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[Q-ID0601] Can we use tissue paper to clean ourselves after going to the bathroom?

QUESTION:

What do the scholars of the Dīn and muftīs of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: When someone urinates, then when is it incumbent upon such a person to use water in order to clean himself in the lavatory, or will tissue paper suffice?

Questioner: Waseem from UK

ANSWER:

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب

If impurity has spread around the surroundings of the orifice [i.e. the front or back passage], and the area that it has soiled is more than the size of a dirham (a 50p coin), then it is imperative that it be washed with water; merely tissue paper will not suffice in this case. However, if the impurity has soiled an area which is less than the size of a dirham, then it can be cleaned using tissue or small pieces of soil [i.e. tissue paper].

Just as it is stated in Fatāwā Hindiyyah,

“إذَا كَانَتْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ قَدْرِ الدِّرْهَمِ يُفْتَرَضُ غَسْلُهَا بِالْمَاءِ وَلَا يَكْفِيهَا الْإِزَالَةُ بِالْأَحْجَارِ وَكَذَلِكَ إذَا أَصَابَ طَرَفَ الْإِحْلِيلِ مِنْ الْبَوْلِ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ قَدْرِ الدِّرْهَمِ يَجِبُ غَسْلُهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ مَا جَاوَزَ مَوْضِعَ الشَّرَجِ أَقَلَّ مِنْ قَدْرِ الدِّرْهَمِ أَوْ قَدْرِ الدِّرْهَمِ إلَّا أَنَّهُ إذَا ضُمَّ إلَيْهِ مَوْضِعُ الشَّرَجِ كَانَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ قَدْرِ الدِّرْهَمِ فَأَزَالَهَا بِالْحَجَرِ وَلَمْ يَغْسِلْهَا بِالْمَاءِ يَجُوزُ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَأَبِي يُوسُفَ رَحِمَهُمَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَلَا يُكْرَهُ”

“When the impurity has spread around the surroundings of the orifice [i.e. the front or pack passageway] and it has soiled an area which is in excess of the size of a dirham, then washing it with water is fard [obligatory] in this situation; it is not enough to remove it with stones/pebbles [i.e. tissue paper]. Likewise, if there is more than the size of a dirham of urine on one’s reproductive organs [i.e. the front private part], then it is wājib [necessary] to wash it. However, if the impurity has soiled an area which is less than the size of a dirham, or has soiled equal to the size of a dirham, but when the orifice is combined with it, then it exceeds [the size of] a dirham, then one can remove this impurity with small stones/pebbles [tissue paper] and not wash it with water. This is permissible according to the Shaykhāyn [Imām Abū Hanīfah & Imām Abū Yūsuf]; there is no karāhah [dislike in the eyes of sharī’ah] in this.

[al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah, vol 1, ch 7, part 3, pg 48]

It is further stated in Bahār-e-Sharī’at that purification with a clod [i.e. a lump of earth or clay] will only be valid if the area around the opening of the private part is not filthy more than the area of a dirham. If it becomes filthy more than a dirham then to wash is Fard. However, it is still sunnah to use the clod.

[Bahār-e-Sharī’at, vol 1, part 2, pg 411]

واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری

Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Haider Ali

Read the original Urdu answer here: [Q-ID0601] Can we use tissue paper to clean ourselves after going to the bathroom?

Also see:

[Q-ID0074] Must I perform istinja everytime my Wudu is nullified?

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