At least some of these rules have a positive health aspect...different cultures have different mores. Some cultures think that using toilet paper is barbarous, that one should wash rather than wipe. The US has a politician that thinks a bear breasted statue must be covered...shades of Victorianism!
On Oct 20, 10:45 am, Rick S <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > There is an article in today's Commercial Appeal about local Muslims. > In the article was a question someone posed about which shoe one must > put on first according to Islam (the right one). I remembered hearing > about some bathroom rules for Muslims so I looked it up. Amazingly, it > is comprehensive: > > Not to face the qiblah (direction of prayer, i.e. the Ka’bah which was > built in Makkah by Ibrahim, upon whom be peace, as commanded by > Allaah) when urinating or defecating. This is out of respect for the > Qiblah and for the symbols and rituals of Allaah. The Messenger of > Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When any > one of you sits down to answer the call of nature, he should not face > the qiblah or turn his back towards it.” (Reported by Muslim, 389). > > He should not touch his penis with his right hand when urinating, > because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: > “When any one of you urinates, he should not hold his penis in his > right hand or clean it with his right hand; and (when drinking), he > should not breathe into the vessel.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 150). > > He should not remove najaasah (impurity) with his right hand; the left > hand should be used for this purpose, because of the hadeeth quoted > above, and because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon > him) said: “When any one of you wipes himself, he should not use his > right hand.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 5199). The Prophet’s wife > Hafsah (may Allaah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet > (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to use his right hand > for eating, drinking, making wudoo’, getting dressed, and giving and > taking things, and he used to use his left hand for other things. > (Reported by Imaam Ahmad; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 4912). Abu > Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings > of Allaah be upon him) said: “When any one of you cleans himself, he > should not use his right hand, he should use his left hand.” (Reported > by Ibn Maajah, 308; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 322). > > The Sunnah is to answer the call of nature sitting, making oneself > close to the ground, because this is more concealing, and makes it > less likely that spray from one’s urine will come back on one’s body > or clothes, making them dirty. If a person can be sure of avoiding > this, then it is permissible to urinate standing up. > A person should be concealed from the sight of others when answering > the call of nature. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of > Allaah be upon him) used to prefer to go behind a rise in the ground > or a garden of date palms. (Reported by Muslim, 517). If a person is > out in an open space and cannot find anything to conceal him when he > needs to answer the call of nature, he should move far away from the > other people around him, because al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah said: “I was > with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on a > journey, when he felt the need to answer the call of nature, so he > went far away.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 20; he said it is a saheeh > hasan hadeeth). ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Abi Quraad said: “I went out with the > Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to an > open space, and when he needed to answer the call of nature, he moved > away.” (Reported by al-Nisaa’i, 16; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 4651) > > A person should not uncover his ‘awrah (private parts) until after he > has squatted close to the ground, because this is more concealing, as > Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported: “When the Prophet > (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to answer the call > of nature, he would not lift his garment until he had squatted close > to the ground.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 14; see also Saheeh al- > Jaami’, 4652). If a person is in a (modern) toilet, he should not lift > his garment until he has closed the door and is out of sight of other > people. With regard to this point and the one before, it is worth > noting that the habit of many people in the West and elsewhere, of > urinating in a standing position in front of other people in public > toilets (using urinals) is something which goes against good manners, > modesty and decency, and is repulsive to anyone who possesses sound > common sense and wisdom. How can anybody uncover in front of other > people the ‘awrah (private parts) which Allaah has placed between his > legs to conceal it and commanded him to cover it? The idea that it > should be covered is well established among all wise and decent people > of all races. It is wrong in principle to build restrooms of this > shameful type, where the users can see one another, thus making them > worse than some kinds of animals whose habit is to conceal themselves > from one another when urinating or defecating. > > It is also good manners according to Sharee’ah to recite certain > adhkaar (supplications) when entering or leaving the toilet, which are > quite appropriate to the situation and place. Our Prophet (peace and > blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us that when entering the > toilet, we should say: “Allaahumma innee a’oodhi bika min al-khubthi > wa’l-khabaa’ith (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from male and female > devils).” When leaving the toilet, he should say: “Ghufraanak (I seek > Your forgiveness).” > > He should be careful to remove all impurity after answering the call > of nature, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon > him) warned against being careless in cleaning oneself after > urinating: “Most of the punishment of the grave will be because of > urine.” (Reported by Ibn Maajah, 342; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, > 1202). Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) reported > that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon > him) passed by two graves, and said: “They are being punished, but > they are not being punished for any major sin. One of them used not to > protect himself (i.e. keep himself clean from) his urine, and the > other used to walk about spreading malicious gossip.” (Reported by al- > Bukhaari, 5592). > > Any impurity should be washed or wiped three times or an odd number of > times greater than three, according to whatever is needed to cleanse > it, because ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) reported that > the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to wash > his posterior three times. Ibn ‘Umar said: “We did this too and found > it to be healing and cleansing.” (Reported by Ibn Maajah, 350; see > also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 4993). Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with > him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon > him) said: “When anyone of you cleans himself (with stones or similar > material) let him use an odd number.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad; > classed as hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 375). > > He should not use bones or dung to clean himself or wipe away the > impurity, rather, he should use tissue, stones, and the like. Abu > Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that he used to > carry a vessel for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon > him) to do wudoo’ and clean himself after answering the call of > nature. Whilst he was following him, he (the Prophet) asked, “Who is > that?” He said: “I am Abu Hurayrah.” He said: “Get me some stones I > can use to clean myself, but do not bring me any bones or dung.” So I > brought him some stones, carrying them in the hem of my garment, and > placed them by his side, then I went away. When he had finished, I > came back and asked him, “What is wrong with bones and dung?” He said: > “They are the food of the jinn.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3571). > > A person should not urinate into stagnant water, because Jaabir (may > Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah > (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade anyone to urinate > into stagnant water (reported by Muslim, 423), and because this makes > the water impure and harms those who use it. > > A person should not urinate by the roadside or in places where people > seek shade, because this is offensive to them. Abu Hurayrah reported > that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: > “Fear the two things that bring curses.” They asked, “What are the two > things that bring curses, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said: “When a > person relieves himself in the road where people walk or in the place > where they seek shade.” (Reported by Abu Dawud, 23; see also Saheeh al- > Jaami’, 110). > > One should not greet a person who is answering the call of nature, or > return a greeting whilst one is answering the call of nature, out of > respect to Allaah by not mentioning His name in a dirty place. > [Translator’s note: the Islamic greeting is “al-salaam ‘alaykum (peace > be upon you)”; one of the names of Allaah is al-Salaam (the Peace)]. > Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah reported that a man passed by the Prophet > (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whilst he was urinating, > and greeted him. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of > Allaah be upon him) said to him: “If you see me in this state, do not > greet me, because if you do, I will not respond.” (Reported by Ibn > Maajah, 346; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 575). The majority of scholars > say that it is makrooh (disliked) to speak in the restroom > unnecessarily. > > These are some of the rules and manners prescribed by the sharee’ah of > Islam in this matter which is repeated many times a day by every > person. If the sharee’ah has paid such minute attention to the details > of such a mundane matter, what do you think it has to say about more > important issues? Do you know of any other religion or system in the > world that has brought laws like this? This is enough, by Allaah, to > prove its perfection and beauty, and the necessity of following it. We > ask Allaah to give us and you strength and to guide us all to the > truth. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
