Ruling on saying the basmalah in toilets for the one who wishes to perform wudu in it

8 years ago

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3 minutes

Question :

For the one who intends to enter the toilet and perform ablution in it, does he pronounce the basmalah with his tongue or he says it in his heart?

Answer :

Shaykh Mohammad bin Saalih Al Uthaymeen rahimahumallah answered –

No. Firstly, If he wishes to enter the toilet, before entering it he says “Bismillah. Audhubillah min al khubusi wal khabais”. He says it before entering the toilet. Yes.

(http://binothaimeen.net/content/2526?q2=بسملة)

He was also asked –

If a person is in the toilet, how does he say the basmalah?

He answered –

If a person is in the toilet then he says it in his heart and not by his tongue. It is so because the evidences supporting the obligation of saying basmalah in wudu and ghusl are not strong. Due to which Imam Ahmad rahimahullaah said,

“Nothing has been authentically reported from the Prophet about saying ‘Bismillah’ at the time of making ablution.”

This is why Al-Muwaffaq, the author of Al-Mughni and others held the view that saying Bismillah is a Sunnah, not an obligation. (Fatwa Arkaanul Islam Q. No. 130)

Shaykh Yahya ibn Ali Al Hajuri hafidhahullah was asked (1) –

Question – If I intend to perform wudu in the bathroom, should I say the basmalah inside the bathroom silently or should i say it before entering the bathroom ?

Answer – If the person who is performing the ablution says it inside the bathroom then there is no problem in saying it inside the bathroom, but not on the toilet seat where he relieves himself from toilet and stool. Due to the narration which is established on the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that he recited the Qur’an and his head was on the thigh of ‘Aisha (رضي الله عنها) while she was menstruating (2) . That is, (his head was) near the place of impurity. So they derived the permissibility of Dhikr near the place of impurity without the Qur’an falling into anything of that. And, saying the basmalah before the ablution is not obligatory. Due to the hadith reported from the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) regarding its obligation not being established as said by Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah) and we only say regarding it being preferred. (This is) due to the generality of beginning by it seeking barakah. If he says it outside the bathroom and then enters it and performs ablution immediately inside the bathroom then this matter is good.

(1) See Kanz-ut-thameen, Vol2 under “Wudu and Its Nullifiers”.
(2) Reported by Al Bukhari (297), Muslim (301)

Compiled by : Abu Muhammad Nezam Uddin Al Hindi