Hadith Proofs: Prohibition of Spitting to the Right

Prohibition of Spitting on the Right Side

After the narrations of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the statements of the scholars of Hadith, it is not appropriate to remain under any misconception or self-deception regarding the prohibition of spitting facing the Qibla. Rather, we should pay some attention to this matter. This concerns the greatness, reverence, and respect of the Qibla, the Kaaba, and the House of Allah. At the same time, it seems appropriate to mention that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also forbade spitting to the right side, because the right side has precedence and honor over the left. Accordingly, it is narrated from Umm al-Mu’minin Hazrat Aisha Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) in Sahihain, Sunan al-Arba’ah, and Musnad Ahmad:

كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يعجبه التيمن فى تنعله وترجله وطهوره فى شأنه كله

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) preferred the right side in wearing shoes, combing, purification, and even in beginning all matters.
This is why he (peace be upon him) preferred the right hand, right foot, and right side in eating and drinking, bathing, wearing clothes, holding or handing over something, entering the mosque, using the rosary, lying down—in short, in every matter. He also emphasized this preference to the members of his Ummah.
However, for cleaning the nose and for istinja (cleaning after relieving oneself), he preferred the left hand; and when entering the latrine and leaving the mosque, he preferred the left foot first. The reason for this is very clear: the honor given to the right hand and foot is not suitable for these acts. Therefore, the left side was specifically designated for them. The evidences related to all these matters concerning the right or left hand, foot, or side are present in the books of Hadith, but mentioning them here is beyond the scope of this discussion. Hence, we will leave them aside.

Arguments Against

Regarding the arguments about spitting to the right side, it is stated that in the Sahih and Sunan collections, as well as in the dictionaries and Musnads, wherever there is a prohibition on spitting facing the Qiblah, there is also a prohibition on spitting to the right side. Among these, some hadiths are specific to prayer and the mosque, just like the prohibition on spitting facing the Qiblah, while others indicate an absolute prohibition without this restriction. Since these hadiths have already been mentioned, there is no need to repeat them here. However, we will suffice with mentioning some of the explanatory statements of the hadith commentators and the Imams of knowledge, as well as a few narrations from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.

➊ For instance, the hadiths we have just mentioned from Hazrat Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, and Hazrat Abu Saeed, may Allah be pleased with him, as referenced in Sahihain, and the hadith from Bukhari narrated by Hazrat Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, in which the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:

لا يتفلن أحدكم بين يديه ولا عن يمينه ولكن عن يساره أو تحت رجله

None of you should spit to the right side, but rather to your left side or under your feet.
In the explanation of these two hadiths, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote:

ليس فيها تقييد ذلك بحالة الصلاة

In both of these hadiths, there is no restriction or condition related to the state of prayer for the prohibition of spitting to the right side.
He also referred to those narrations in which such a restriction is mentioned.

➋ Similarly, Allama Badr al-Din al-Ayni, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote in one place in Umdat al-Qari:

ثم هذا الحديث غير مقيد بحالة الصلاة

In any case, this hadith is not restricted to prayer.
And on the very next page, he writes: وليس فيه بالصلاة And there is no restriction or condition of prayer in this hadith.
From the explanations of Hafiz Asqalani and Allama al-Ayni in Sharh Bukhari, it becomes clear that the prohibition of spitting to the right side in the two hadiths mentioned recently is absolute, with no restriction or condition related to prayer. These hadiths are narrated not only in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim but also in Sunan, Musnads, and dictionaries.

➌ The commentator of Sahih Muslim, Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, has categorically declared spitting to the right side as forbidden, whether in the state of prayer or outside of it, and whether inside the mosque or outside it.

➍ And Allama San’ani, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote in the commentary of Bulugh al-Maram in Sabil al-Salam:

ومثل البصاق إلى القبلة البصاق عن اليمين فإنه منهي عنه مطلقا أيضا

Just like spitting facing the Qiblah, spitting to the right side is also absolutely forbidden.
After mentioning this, he also cited those hadiths or narrations that support this statement. These narrations were originally mentioned first by Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani, may Allah have mercy on him, in Fath al-Bari, then by Allama al-Ayni in Umdat al-Qari, by Amir San’ani in Sabil al-Salam, and by Imam Shawkani, may Allah have mercy on him, in Nayl al-Awtar. Among them:

First Effect:

The very first effect is narrated by the author Abdul Razzaq and others in books of Hadith and traditions, in which it is mentioned about Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him):

أنه كره أن ينصق عن يمينه وليس فى الصلاة

He considered spitting to the right side as disliked, even if one is not in the state of prayer.

Second Effect:

And the second effect is narrated from Hazrat Muadh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), in which he says:

ما بصقت عن يميني منذ أسلمت

Since I became a Muslim, I have never spat to the right side.

Third Effect:

While the third effect is about the Mujaddid Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him), in which it is stated:

إنه نهى ابنه عنه مطلقا

He absolutely forbade his son from spitting.

Reasons for Prohibition

And here keep in mind that the prohibition of spitting towards the Qibla is obviously
① due to the respect and status of the Qibla, whereas
② the prohibition of spitting on the right side is because, according to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the right hand, foot, side, and direction are beloved and preferred. As has been indicated earlier. And besides the honor and preference of the right side,
③ another reason is that the angel who writes a person’s good deeds is on the right side. As narrated in Sahih Bukhari from Hazrat Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه, the Prophetic statement mentions the prohibition of spitting on the right side along with its reason:

فإن عن يمينه ملكا

There is an angel on his right side.

Some Issues and Their Solutions

Before concluding the topic of spitting towards the Qibla or the right side, it seems appropriate to also present solutions to some objections that arise at certain points in the previous details. In other words, to answer some questions that come to mind in this regard, so that no doubt remains. Accordingly, in this regard:

First objection or question:

So it comes to mind that if according to the aforementioned hadith it is said that the angel on the right side refers to the scribe angel who writes down good deeds, then the objection arises as to why only the right side is specified? Whereas there is also another angel on the left side.

First answer:
To resolve this objection, scholars have given several answers. Among them, the first answer given by some early scholars is that the angel on the right side is specified for a particular reason. But this matter is debatable

and the reason for this being debatable is quite clear as to why the angel on the left side is not considered in this context, even though he is also an angel, albeit one who is assigned to write down bad deeds rather than good ones.

Second answer:
And the second answer to this objection given by some later scholars is that prayer is the greatest and most important act among bodily deeds (Umm al-Hasanat al-Badaniyyah), therefore during prayer the angel who writes down bad deeds (Katib al-Sayyi’at) has no role at all. And the suspended narration of the author Ibn Abi Shaybah, narrated from Hazrat Hudhaifah (may Allah be pleased with him), also supports this, because it states that one should not spit to the right side because:

فإن عن يمينه كاتب الحسنات

On the right side is the angel who writes down good deeds.

Allama Ayni (may Allah have mercy on him) quotes this answer and writes that:
This matter is also debatable, because although the angel who writes down bad deeds does not write during prayer, at least he does not disappear from his place, rather he remains present as well.

Third answer:
And the third answer to this objection is that in a hadith narrated by Tabarani from Hazrat Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him):

فإنه يقوم بين يدي الله وملكه عن يمينه وقرينه عن يساره

The one praying stands before his Lord in such a way that the angel is on his right side and the companion (Satan) is on his left side.

In this situation, the right side is occupied by an angel. Therefore, spitting there is forbidden. And if one spits on the left side, it will fall on the companion or Satan. It is possible that at that time the angel on the left side is in such a place that he avoids the spit. Or perhaps during prayer the angel on the left side also moves to the right side. And Allama Ayni (may Allah have mercy on him) preferred this third answer while saying فاحسن ما يجاب به.

And all these three types of answers apparently relate to the prohibition of spitting on the right side during prayer. And at least one reason for this prohibition is clear and evident. Whereas outside of prayer and in general circumstances, the reason for the prohibition of spitting on the right side is the same as mentioned before: that the right side was very beloved to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Therefore, it was also forbidden to spit facing that side.

Second Objection or Question:

And the second objection raised by the Mu’tazila regarding what was mentioned earlier is about the prohibition of spitting towards the Qiblah, which is based on the reason mentioned in the ahadith:

إن ربه بينه وبين القبلة

Between it and the Qiblah is its Lord.

And in Sahih Muslim and Abu Dawood it is:

فإن الله قبل وجهه

Indeed, Allah Ta’ala is in front of it.

And in Abu Dawood, Musnad Ahmad, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, and Mustadrak Hakim it is:

فإنما يستقبل ربه

He is before his Lord.

Or it is:

فإن الله عز وجل بين أيديكم

So indeed, Allah Ta’ala is before you.

From this, they have tried to prove their false theory that Allah Ta’ala is essentially present everywhere.

Answer:
This objection is a clear proof of their ignorance and lack of intellect, because if Allah Ta’ala is essentially present everywhere as they claim, then spitting on the left side and under the feet would also have to be prohibited. However, the permissibility of spitting in these two places is also mentioned in the same ahadith in which the reason for prohibiting spitting towards the Qiblah is given, which is that Allah Ta’ala may be between the Qiblah and the one who spits.

And these ahadith do not negate the مستوي على العرش of Allah Ta’ala. Rather, these ahadith indicate that wherever a person faces, he is in front of Allah Ta’ala. This is a general rule for all His creations. It can be easily understood by this example: if a circle is drawn, every line drawn from its center, wherever it is taken, will face the circle or its circumference.

And the matter of Allah Ta’ala is even clearer than this, for He encompasses everything. Therefore, all His creations are as if facing Him. Hence, all these objections and doubts are false. The prohibition of spitting towards the Qiblah is out of respect for the Qiblah.

The details of this topic can be seen in the books of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, especially in “Al-Hamawiyyah” and “Al-Wasitiyyah.” Similarly, in Fath al-Bari

, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, also refuted the idea of Allah being present everywhere. And the contemporary renowned Shaykh Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, strongly affirmed Allah Ta’ala’s being established above the Throne in the commentary of “Fath al-Bari.” The same point was excellently explained by the Muhaddith of the era, Shaykh al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, in the commentary of “Sahih al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib”

. This is when it is said that Allah Ta’ala is in front; otherwise, there would be no need for it. As Imam Khattabi, may Allah have mercy on him, said, in the phrase “in front of his Lord,” there is actually an omission. The intended meaning of the original phrase is that the greatness or reward of Allah is in front. And Allama Ibn Abdul Barr, may Allah have mercy on him, said that this statement is metaphorically made to describe the greatness and honor of the Noble Ka’bah.

If any of these meanings is taken, then there remains neither objection nor difficulty.

Third Objection or Question:

And finally, a third question can also be asked that in some ahadith it is mentioned that one should not spit facing the Qibla or on the right side during prayer. Rather, one should spit on the left side or under the feet. Therefore, if one spits on the left side or under the feet, this could also be considered spitting inside the mosque, which is impermissible and against the etiquettes of the mosque.

Answer:
The answer given by Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) is that the prohibition of spitting facing the Qibla and on the right side is general for both inside and outside the mosque. Whereas spitting on the left side or under the feet is related to being outside the mosque. Therefore, if a person praying in the mosque is compelled to spit, he should spit into his clothes, as mentioned in the ahadith.

And since spitting in the mosque is sinful, one should not spit in the mosque. As narrated from Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) in a hadith recorded in Sahihain, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, and Nasa’i, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

البصاق فى المسجد خطيئة

Spitting in the mosque is impermissible.

And in the same hadith it is also stated:

وكفارتها دفنها

And if someone commits this mistake, the expiation is to bury it in the ground of the mosque.

This applies when the mosque floor is sand, soil, or gravel. If the mosque floor is paved, then the spit should be thrown outside and the place cleaned, as Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) has explained in detail. Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) also wrote in Fath al-Bari that if there is a paved place or carpet or mat under the feet, then one should spit into the clothes, and if there are no clothes, then swallowing the spit is preferable to committing the forbidden act.

Details on this topic can also be found in Nayl al-Awtar

by Imam Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him), and Sabil al-Salam

by Amir San’ani (may Allah have mercy on him).

In summary, never spit in the mosque; if there is no other option, spit into your clothes; if that is not possible, swallowing it is preferable. And if in the last resort one must spit, then clean the place afterward. Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) considered this detailed distinction to be good.

Anyway, hardly anyone would foolishly spit during prayer or inside the mosque nowadays, because what era is this? However, in general circumstances, spitting facing the Qibla or on the right side is common due to ignorance, and warning about this is our main purpose. And while at it, the less frequent issue has also been explained. Therefore, fundamentally and to the necessary extent, this topic has been completed.

Acceptance of Good Deeds, Forgiveness of Sins:

Here, we find it appropriate to clarify one point. That is, Islam is a perfect and accessible religion, whose commandments are exactly in accordance with human nature. No command has been given that is beyond human capability, as stated in the last verse of Surah Al-Baqarah:

﴿لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا﴾

Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear.
According to this verse, the first point is that there is no command in Islam that is impossible to follow. However, some commandments, though minor, require attention. For example, the prohibition of spitting towards the Qiblah. This is an extremely easy matter, and if one does not act carelessly or negligently, there is no difficulty in it. And it is expected from a believer that no action of theirs occurs out of negligence. Rather, they take every step cautiously so that no mistake or violation of Sunnah occurs. But despite all this prudence and caution, it is humanly inevitable for a believer to commit errors and mistakes. Because infallibility is only the attribute of Allah Almighty. والعصمة لله وحده
Or He grants the honor of infallibility by His special grace to His Prophets, because they have to undertake the responsibility of guiding and leading nations. No human group other than the Prophets and Messengers is infallible from error. Neither the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), nor the Followers, nor the Imams, nor the Saints; rather, it is possible for anyone to commit mistakes. And when the occurrence of mistakes is possible, Allah Almighty has also blessed us with the great favor that He forgives our mistakes in various ways. Even by doing good deeds, mistakes are forgiven. As the Lord of the universe Himself states in Surah Hud, verse 114:

﴿أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّاكِرِينَ﴾

And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds erase bad deeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.
And how bad deeds are forgiven by good deeds, and by which good deed how much, or how many years of bad deeds are forgiven—if we start detailing this, the discussion would become lengthy. Therefore, here we suffice with a few indications: at least read the background or reason for revelation of this very verse of Surah Hud from the books of Tafsir. Or read about the virtues of ablution, the five daily prayers, Umrah, Ramadan, the fasts of the Day of Arafah and Ashura, Friday, Hajj, and the virtues of Muslims greeting and shaking hands with each other. It will become as clear as daylight how Allah forgives bad deeds because of good deeds.

Mistakes Are Forgiven:

And these are the evils that are committed deliberately, that is, knowingly. Those that happen under the demands of human nature and under the influence of Satan’s temptation. Allah Almighty forgives them through good deeds from time to time. Whereas those actions which are unlawful but the human will has no role in their commission, whether they occur in a state of compulsion and involuntariness or by mistake, and the doer does not even realize at the time of commission that they are committing a forbidden act, then the Forgiving and Merciful Lord does not hold them accountable for such mistakes. In other words, there is no liability for such matters. Because in the books of Fiqh and Usul, there is a phrase well-known as a Hadith, which states:

رفع عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيان

The mistakes of my Ummah have been forgiven.
Similarly, in Al-Kamil by Ibn Adi, it is narrated mursal from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both):

عفا لي عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيان وما استكرهوا عليه

The mistakes and actions done under compulsion of my Ummah have been forgiven.
However, the chain of narration of this Hadith includes two narrators, Abdul Rahim and his father Zaid, both of whom have been severely criticized by the Muhaddithin; the former has been called a liar and the latter weak.

Therefore, this narration is not authoritative. The first phrase is famous as a Hadith but it is not an authentic Hadith. Rather, a Hadith with this meaning is actually found in Sunan Ibn Majah and Al-Bayhaqi, narrated mursal from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), in which he states that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

إن الله وضع عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيان وما استكرهوا عليه

Indeed, Allah Almighty has forgiven the mistakes and actions done under compulsion of my Ummah.
Whereas in Ibn Majah and Al-Bayhaqi, it is narrated from Hazrat Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

إن الله تجاوز عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيان وما استكرهوا عليه

Allah Almighty has forgiven the mistakes and actions done under compulsion and helplessness of my Ummah.
And remember that this Hadith has another chain as well, narrated by Imam Tahawi (may Allah have mercy on him) in “Sharh Ma’ani al-Athar,” Darqutni in “Sunan,” Hakim in “Mustadrak,” Ibn Hibban in “Sahih,” and Ibn Hazm in “Usul al-Ahkam.” This Hadith is also narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) through three other chains. Among these, the second chain was declared authentic by Imam Hakim according to the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim, and Allama Al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) agreed with him. Allama Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) took it as proof, and Allama Ahmad Shakir (may Allah have mercy on him) declared it authentic in the margin of Usul al-Ahkam. Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him) also declared it authentic. Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) counted it as a Hasan grade Hadith in his Arba’in and “Rawdat al-Talibin,” while Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) maintained Imam Nawawi’s praise in “Talkhees al-Habeer.”

Similarly, this Hadith is also narrated mursal from Hazrat Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him), Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him), Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him), and Hasan Basri (may Allah have mercy on him). All of these have some chains, the details of which have been mentioned by Allama Zailai (may Allah have mercy on him) in “Nasb al-Rayah” and Hafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) in “Sharh al-Arba’in,” i.e., “Jami’ al-‘Ulum wal-Hikam”

.
While Imam Sakhawi (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote in “Al-Maqasid al-Hasanah”

that all these chains indicate that this Hadith certainly has an original basis.

And the reason for explaining all this is that Ibn Abi Hatim narrated criticism about this Hadith from his father, and Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated criticism from his father, and some other scholars also commented on it. So it should be clarified that although some criticized it, many Muhaddithin have declared it Hasan and Sahih. And the well-known contemporary Muhaddith Sheikh Nasiruddin al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) also declared it authentic in “Arwa al-Ghalil,” the verification of “Mishkat,” and Sahih Ibn Majah.

Besides giving a reasonable answer to the criticism, he also brought a Hadith from Sahih Muslim, which was narrated earlier by Allama Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) in “Sharh al-Arba’in,” and considered it a witness and confirmation of the Hadith under discussion, in which Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said:
لما نزلت ﴿رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا﴾ قال الله تعالىٰ قد فعلت

When this verse was revealed in which the Divine command is: O our Lord, do not hold us accountable for our mistakes, Allah Almighty said: I will do so.
And in Sahih Muslim, it is also narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). Hafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) said that no one has narrated this Hadith as Marfu’ (directly from the Prophet), but the reality is that this statement does not affect the Hadith because it is a matter where opinion or Ijtihad has no role. Therefore, such a Hadith is considered as Marfu’ in ruling.

In short, from all this detail it is understood that mistakes are forgiven, but spitting towards the Qiblah is forbidden. If someone spits deliberately, he will be held accountable, as there is a warning in the Ahadith. And if it happens by mistake, then Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. For detailed rulings on mistakes, see

.
(In this regard, under the titles (Do not spit towards the Qiblah) and Respect for the Qiblah, we have published a detailed article in the monthly “Muhaddith” Banaras and the monthly “Sirat Mustaqim” and some magazines of Pakistan.)
This topic, common between the etiquettes of the mosque and the etiquettes of the Ka’bah, is now sufficiently complete, while many other etiquettes and rulings of mosques remain, among which the mention of some important matters is necessary.