What Can I Do If I Have Misgivings After Istinja?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Whenever I go to the washroom to defecate in a Western toilet, even if I take any precautions, the water splashes back on me and my private parts after finishing. I clean myself, but I am not sure where those splashes landed on my body because I have water spots on my legs on the front and back. Still, I couldn’t identify them as the water drops from the toilet seat or just water from what I have sprinkled because before sitting on the toilet seat, I sprinkle water on myself, like the legs and front private parts, to remove misgivings.
Then, I feel like I have to shower to clean myself. While cleaning the shower, the shower head from which we take a shower, I think touching the shower head to my buttocks because I am washing the buttocks. Then I keep cleaning the shower head, and after cleaning the shower head, the water splashes all over here and there, and this thing is making my life worse day by day. So, I avoid going to the washrooms.
I was so healthy. I weighed around 75 kg, was very good, going to the gym and eating healthy, now I weigh only 58kg because of this. I fear that if I ignore all these misgivings and if it’s true, then I will be contaminating every place with impurity, and I fear that Allah will question me about why I didn’t ask someone who knows this.
Also, could you please answer me, when using the toilet here in the masjid, there is an Indian toilet, and what happens is after urinating, when I do Istinja and wash my penis, I pour water on my penis, and the water from my penis goes to the toilet ground from where the urine has passed into the toilet hole. This water, mixed with the bit of urine left on the toilet ground, splashes back on my testicles. Is this splash impure? The urine runs into the toilet hole, but there is a very thin layer of urine. Like the hand wash basin, when we wash our hands, the water flows into the sink, and after we are done, we can see a thin layer of water. Please help me with this, and I am sorry for my long question.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question. I am sad to hear about your situation after Istinja.
First, I would like to tell you that you are taking all the precautions to wash yourself properly after urine. The water is from the sprinkled water you have done before sitting on the toilet. Do not worry; your washing up is done with full precaution. However, I suggest that before you wash, throw some pieces of tissue into the toilet bowl; this will keep the water still and not lead to much splashing.
Again, you are washing yourself properly while squatting on an Indian toilet. Do not worry about the splashes; you are washing yourself with water anyway. However, just like the above, throw some pieces of tissue into the toilet bowl; this will make the water still and not lead to much splashing.
General Guidelines of Istinja
- After using the toilet, wait a few moments to make sure all remaining drops exit,
- Squeeze and slightly twist the private part,
- Wipe the private part with toilet paper,
- Wash the private part with water three or so times, and
- Sprinkle water onto your clothes and private parts.
- After this, any doubts of urine being admixed with the water can be and should be ignored.
Ignore Doubts
When we wash up after Istinja, most of us clean up mindlessly but cautiously. We think it’s mindlessly as we do it many times. So ignore the doubt afterward, as it is only a misgiving.
In the end, it should be noted that acting on one’s doubts is sinful, as is excessive wastefulness. Both should be avoided. One should suffice with the sunna method of removing filth on the private parts. This was the way of the salaf, a way of moderation and following the sunna.
Just learn to wash up, find out what is the right thing to do, and simply do it, then ignore it. Learn about the correct way, then leave it to Allah Most High and thank Him. It will make Shaytan leave you not doubting, and He will be in despair.
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.
Related Answers
- Can You Advise Me on the Proper Way to Avoid Excessive Doubts After Using the Restroom? – SeekersGuidance
- 30 – Devil’s Tricks – The Path of Muhammad: Birgivi’s Manual of Taqwa Explained – Sh Faraz Rabbani – YouTube
- Mental Health Workshop: An Islamic Guide to Dealing with Depression
- Doubts – IPD Session #3 | COJ – an ISIP Youth Chapter Initiative
- The Application of Islamic Psychotherapy for the Treatment of OCD
- Key Principles Relating to Certainty, Doubt, and Baseless Misgivings (waswasa) – SeekersGuidance
- A Reader on OCD and Waswasa (Baseless Misgivings)
- The Application of Islamic Psychotherapy for the Treatment of OCD~Dr. Hooman Keshavarzi
- How to Handle Constant Waswasa in Acts of Purification and Worship
I would like you to go through this 2-hour long podcast. It will be highly beneficial and guide you through.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
