Personal Taharat (cleanliness) and practices in the West

Selected Extract from Tarbiyyat Medical - Jul-Sep 2010

Personal Taharat (cleanliness) and practices in the West:
1. Toilet Paper:
The use of toilet paper is common in the West. All this does is to absorb urine from the body, but leaves behind a thin layer that cannot be absorbed. Similarly, after opening of the bowels, using toilet tissue wipes the residual faecal material off the body, but leaves a thin invisible layer smeared on it. The only way to cleanse the body of these ‘najasats’ is to wash the areas thoroughly with clean water.
2. Micturition (passing urine):
The act of micturition should be performed whilst sitting down on the toilet seat or crouching on the heels on the ground if proper toilet facilities are not available. The reason for that is simply that the stream of urine doesn’t splash back and fall on one’s clothes and body causing the body to come in contact with najasat.
3. Urinals:
The use of urinals for men in public toilets or some other place is unacceptable for two important reasons. One is very simply that it goes against the rules of modesty, where one’s modesty must be protected by the command of Allah. Secondly, the splash back from the urinal is often directly onto the clothes and there is no water available to wash off the private parts after the end of micturition. It would be better to go to the normal toilet, where at least one could use toilet tissue (which is not possible at the urinal). Proper taharat with clean water must be performed at the first opportunity thereafter.
4. When water is not available (e.g. whilst travelling):
It is permissible to use clean toilet paper, or pebbles to clean off urine or faecal material (or other najasats) off the body. However, once water does become available, one should use that to purify the body as soon as possible.

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