the acts disliked while doing so.
- How to purify the body, clothes, and other things How impurity is removed from the body, clothes, skins, the ground, metal and glass, utensils, oil and honey, and other items.
- How to make the full bath (ghusl), step by step The full sunnah method of the full bath (ghusl) in order, from washing the hands to the final pouring, with the notes that make it valid.