Istinja?

Istinja’ (Cleansing the Private Parts after answering the Call of Nature)

4.1 It is compulsory that one ensures that the drops of urine have ceased, and that one’s heart is content according to one’s general habit, either by walking, coughing, lying down or any other method. [Z: Other methods, which may be used, are to gently press one’s penis or place a tissue under one’s lower garment and take a brisk walk, methods may vary in accordance with the severity of one’s problem].

4.2 It is unlawful to perform wudu’ until one is content that the drops of urine have ceased. [Z: If Satan is continually creating doubts about the leakage of urine, then these doubts should be ignored.
One should sprinkle some water over the genitals and the lower garment. Thereafter, when afflicted with doubt the wetness felt may be regarded as the sprinkled water. This is in the case of a doubt, but if one is sure that the wetness is urine then the required measures for purification will have to be undertaken, Mf+t: p.29].

4.3 It is sunna to perform istinja’ from any najasa that exits from the front or back passage of the private parts and has not spread past the orifice. However, it is wajib if the najasa has spread past the orifice and is equivalent to the size of a dirham. And fard if it has spread more than a dirham. [Z: A dirham is approximately the size of a British fifty pence coin].

4.4 To wash away whatever (najasa) is in the orifice whilst bathing to remove a state of major ritual impurity, menstruation and postnatal bleeding is fard. Even though the najasa may be of a small quantity.

4.5 It is sunna to do istinja’ with a cleansing stone or the like [Z: all things pure and not valued or venerated can be used in place of a stone, Mf+t: p.30]. To perform istinja’ with water is preferred. The best is to combine both water and stone, first by wiping with the stone and then washing. To use only water or to wipe with stones alone is also permissible.

[Z: Paper being a source of attaining knowledge is a venerated item, thus to perform istinja’ with it is makruh tanzih. Whilst the usage of toilet paper which is specifically made for the purpose of istinja’ and not for writing is permitted, Ahf: 1/108].

4.6 The usage of a prescribed number of stones is mustahab and not sunna mu`akkada.

To use three stones is mustahab, even though one may achieve cleanliness with less.

4.7 Method of performing istinja’: if one’s testicles are hanging one should wipe with the first stone from the front to the back and with the second from the back to the front and with the third from the front to the back [for fear of defiling one’s testicles, Mf: p.89]. If the testicles are not hanging, then one should start from the back. A female should start from the front to the back for the fear of defiling her vagina.

4.8 Thereafter, one should wash the hand and using water wipe the soiled area with the inner side of one, two, or even three fingers if needed. A male will raise his middle finger over the rest when commencing the istinja’ [then after washing slightly, Mf: p.90] he will raise the ring finger [Z: and if need be then the small finger and then the index finger, Mf: p.90]. One should not suffice upon the use of one finger. A female should raise her ring and middle finger simultaneously from the outset for
fear of being sexually aroused.

4.9 The utmost should be done in cleansing oneself until the foul smell has been eliminated, whilst thoroughly relaxing one’s buttocks [Z: so as to clean what is in the passage to the best of one’s ability, Mf: p.91], unless fasting. Upon completion one should wash the hand again. If fasting one should wipe oneself before standing.

4.10 It is unlawful to uncover one’s `awra (the private parts that need to be covered) for istinja’ in the presence of others. [Z: If one does, he will be regarded a fasiq. The uncovering of one’s `awra in the presence of others is haram (def: 1.5) and the perpetrator of a haram act is regarded as a fasiq, regardless of whether the najasa has spread past the orifice or has exceeded the size of a dirham, Mf+t: p.32].

If the najasa has spread past the orifice and covered an area more than that of a dirham, then with the availability of any substance that will remove the najasa, ritual prayer is unlawful.

One should try to remove the najasa without exposing one’s `awra in the presence of others.

It is makruh (def: 1.6) to perform istinja’ with:

(1) a bone [because it is the food of the jinns, Mf: p.93];

(2) the food of a man or animal [Z: as this would be disrespectful to sustenance, Mf: p.93];

(3) baked bricks, pottery, charcoal;

(4) glass, gypsum [Z: because of the physical harm that it may cause, Mf: p.93];

(5) items of value, such as a piece of velvet or cotton;

(6) and the usage of the right hand without an excuse. [Z: The scholars are unanimous that it is mustahab to start with the right in all those things of reverence, such as wudu’, bathing, wearing clothes, shoes, socks, trousers, when entering the mosque, when performing miswak, applying antimony, trimming the nails, plucking the hair from the armpits, when shaving the head, performing the salam at the termination of the prayer, when departing from the lavatory, whilst drinking, performing istilam (kissing) of the hajr al-aswad (the black stone), when taking, giving and other
similar tasks. It is mustahab to start from the left when performing those actions which are to the contrary, i.e. not revered, such as blowing the nose, performing istinja’, when entering the lavatory or departing from the mosque, removing the khufayn, shoes, trousers or other garments, al-Binaya, 1/188].

Gosh, this is an old thread. I wonder what happened to Fishman and Kittygyal? Does anybody know?

I am sure Fishman would have perfected his aim by now. Right into the bullseye. And his daddy is probably very proud of the son and complains no more. :d