Hadith 323

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى ، عَنْ عِيسَى الْحَنَّاطِ ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ، قَالَ : رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ " فِي كَنِيفِهِ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ " ، قَالَ عِيسَى : فَقُلْتُ ذَلِكَ لِلشَّعْبِيِّ ، فَقَالَ : صَدَقَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ ، وَصَدَقَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ، أَمَّا قَوْلُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، فَقَالَ : " فِي الصَّحْرَاءِ لَا يَسْتَقْبِلِ الْقِبْلَةَ وَلَا يَسْتَدْبِرْهَا " ، وَأَمَّا قَوْلُ ابْنِ عُمَرَ : فَإِنَّ الْكَنِيفَ لَيْسَ فِيهِ قِبْلَةٌ ، اسْتَقْبِلْ فِيهِ حَيْثُ شِئْتَ .
´It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said:` "I saw the Messenger of Allah in his (constructed) toilet, facing towards the Qiblah." (Da'if) (One of the narrators) 'Eisa said: "I told that to Sha'bi, and he said: 'Ibn 'Umar spoke the truth. As for the words of Abu Hurairah, he said: "In the desert do not face the Qiblah nor turn one's back towards it." As for the words of Ibn 'Umar, he said: "In the (constructed) toilet there is no Qiblah so turn in whatever direction you want." Another chain with similar wording.
Hadith Reference سنن ابن ماجه / كتاب الطهارة وسننها / 323
Hadith Grading الألبانی: ضعيف جدا  |  زبیر علی زئی: ضعيف, ضعيف جدًا, عيسي بن أبي عيسي الحناط: متروك (تقريب: 5317), والحديث ضعفه البوصيري, انوار الصحيفه، صفحه نمبر 388
Hadith Takhrij «تفرد بہ ابن ماجہ ، ( تحفة الأشراف : 8251 ، ومصباح الزجاجة : 130 ) ، وقد أخرجہ : مسند احمد ( 2/97 ، 99 ، 114 ) ( ضعیف جدًا ) » ( سند میں عیسیٰ بن أبی عیسیٰ الحناط متروک الحدیث ہے )
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Commentary:
(1)
This narration of Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhuma is weak through this chain, however, its being hasan (good) is established through other routes.
Isa Khayyat, who is also called Hannaṭ, see: (Taqrib al-Tahdhib: 5352),
has indicated towards the hadith of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, and most likely, by this is meant the hadith in Sahih Muslim in which Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu narrated the statement of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam:
“When any person sits for relieving himself, he should neither face the qiblah nor turn his back towards it.” (Sahih Muslim, al-Taharah, Chapter: al-Istinja, Hadith: 265)
And the hadith of Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhuma is the very one under discussion, in which permission for this is understood within a four-walled enclosure.
In addition, Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has clarified that Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhuma climbed onto the roof for some purpose, and his gaze suddenly fell upon the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam; he did not look intentionally, but from this, the legal ruling was suddenly learned that doing so within a four-walled enclosure is permissible. (al-Mawsu‘ah al-Hadithiyyah: 8/616)

(2)
Allamah Waheed al-Zaman has stated that from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, there are narrations both regarding facing the qiblah and turning one’s back towards it, as well as narrations prohibiting it.
There can be two ways to reconcile between them:
First, that the prohibition is of a binding (tahrimi) nature, but the prohibition is only in the desert and open places, while within a building it is permissible.
The second case is that the prohibition is considered of a non-binding (tanzihi) nature, so avoidance is preferable, and from the action of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, permissibility is established. (Translation of Sunan Ibn Majah by Allamah Waheed al-Zaman.
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with adaptation)
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 323