Written by: Fadilat Sheikh Amro Abdul Munim (may Allah have mercy on him)
Translation: Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai (may Allah have mercy on him)
This belief contradicts the hadith of our master Hudhaifah bin Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him), which states:
The Prophet (peace be upon him), due to some compulsion, went to a tribe’s garbage dump and urinated while standing. I brought water for his ablution. I wanted to move away, but he called me until I stood behind him. He performed ablution and wiped over his socks.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book of Ablution, Chapter on Urinating While Standing and Sitting, Hadith 224; Sahih Muslim, Book of Purification, Chapter on Wiping Over the Socks, Hadith 273; Musnad Ahmad 5/382, 401; Al-Musnad attributed to Abu Hanifa p. 23]
In my opinion, people have misunderstood this authentic hadith:
It is proven from the Mother of the Believers, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that:
"من حدثكم أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يبول قائما فلا تصدقوه، ماكان يبول إلا قاعدا"“Whoever tells you that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to urinate while standing, do not believe him. He always urinated while sitting.”
[Hasan, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Chapters on Purification, Chapter on Prohibition of Urinating While Standing, Hadith 12]
This is merely the ijtihad (independent reasoning) of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). (In fact, it is not ijtihad but rather the observation and testimony of the Mother of the Believers. Note that there is no conflict between the hadith of Aisha and the hadith of Hudhaifah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) generally urinated while sitting. Only once, due to some necessity, did he urinate while standing. Therefore, sitting while urinating is Sunnah, but urinating while standing is permissible if there is a need or compulsion, provided it is done privately and under the necessary conditions.)
She stated what she knew from the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). (In the case of clear contradiction) the positive evidence takes precedence over the negative. Hence, it is necessary to adhere to the hadith of Hudhaifah (may Allah be pleased with him) as evidence of permissibility because it is based on sight, which is related to the sense of vision, whereas the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) is based on knowledge. (It is apparent that sometimes) knowledge may miss certain things.
The ijtihad of the Mother of the Believers is like her assertion that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not see his Lord in this world, while Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) affirmed it. The Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Whoever claims that Muhammad (peace be upon him) saw his Lord in this world is making a great falsehood.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Beginning of Creation, Chapter on Whoever Says Ameen..., Hadith 3234; Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter on Meaning of Allah’s Statement 'And indeed he saw him at another descent...', Hadith 177]
While Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw his Lord with his heart’s eyes (twice).
[Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter on Meaning of Allah’s Statement 'And indeed he saw him at another descent...', Hadith 176]
This means he saw Him spiritually, either in a dream or in a spiritual vision. The hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) negates a physical vision in this world, while the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) affirms a spiritual vision, thus there is no conflict between the two hadiths.
There are other similar examples, mentioning which would prolong the discussion. Therefore, Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book Sunan (1/18):
“The prohibition of urinating while standing pertains to manners (and ethics), not to prohibition (haram).”
I say that the marfoo’ hadith prohibiting urination while standing is narrated from Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw me urinating while standing and said:
"يا عمر لاتبل قائما"“O Umar! Do not urinate while standing.”
[Very weak, Sunan Ibn Majah, Purification and Its Sunnahs, Chapter on Urinating While Sitting, Hadith 308]
Its chain is very weak due to Abdul Karim bin Abi Umaiya. However, it is proven from Amir al-Mu'minin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to urinate while sitting.
[Musnad al-Bazzar by reference of Kashf al-Astar by Al-Haythami 1/130, Hadith 244; its chain is authentic; Musnad al-Bazzar Kashf 1/266, Hadith 547; and At-Tabarani Al-Awsat 6/470, Hadith 5995]
In one narration, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Urinating while standing (without any excuse) is bad manners and an act of injustice. (Its chain is Hasan, and the author’s criticism is not correct.)
This hadith depends on Abdul Karim bin Abi al-Mukharraq, who was very weak. An-Nasa'i and Ad-Daraqutni said he is abandoned. As-Sa'di (Al-Jawzjani) and An-Nasa'i said in another place: He was not reliable. Scholars of the science of men have declared him weak and unreliable. It is preferable that a person urinates while sitting. It is more dignified and protects one’s private parts. It also saves a person from splashes of urine. If (due to some excuse or compulsion) one urinates while standing, it is permissible, but it is essential to choose a soft ground that absorbs urine to prevent splashes. One must also guard one’s private parts from exposure and follow the etiquettes of relieving oneself and using the toilet.
It is also important to note that people urinate in public urinals and latrines that are adjacent to and facing each other. In such situations, there is always a risk of exposure and others seeing the private parts. Sometimes these latrines lack water, making it difficult (and impossible) to achieve cleanliness.
In summary, it is proven that the Prophet (peace be upon him) urinated while standing (due to some compulsion). Therefore, declaring it (absolutely) disliked is incorrect. Yes, if the situations mentioned above exist, such as exposure of private parts and lack of cleanliness, then it is disliked (i.e., forbidden). A group of Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) has been reported to have urinated while standing due to some compulsion. This negates the absolute prohibition, and the ruling remains permissible.
Imam Mujtahid Ibn Al-Mundhir An-Naysaburi said:
“It is proven from the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), such as Umar bin Al-Khattab, Zaid bin Thabit, Ibn Umar, and Sahl bin Saad (may Allah be pleased with them) that they urinated while standing. The same act is narrated from Ali, Anas, and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them). Muhammad bin Sirin and Urwah bin Zubair (Tabi'een) also urinated while standing.”
[Al-Awsat 1/333]
The Belief that Cleaning with Earth Alone is Not Sufficient
Among the innovations is the belief of some people that cleaning with earth alone after urination or defecation is not sufficient. (Similarly, some people, particularly the Tablighi Jamaat members, do not consider cleaning with water alone sufficient. They keep lumps of earth in their bathrooms, use them first, and then water, citing a weak narration from the Sunan as evidence. However, their actions often block (mosque) latrines, causing inconvenience to others./Hafiz Nadeem Zaheer)
This belief is incorrect, as evidenced by the hadith of Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him). He said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) intended to relieve himself and ordered me to bring three lumps of earth. I found two lumps but could not find a third one, so I picked up dung and brought it to him. He took the lumps and discarded the dung, saying:
"ھذا ركس"
“This is impure.”
[Sahih Bukhari, Book of Ablution, Chapter on Not Cleaning with Dung, Hadith 156]
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I followed the Prophet (peace be upon him) while he was going to relieve himself. He did not look around. I approached him, and he said:
“Bring me stones so that I may clean myself with them, and do not bring me a bone or dung.”
I brought three stones, carried them in my garment, placed them by him, and then stepped back. When he finished, I followed him.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book of Ablution, Chapter on Cleaning with Stones, Hadith 155]
Translation: Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai (may Allah have mercy on him)
This belief contradicts the hadith of our master Hudhaifah bin Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him), which states:
The Prophet (peace be upon him), due to some compulsion, went to a tribe’s garbage dump and urinated while standing. I brought water for his ablution. I wanted to move away, but he called me until I stood behind him. He performed ablution and wiped over his socks.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book of Ablution, Chapter on Urinating While Standing and Sitting, Hadith 224; Sahih Muslim, Book of Purification, Chapter on Wiping Over the Socks, Hadith 273; Musnad Ahmad 5/382, 401; Al-Musnad attributed to Abu Hanifa p. 23]
In my opinion, people have misunderstood this authentic hadith:
It is proven from the Mother of the Believers, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that:
"من حدثكم أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يبول قائما فلا تصدقوه، ماكان يبول إلا قاعدا"“Whoever tells you that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to urinate while standing, do not believe him. He always urinated while sitting.”
[Hasan, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Chapters on Purification, Chapter on Prohibition of Urinating While Standing, Hadith 12]
This is merely the ijtihad (independent reasoning) of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). (In fact, it is not ijtihad but rather the observation and testimony of the Mother of the Believers. Note that there is no conflict between the hadith of Aisha and the hadith of Hudhaifah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) generally urinated while sitting. Only once, due to some necessity, did he urinate while standing. Therefore, sitting while urinating is Sunnah, but urinating while standing is permissible if there is a need or compulsion, provided it is done privately and under the necessary conditions.)
She stated what she knew from the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). (In the case of clear contradiction) the positive evidence takes precedence over the negative. Hence, it is necessary to adhere to the hadith of Hudhaifah (may Allah be pleased with him) as evidence of permissibility because it is based on sight, which is related to the sense of vision, whereas the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) is based on knowledge. (It is apparent that sometimes) knowledge may miss certain things.
The ijtihad of the Mother of the Believers is like her assertion that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not see his Lord in this world, while Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) affirmed it. The Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Whoever claims that Muhammad (peace be upon him) saw his Lord in this world is making a great falsehood.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Beginning of Creation, Chapter on Whoever Says Ameen..., Hadith 3234; Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter on Meaning of Allah’s Statement 'And indeed he saw him at another descent...', Hadith 177]
While Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw his Lord with his heart’s eyes (twice).
[Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter on Meaning of Allah’s Statement 'And indeed he saw him at another descent...', Hadith 176]
This means he saw Him spiritually, either in a dream or in a spiritual vision. The hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) negates a physical vision in this world, while the hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) affirms a spiritual vision, thus there is no conflict between the two hadiths.
There are other similar examples, mentioning which would prolong the discussion. Therefore, Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book Sunan (1/18):
“The prohibition of urinating while standing pertains to manners (and ethics), not to prohibition (haram).”
I say that the marfoo’ hadith prohibiting urination while standing is narrated from Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw me urinating while standing and said:
"يا عمر لاتبل قائما"“O Umar! Do not urinate while standing.”
[Very weak, Sunan Ibn Majah, Purification and Its Sunnahs, Chapter on Urinating While Sitting, Hadith 308]
Its chain is very weak due to Abdul Karim bin Abi Umaiya. However, it is proven from Amir al-Mu'minin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to urinate while sitting.
[Musnad al-Bazzar by reference of Kashf al-Astar by Al-Haythami 1/130, Hadith 244; its chain is authentic; Musnad al-Bazzar Kashf 1/266, Hadith 547; and At-Tabarani Al-Awsat 6/470, Hadith 5995]
In one narration, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Urinating while standing (without any excuse) is bad manners and an act of injustice. (Its chain is Hasan, and the author’s criticism is not correct.)
This hadith depends on Abdul Karim bin Abi al-Mukharraq, who was very weak. An-Nasa'i and Ad-Daraqutni said he is abandoned. As-Sa'di (Al-Jawzjani) and An-Nasa'i said in another place: He was not reliable. Scholars of the science of men have declared him weak and unreliable. It is preferable that a person urinates while sitting. It is more dignified and protects one’s private parts. It also saves a person from splashes of urine. If (due to some excuse or compulsion) one urinates while standing, it is permissible, but it is essential to choose a soft ground that absorbs urine to prevent splashes. One must also guard one’s private parts from exposure and follow the etiquettes of relieving oneself and using the toilet.
It is also important to note that people urinate in public urinals and latrines that are adjacent to and facing each other. In such situations, there is always a risk of exposure and others seeing the private parts. Sometimes these latrines lack water, making it difficult (and impossible) to achieve cleanliness.
In summary, it is proven that the Prophet (peace be upon him) urinated while standing (due to some compulsion). Therefore, declaring it (absolutely) disliked is incorrect. Yes, if the situations mentioned above exist, such as exposure of private parts and lack of cleanliness, then it is disliked (i.e., forbidden). A group of Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) has been reported to have urinated while standing due to some compulsion. This negates the absolute prohibition, and the ruling remains permissible.
Imam Mujtahid Ibn Al-Mundhir An-Naysaburi said:
“It is proven from the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), such as Umar bin Al-Khattab, Zaid bin Thabit, Ibn Umar, and Sahl bin Saad (may Allah be pleased with them) that they urinated while standing. The same act is narrated from Ali, Anas, and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them). Muhammad bin Sirin and Urwah bin Zubair (Tabi'een) also urinated while standing.”
[Al-Awsat 1/333]
The Belief that Cleaning with Earth Alone is Not Sufficient
Among the innovations is the belief of some people that cleaning with earth alone after urination or defecation is not sufficient. (Similarly, some people, particularly the Tablighi Jamaat members, do not consider cleaning with water alone sufficient. They keep lumps of earth in their bathrooms, use them first, and then water, citing a weak narration from the Sunan as evidence. However, their actions often block (mosque) latrines, causing inconvenience to others./Hafiz Nadeem Zaheer)
This belief is incorrect, as evidenced by the hadith of Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him). He said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) intended to relieve himself and ordered me to bring three lumps of earth. I found two lumps but could not find a third one, so I picked up dung and brought it to him. He took the lumps and discarded the dung, saying:
"ھذا ركس"
“This is impure.”
[Sahih Bukhari, Book of Ablution, Chapter on Not Cleaning with Dung, Hadith 156]
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I followed the Prophet (peace be upon him) while he was going to relieve himself. He did not look around. I approached him, and he said:
“Bring me stones so that I may clean myself with them, and do not bring me a bone or dung.”
I brought three stones, carried them in my garment, placed them by him, and then stepped back. When he finished, I followed him.
[Sahih Bukhari, Book of Ablution, Chapter on Cleaning with Stones, Hadith 155]