How Can I Properly Clean Myself in the Toilet without Taking Too Much Time?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi
Question
After going to the toilet, I have to wait for some time to get rid of the last drops of urine. This takes different lengths of time for me. After 10 minutes comes another big drop when I squeeze my penis. But even after 30-60 minutes comes very little urine, but only if I squeeze my penis tightly. When I squeeze tightly, I ask myself whether the little bit of urine would have come out on its own, i.e., without squeezing, after performing the wudu. I am very unsure about that.
A few years ago, I was once at the urologist and he had performed a urethroscopy with me. There, it was determined that I has a slight prostate enlargement. Whether that is the reason for the long waiting time, I do not know.
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
I pray this finds you in the best of states.
Istibra’
It is obligatory for a man, in order for him to perform a valid wudu, to remove from the tip of the penis any traces of urine. It has been achieved when no traces of urine will appear on something solid that has been placed on the tip of the male organ. At this point, one should feel confident that no urine will return and can start performing wudu. This is what is meant by istibra’. [Maraqi al-Falah; al-Hadiya al-Alahiya]
This can be achieved in multiple ways. Coughing, walking a little, and pressing gently on the male organ are all reasonable ways to achieve this goal. To each person his own. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]
Pressing on the male organ repeatedly with force can be harmful and can lead to misgivings and thus should be avoided. [Tahtawi, Hashiya ‘ala Maraqi al-Falah]
Please remember: the goal in istibra’ is that when you place something on the male organ, no urine will appear on this thing. This can be reached relatively quickly.
The goal is not that no urine will appear on the tip of the male organ after pressing it repeatedly. You could literally spend hours pressing on it and still see urine coming out.
Practically one would use one of the ways described above to empty the male organ, wipe the urine that has gotten out, and then check if istibra’ has correctly been achieved by gently placing a piece of toilet paper over it. If no traces of urine appear, then istibra’ is completed by washing the male organ with water to remove filth over it.
After Using the Toilet: Balance
Once you have rid yourself of remaining urine (istibra’)—without exaggeration or excessive examination—you assume no further urine will be coming out. [Tahtawi/Shurunbulali, Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah]
If you have doubts after this, the Messenger of Mercy (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed us to simply sprinkle a little water in one’s undergarments. After this, any sensation or doubt is ignored. [ِAbu Dawud, others] This sprinkling is also established from his own practice. [Abu Dawud]
Note that it is not from the Sunna to check and investigate. Instead, one assumes validity and soundness and ignores doubts and possibilities. [Nablusi, Nihayat al-Murad Sharh Hadiyyat Ibn Imad; Birgivi, al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya]
Related:
How Should I Perform Istibra’ (Removing Urine)?
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching far and wide for answers to the fundamental questions of life and was disappointed at the answers he found. Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani. He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others. He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.
