Istinja

Istinja’ (cleaning one’s private parts) is obligatory after defecation or urination. A Muslim must remove whatever has been passed from the front or back passages with water, stones, or anything else that is pure and will remove the impurity (najasah) – such as pebbles or coarse tissue paper, or clean pieces of paper on which there is no mention of Allah or any of His names – apart from bones and dung. But if he or she passes wind, then it is not obligatory to do Instinja’.

It is prescribed to sprinkle some water over the private part so as to ward off the waswasah. Ibn Majah narrated that Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did wudu’ and sprinkled his private part.

However, it is not prescribed for a man to squeeze the end of their private parts in order to make sure that there is nothing there. This is a kind of exaggeration and going to extremes, which is contrary to the easy nature of shari`ah and is also a kind of waswasah (whisper from the Satan). What is prescribed is to wash the end parts after one has finished urinating or defecation.

Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Majmu` al-Fatawa:

“With regard to thoroughly inspecting the penis by squeezing it etc, all of that is an innovation which is neither required nor recommended according to the imams of the Muslims. Similarly, pulling the penis is also an innovation according to the correct view, and that was not prescribed by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of be upon him).

Squeezing out urine is also an innovation which was not enjoined by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The hadith which is narrated concerning that is weak and has no basis. Urine comes out naturally, and stops naturally. It is as they say, like an udder: if you leave it alone, it will settle down, but if you pull at it, it will flow.

Every time a person opens his penis, something will come out of it, whereas if he leaves it alone nothing will come out. He may even imagine that something has come out – which is waswasah. If the tip of his penis touches his clothes when they are cold, he may think that something has come out when it has not.

There may be urine at the base of penis and if the penis or private part is squeezed, some wetness may come out. This is also an innovation. That standing urine does not need to be expelled, according to the consensus of the scholars, whether with a stone, a finger or anything else. Rather every time it comes out, more comes, because it keeps leaking all the time.”

As for leaking out madhy, if it comes out continually without being accompanied with sexual drive, sheikh `Abdur-Rahaman Al-Jibrin, famous Saudi scholars, states,

This is dealt with the same as incontinence of urine. So, a person having that just has to perform wudu’ before every prayer, because this is something which breaks wudu’. Then, if something comes out whilst he is praying, he does not need to repeat his prayer, or stop praying, because it happened involuntarily, and it does not make his clothes impure (najis) whilst he is praying. However, after the prayer he has to do wudu’ for the next prayer if something comes out after the first prayer, and he has to clean his clothes for the next prayer. He should try to wear a pad to absorb what comes out, so that it does not contaminate his clothes.”

He adds, “He should also try to get treatment for this.”

If this madhy leaks when there is a sexual drive, all what a person has to do is to cleanse his or her private parts of it by washing it, wash his or her clothes, and he or she by this has become ready for performing prayer.

Key Points of Istinja:

1. Purpose:

• Physical Cleanliness: The primary goal of Istinja is to ensure that the private parts are cleaned properly after using the toilet, which helps prevent the spread of impurities and maintain personal hygiene.
• Ritual Purity: Maintaining cleanliness in this manner is also essential for achieving ritual purity (Taharah), which is necessary for performing acts of worship like Salah (prayer).

2. Methods of Istinja:

• Using Water: The most preferred method in Islam is to use clean water to wash the private parts after urination or defecation. This method is considered the most effective for ensuring thorough cleanliness.
• Other Permissible Means: If water is not available, other permissible means can be used, such as tissue paper, stones, or other materials that are clean and do not spread impurities. However, if water becomes available, it is recommended to use it.

3. Guidelines for Istinja:

• Right Hand vs. Left Hand: It is recommended to use the left hand for cleaning during Istinja, while the right hand is used for eating, drinking, and other clean activities.
• Minimum Number of Wipes: If using tissue or similar materials, it is recommended to wipe at least three times or until the area is clean.
• Avoidance of Contamination: Care should be taken to avoid splashing or contaminating other parts of the body, clothing, or the environment with impurities.

4. Significance:

• Health Benefits: Proper cleaning after using the toilet helps prevent infections and promotes good hygiene.
• Spiritual Benefits: By maintaining cleanliness, a Muslim remains in a state of ritual purity, which is required for acts of worship.