Prohibition of Spitting Facing the Qiblah: Four Scenarios and Authentic Ahadith
Excerpt taken from Sheikh Muhammad Munir Qamar’s book Ahkam al-Masajid
◈ Prohibition of Spitting Facing the Qiblah
Where the cleanliness of the mosque carries great virtue, there is, on the other hand, a strict prohibition against causing any kind of impurity in the mosque. Once, the Prophet ﷺ saw phlegm (rīnt) on the qiblah-facing (western) wall of the mosque, and his blessed face changed due to anger. In several Ahadith, the Prophet ﷺ strictly forbade spitting in the mosque and spitting while facing the Qiblah.
Some people carelessly, right after saying salam, get up, open the window facing the Qiblah, and begin to clear their throats and spit toward the Qiblah. This is clearly against the respect due to the Qiblah. This act is not permissible not only inside the mosque but is not allowed in any place and in any state.
Since this topic has come up, a brief detailed explanation is beneficial so that, alongside the etiquettes and respect of the mosque, the respect for the Qiblah and some etiquettes of spitting also become clear. As these issues revolve around correct and incorrect methods of spitting, by mentioning the different scenarios and evidences for the prohibition of spitting facing the Qiblah, the rulings will become clear.
◈ The Four Scenarios of Spitting Facing the Qiblah
Generally, there are four scenarios:
① Spitting while standing or sitting in the mosque facing the Qiblah.
② Spitting during Salah facing the Qiblah.
③ Spitting facing the Qiblah outside the mosque at any place.
④ Spitting facing the Qiblah in a normal state, outside Salah.
These are the four scenarios, and all four are prohibited in the Hadith books.
◈ Prohibition in the First Two Scenarios
Regarding the first two scenarios—in the mosque and during Salah—the Prophet ﷺ issued a stern warning. In Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, and Nasa’i, it is narrated from Anas (RA) that the Prophet ﷺ saw phlegm on the Qiblah-side wall of the mosque, and this was very unpleasant to him. The signs of displeasure were seen on his blessed face. He stood up and scraped it off, and said:
إن أحدكم إذا قام فى صلاته فإنه يناجي ربه وإن ربه بينه وبين القبلة فلا يبصقن أحدكم قبل قبلته ولكن عن يساره وتحت قدميه
(Bukhari with Fath 1/508; Muslim with Nawawi 3/4015; Sahih Abi Dawud 449–450; Sahih Tirmidhi 468; Sahih Nasa’i 698)
“When any one of you stands for Salah, he is conversing with his Lord; and his Lord is between him and the Qiblah, so none of you must spit toward his Qiblah, but rather to his left side or under his feet.”
Further, he ﷺ took a corner of his garment, spat into it, rubbed it together, and said:
او يفعل هكذا
“Or he should do like this.”
Explaining this Hadith, Imam Qurtubi (as cited by Badr al-Din al-‘Ayni in ‘Umdat al-Qari) said:
الحديث دال على تحريم البصاق فى القبلة
(‘Umdat al-Qari 2/150, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)
“This Hadith indicates the prohibition (haram) of spitting facing the Qiblah.”
Al-‘Ayni himself, after mentioning various views, preferred that spitting toward the Qiblah is haram. Referring to the stated cause—that Allah is between the worshipper and the Qiblah—Ibn Hajar wrote that this is evidence that spitting facing the Qiblah is haram whether in the mosque or outside.
(Fath al-Bari 1/508)
In the subsequent Hadith in Bukhari—also in Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Muwatta’ Malik—Ibn ‘Umar (RA) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ saw spit on the Qiblah wall of the mosque, scraped it off, and said:
إذا كان أحدكم يصلي فلا يبصقن قبل وجهه فإن الله قبل وجهه إذا صلى
(Bukhari 1/509; Muslim with Nawawi 3/3810; Sahih Abi Dawud 454; Muwatta’ with Tanwir 1/200; Sahih Targhib 1/114; Sharh al-Nasa’i 2/384; Ibn Majah 763)
“When one of you is praying, he must not spit before his face, for Allah is before his face when he prays.”
The Prophet ﷺ further clarified this with a striking example. In Abu Dawud, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Musnad Ahmad, and Mustadrak al-Hakim, from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (RA): the Prophet ﷺ entered the mosque with a bent palm staff in his hand, saw several places with phlegm on the Qiblah wall, cleaned them thoroughly, and angrily said:
أيحب أحدكم أن يستقبله رجل فيبصق فى وجهه؟
Then he added:
إن أحدكم إذا قام إلى الصلاة فإنما يستقبل ربه والملك عن يمينه فلا يبصق بين يديه ولا عن يمينه
(Sahih Abi Dawud 445; Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 2/46 – ed. Dr. Mustafa Azami; Sahih Targhib 1/115)
“When one of you stands for Salah, he stands before his Lord, and the angel is to his right; so he must not spit before him nor to his right.”
Similarly, in Sahih Muslim, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, and Musnad Ahmad, from Abu Hurayrah (RA):
ما بال أحدكم يقوم مستقبل ربه فيتنخع أمامه، أيحب أحدكم أن يستقبل فيتنخع فى وجهه، إذا ابصق أحدكم فليبصق عن شماله أو ليتفل هكذا فى ثوبه
(Muslim with Nawawi 5/3/40; Ibn Majah 761; Sahih al-Jami‘ 5570; Sahih Targhib 1/115)
And from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (RA) in Sahih Muslim and Abu Dawud:
أيحب أن يعرض الله عنه؟ إن أحدكم إذا قام يصلي فإن الله قبل وجهه فلا يبصقن قبل وجهه ولا عن يمينه وليبصقن عن يساره تحت رجله اليسرى فإن عجلت به بادرة فليتفل بثوبه هكذا ووضع على فيه ثم دلكه
(Muslim with Nawawi 9/18/136–137; Sahih Abi Dawud 459; Sahih al-Targhib 1/116)
“Does anyone like that Allah turns away from him? When one of you stands for Salah, Allah is before his face; so he must not spit before his face nor to his right; he should spit to his left under his left foot. If suddenly overcome, let him spit in his garment like this,” and he placed his garment over his mouth and rubbed it.
The prohibition of the first two scenarios is also evident from the incident in Abu Dawud, Musnad Ahmad, and Sahih Ibn Hibban: Sā’ib ibn Khallād (RA) reported that a man led people in prayer and spat toward the Qiblah. After he finished, the Prophet ﷺ said:
لا يصلي لكم هكذا
“Let not such a person lead you in prayer (again).”
When he later attempted to lead, the people stopped him and narrated the Prophet’s statement. When mentioned before the Prophet ﷺ, he affirmed it and, as the narrator believes, also said:
إنك آذيت الله ورسوله
(Sahih Abi Dawud 456; al-Ihsan on Sahih Ibn Hibban 4/516; Sahih al-Targhib 1/117; Fath al-Bari 1/508)
“You have hurt Allah and His Messenger.”
In al-Tabarani al-Kabir, from Ibn ‘Umar (RA), a man who had been appointed to lead Zuhr spat facing the Qiblah while leading; for ‘Asr, the Prophet ﷺ appointed someone else. The first man became afraid and asked:
أنزل فى شيء؟
“Has something been revealed about me?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
لا، ولكنك نفلت بين يديك وأنت قائم تؤم الناس فآذيت الله والملائكة
(al-Tabarani al-Kabir; Sahih al-Targhib 1/117–118)
“No; but you spat before yourself while standing and leading the people, thereby offending Allah and the angels.”
◈ Prohibition in the Other Two Scenarios and the General Ruling
In common custom, spitting toward someone’s face is considered offensive and humiliating. The Qiblah, Ka‘bah, and Baytullah are far above such disrespect. Respect for that direction is obligatory. Thus, spitting facing the Qiblah is haram—inside the mosque or outside, during Salah or outside Salah. It is categorically prohibited.
◈ Evidences for the Prohibition
➊ From the Hadith reported in the Sahihayn and three of the Sunan (except Ibn Majah), as previously cited from Anas (RA):
فلا يبصقن أحدكم قبل قبلته
“None of you should spit toward his Qiblah.”
Commenting in Fath al-Bari, Ibn Hajar writes:
هذا التعليل يدل على أن البصاق فى القبلة حرام سواء كان فى المسجد أم لا، ولا سيما من المصلي
(Fath al-Bari 1/508; Nayl al-Awtar 2/342)
“This reasoning indicates that spitting facing the Qiblah is haram, whether in or outside the mosque—especially for the one praying.”
➋ Al-‘Ayni, citing Imam Qurtubi, states:
الحديث دال على تحريم البصاق فى القبلة
And after noting differing views, he concludes:
والأصح أنه للتحريم
“The correct view is prohibition (tahrīm).”
➌ In the Hadith of Ibn ‘Umar (RA):
فلا يبصق قبل وجهه فإن الله قبل وجهه
Commenting, Imam Nawawi writes in Sharh Muslim:
فلا يقابل هذه الجهة بالبصاق الذى هو من سخفة بمن يبزق إليه وإهانة وتحقيره
(Sharh Muslim with Nawawi 5/513/38)
“One should not face this direction with spitting, which amounts to insult and humiliation of the one toward whom it is directed.”
➍ In a chapter heading, Imam Bukhari cited an athar from Ibn ‘Abbas (RA) (connected with a Sahih chain by Ibn Abi Shaybah):
إن وطئت على قذر رطب فاغسله وإن كان يابسا فلا
(Bukhari with Fath 1/509–510)
Ibn Hajar explains its relevance:
ومطابقته للترجمة الإشارة إلى أن العلة العظمى فى النهي احترام القبلة لا مجرد التأذي بالبزاق ونحوه
(Fath al-Bari 1/510)
“Its relevance indicates that the primary cause for the prohibition is respect for the Qiblah, not merely the harm of spittle, etc.”
He adds that while harm to people is also a cause, the chief reason is respect for the Qiblah, hence no distinction is made between phlegm being dry or wet here—unlike other impurities where dryness alters the ruling.
➎ In Abu Dawud, Sahih Ibn Hibban, and Ibn Khuzaymah, from Hudhayfah (RA):
من تفل تجاه القبلة جاء يوم القيامة وتفله بين عينيه
(Sahih Abi Dawud 3239; Mawarid al-Zam’ān 332; Ibn Khuzaymah 925, 1314 via al-Ihsan 4/518; Fath al-Bari 1/508; Nayl al-Awtar 2/342; ‘Umdat al-Qari 2/150)
“Whoever spits toward the Qiblah will come on the Day of Resurrection with his spit between his eyes.”
➏ In Sahih Ibn Hibban, Ibn Khuzaymah (wording his), and Musnad al-Bazzar, from Ibn ‘Umar (RA):
يبعث صاحب النخامة فى القبلة يوم القيامة وهى فى وجهه
(Ibn Hibban – al-Mawarid 333; Ibn Khuzaymah 1313; Ibn Abi Shaybah 2/365; see al-Ihsan 4/517; Subul al-Salam 1/149)
“The one who spat toward the Qiblah will be raised on the Day of Resurrection with it on his face.”
➐ In Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, from Abu Hurayrah (RA) and Abu Sa‘id (RA):
إذا تنخم أحدكم فلا يتنخمن قبل وجهه ولا عن يمينه، وليبصق عن يساره أو تحت قدمه اليسرى
(Bukhari with Fath 1/309–511; Muslim with Nawawi 5/38–39; Musnad Ahmad 3/308, 3/8058 – via al-Sahihah 1284; Sahih al-Jami‘ 438)
“When one of you spits, he must not spit before his face nor to his right; rather to his left or under his left foot.”
➑ Imam Nawawi writes in his commentary that in every state spitting facing the Qiblah is forbidden—whether one is in Salah or outside Salah, inside the mosque or outside it.
(Sharh Nawawi 5/39)
➒ Ibn Hajar cited, after Nawawi’s statement, several athar indicating general prohibition.
(Fath al-Bari 1/510)
➓ Imam al-San‘ani in Subul al-Salam states that the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah and Abu Sa‘id contains a general prohibition (without the restriction of Salah or mosque), aligning with Imam Nawawi. He notes that while the Hadith of Anas (RA) mentions the restriction during Salah, there are multiple other Ahadith with general wording, covering inside or outside the mosque and whether praying or not—three of which were cited above.
(Subul al-Salam 1/149, al-Maktabah al-Tijariyyah al-Kubra, Egypt)
Key Takeaways
- Spitting facing the Qiblah is haram—in the mosque or outside, during Salah or otherwise.
- During Salah, one must not spit before him or to his right; instead, to the left or under the left foot, and if needed, into the garment as demonstrated.
- The primary reason for the prohibition is respect for the Qiblah, in addition to preventing harm and distraction.
