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Fatwa CenterEtiquette in the toilet
Question
I would like to know if its true that we have to say "Bismillahi Al-Rahmani Al-Raheem'' when we enter to the toilet? I know that its forbidden to recite Qur'an in such a place. If yes, must we say it in the heart or loudly? Is it true that we must have the head cover as well in the toilet?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. Al-Tirmizi , Ibn Majah and Al-Tabari reported from Ali Ibn Abu Talib that he said: "The screen between the eyes of Jinn and the Awrah of the children of Adam , when one of them enter, the toilet is that he says Bismillah" . Abu Isa ( Al-Tirmizi ) said, 'this Hadith is strange and we know it only through this respect and its chain is not that strong' . But Al-Munawi said in Fayd Al-Qadeer: 'the compiler - As-Suyooti - indicated that this Hadith was correct and it is as he said or better' . Mughaltai was more inclined to consider this Hadith correct. When some reported that Al-Tirmizi considered this Hadith weak, Mughaltai said, 'I do not know what backs this as all those in the chain of this Hadith are trustworthy. I even think that when someone says that the chain of this Hadith is correct, he will be right' . All the four Mathhab (schools of Fiqh) are unanimous that it is likeable to say Bismillah and to seek refuge with Allah from Satan. The Hanafi and Shafi'e believe that the person should say Bismillah before seeking refuge with Allah from Satan when entering the toilet and the opposite (seeking refuge before saying Bismillah) is true when reading or reciting the Qur'an. Ibn Hajar Al-Haytami said in Al-Tuhfa: 'he says "Bismillah" (supererogatory act) when reaching the place where he/she will defecate or when reaching its door no matter how far the place of sitting (for the need) is and even if he/she is entering for a different need. Now if he forgets until he gets in, he then says Bismillah with his heart (without uttering it). This means I protect myself. But he should not add: "Al-Rahmani Al-Raheem….' . Al-Nawawi said: 'this form of Dhikr is common for both the desert and the building' . The Maliki believe that he says the Dhikr before reaching the place of impurity regardless of whether the place is prepared for relieving nature or for some other purposes. Now if the person forgets to say that before reaching the place, he says it after reaching it if it is not used for relieving nature and before he sits as silence is what Shariah suggests in the sitting position. But if the place is prepared for relieving nature, then the person does not say the Dhikr there. But the Shafi'e think that he says it but silently. In fact, the majority of scholars are of the opinion that making Dhikr in one's heart (without uttering it) is lawful in the bathroom and is not dislikeable. Al-Bujairimi in his comment on Al-Khateeb said: 'if the person sneezes he says Al-Hamdulillah in his heart but not uttering it in words that he could himself hear as murmur and hawk are not dislikeable (in such a place)' . Al-Dusooqi reported a consensus that mentioning Allah (Dhikr) in one's heart is not dislikeable in the toilet. As for covering one's head while relieving nature the Fuqaha prefer that and consider it one of the etiquettes of entering the toilet. The evidence for this is the Hadith Al-Bayhaqi reported from Aisha (Radiya Allahu Anha) who said: "The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) used to cover his head when going to the toilet" . Al-Nawawi said: 'but this Hadith is weak. But covering the head when entering the toilet is reported from Abu Bakr in a sound narration' . Al-Nawawi said after mentioning what Al-bayhaqi reported: 'All the scholars are agreed that the weak Ahadith including this one, are tolerated in performing good deeds' . Allah knows best.
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