“Shaikh Muqbil on mentioning Allah’s Name in the restrooms”

“Shaikh Muqbil on mentioning Allah’s Name in the restrooms”Shaykh Muqbil bin Haadee Al-Waadi'ee (Rahimahu Allah)

Source: Ijaabatus-Saa'il 'alaa Ahimmil-Masaa'il, pp.446-447, no.230. Translated by Abu Sumayyah Aqeel Walker

Question: If a person performs ablution in the restroom, is it permissible for him mention Allaah's name, because the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "There is no ablution for whoever does not mention Allaah's name."

Answer: Indeed it has been engraved into all of our minds that mentioning Allaah is disliked in filthy places. It is likely that a proof for this is that a man gave the greetings of peace to the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) while he was passing urine and the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) did not return the greeting of peace to him. Then another person gave the greeting of peace to the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) after he finished passing urine, and the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) did not return his greeting until he hit the walls with his hand and wiped his face and hands with it (i.e. performing Tayammum, which is a dry cleansing that substitutes for an ablution with water). Then he said, "wa 'alaykum us-salaam" (and upon you be peace), and he said, "Verily I hated to mention Allaah without being in a state of purity." These two hadeeths prove the dislike of mentioning Allaah in filthy places and the dislike of mentioning Allaah while not being in a state of ritual purity. There is a third hadeeth that states that when the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) would enter the place for relieving oneself, he would take off his ring (i.e. the ring had the name of Allaah engraved on it). We have mentioned to our brothers that Aboo Dawood said about this hadeeth, "Verily it is a Munkar hadeeth (i.e. a grade of severe weakness, and it is rejected)." At-Tirmithee said, "It is a Hasan Saheeh (good authentic) hadeeth." The best of those who spoke about this hadeeth is Al-Haafidh Ibn Al-Qayyim in Tahtheeb us-Sunan, and after completing his discussion at the end of his research, he says, "We submit to the fact that the men of the hadeeth are reliable, and it is not permissible to consider it Shaath (irregular and contradicting what is more reliable from more reliable sources). Then he said, "Verily it is reported from a route of transmission from Hammaam bin Yahyaa, who related it from Ibn Jurayj, and Hammaam bin Yahyaa is from Basra, and the narrating of the people of Basra from Ibn Jurayj contains weakness in it. Thus, the hadeeth is weak and it contradicts these evidences that you have heard. The statement of 'Aishah who reported the hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), "Verily he (the Prophet) would mention Allaah at all times." The hadeeth that you all know, "There is no Wudhoo' (ablution) for whoever does not mention Allaah's name over it (i.e. to begin it)," that which appears obvious to me is that the mentioning of Allaah's name for the Wudhoo' (ablution) is considered a precondition from the preconditions of the ablution, or a pillar from among its pillars. Thus, the name of Allaah must be mentioned, and the person is to say "Bismillaah" (In the name of Allaah). The person also must depend upon the hadeeth of 'Aishah, "He (the Prophet) would mention Allaah at all times." And if the person takes some water and performs Wudhoo' (ablution) in a place other than the place of the toilets, then that is better, since this is permissible, because the place of the filth is in one place and he is performing ablution in another area. Therefore, if Allaah wills, there is no harm in that. He performs ablution and mentions Allaah's name, specifically for that which is obligatory, like mentioning Allaah's name (saying Bismillaah for Wudhoo'). And Allaah knows best.


Shaykh Muqbil bin Haadee Al-Waadi'ee Source: Ijaabatus-Saa'il 'alaa Ahimmil-Masaa'il, pp.446-447, no.230. Translated by Abu Sumayyah Aqeel Walker