✿ Original work authored by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri (Hafizahullah), reorganized with headings and structure for ease of reading.
"When you go to relieve yourselves, do not face the Qiblah nor turn your backs to it. Rather, turn to the east or west."
Abu Ayyub said: "We arrived in the region of al-Sham and found toilets built facing the Qiblah, so we would turn away from it and seek forgiveness from Allah."
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 394, Sahih Muslim: 264)
➋ Salman al-Farsi (RA) reported:
"Your Prophet has taught you everything, even how to relieve yourselves."
He said: "Yes, he forbade us from facing the Qiblah while relieving ourselves, using the right hand, using fewer than three stones for cleaning, or using dung or bones."
(Sahih Muslim: 262)
➌ Abu Hurairah (RA) reported:
"When one of you sits to relieve himself, let him not face nor turn his back to the Qiblah."
(Sahih Muslim: 265)
➍ ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (RA) stated:
"Some people say not to face the Qiblah or Bayt al-Maqdis when relieving oneself, but I once climbed on the roof of our house and saw the Prophet ﷺ relieving himself facing Bayt al-Maqdis."
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 145, Sahih Muslim: 266)
In another narration, Ibn ‘Umar (RA) saw the Prophet ﷺ facing north (al-Sham) with his back to the Qiblah while relieving himself.
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 148, Sahih Muslim: 266)
"The Prophet ﷺ forbade us from facing or turning our backs to the Qiblah while urinating. Then I saw him, a year before his death, urinating while facing the Qiblah."
(Musnad Ahmad: 3/360, Abu Dawood: 13, Tirmidhi: 9, Ibn Majah: 31, Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar: 4/234)
Graded Hasan by multiple Hadith scholars.
➏ ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith (RA), on one Friday, veiled himself and urinated in a basin. He then said:
"I heard the Prophet ﷺ forbid facing the Qiblah while urinating."
(Sahih Ibn Hibban: 1419)
❖ Hadith of Ibn ‘Umar (RA) urinating while facing the Qiblah was narrated with a weak chain due to a mudallis (ambiguous) narrator who did not declare hearing the Hadith.
Despite these weaknesses, some scholars declared the narrations authentic, including Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, al-Daraqutni, and al-Hakim, with support from al-Dhahabi and al-Hazimi.
➤ Facing the Qiblah while relieving oneself is prohibited in open areas, as affirmed by clear Prophetic instruction.
➤ It is permissible in enclosed places if a barrier or wall exists between the individual and the Qiblah.
➤ This is the preferred and reconciliatory opinion upheld by the majority of early and later scholars.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ
❖ Prohibition of Facing the Qiblah During Relief
Islam has outlined etiquette for all aspects of life, including the process of relieving oneself. Among these is the prohibition of facing or turning one’s back to the Qiblah while urinating or defecating, unless there is a barrier such as a wall.❖ Prophetic Prohibitions and the Companions’ Practice
➊ Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (RA) narrated:"When you go to relieve yourselves, do not face the Qiblah nor turn your backs to it. Rather, turn to the east or west."
Abu Ayyub said: "We arrived in the region of al-Sham and found toilets built facing the Qiblah, so we would turn away from it and seek forgiveness from Allah."
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 394, Sahih Muslim: 264)
➋ Salman al-Farsi (RA) reported:
"Your Prophet has taught you everything, even how to relieve yourselves."
He said: "Yes, he forbade us from facing the Qiblah while relieving ourselves, using the right hand, using fewer than three stones for cleaning, or using dung or bones."
(Sahih Muslim: 262)
➌ Abu Hurairah (RA) reported:
"When one of you sits to relieve himself, let him not face nor turn his back to the Qiblah."
(Sahih Muslim: 265)
➍ ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (RA) stated:
"Some people say not to face the Qiblah or Bayt al-Maqdis when relieving oneself, but I once climbed on the roof of our house and saw the Prophet ﷺ relieving himself facing Bayt al-Maqdis."
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 145, Sahih Muslim: 266)
In another narration, Ibn ‘Umar (RA) saw the Prophet ﷺ facing north (al-Sham) with his back to the Qiblah while relieving himself.
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 148, Sahih Muslim: 266)
❖ Reconciliation Between Prohibitions and Practice
While Abu Ayyub (RA) narrates the prohibition, Ibn ‘Umar (RA) and Jabir (RA) mention instances where the Prophet ﷺ relieved himself facing the Qiblah. This demonstrates a contextual difference—likely between open desert spaces and built environments.❖ Further Evidence and Juristic Clarification
➎ Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (RA) reported:"The Prophet ﷺ forbade us from facing or turning our backs to the Qiblah while urinating. Then I saw him, a year before his death, urinating while facing the Qiblah."
(Musnad Ahmad: 3/360, Abu Dawood: 13, Tirmidhi: 9, Ibn Majah: 31, Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar: 4/234)
Graded Hasan by multiple Hadith scholars.
➏ ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith (RA), on one Friday, veiled himself and urinated in a basin. He then said:
"I heard the Prophet ﷺ forbid facing the Qiblah while urinating."
(Sahih Ibn Hibban: 1419)
❖ Fiqhi Interpretation and Scholars' Opinions
Most Hadith scholars interpret these narrations to mean that the prohibition applies to open areas. If there is a barrier like a wall, it is permissible.- Imam al-Bukhari titled a chapter:
"One should not face the Qiblah while relieving oneself unless there is a building or wall." - Imam al-Nawawi (631–676 AH) wrote:
"Hadiths prohibiting facing the Qiblah apply to open lands. Reconciliation is mandatory where possible. Facing the Qiblah in structured spaces is allowed due to hardship."
(Sharh Sahih Muslim: 3/155) - Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani said:
"The majority of scholars distinguish between open spaces and built areas. This is the view of Imams Malik, al-Shafi‘i, and Ishaq, which reconciles all the Hadiths."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/246)
❖ Clarification of Weak Narrations
❖ Hadith of ‘A’ishah (RA) regarding sitting with the back to the Qiblah was narrated through a weak chain—due to unknown and disconnected narrators.❖ Hadith of Ibn ‘Umar (RA) urinating while facing the Qiblah was narrated with a weak chain due to a mudallis (ambiguous) narrator who did not declare hearing the Hadith.
Despite these weaknesses, some scholars declared the narrations authentic, including Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, al-Daraqutni, and al-Hakim, with support from al-Dhahabi and al-Hazimi.
Conclusion
➤ Facing the Qiblah while relieving oneself is prohibited in open areas, as affirmed by clear Prophetic instruction.➤ It is permissible in enclosed places if a barrier or wall exists between the individual and the Qiblah.
➤ This is the preferred and reconciliatory opinion upheld by the majority of early and later scholars.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ
