5 Powerful Hadiths Why Urinating While Standing Is Halal
By C J Ahmed
08/05/2020
Urinating while standing up is not haram in Islam but there is general confusion among Muslims as to this issue and the generally religious Muslims prefer sitting while urinating and the less conservative ones prefer standing. Let me explain to you in this article giving six hadith explanations on why urinating while standing is halal in Islam.
1. Aisha (rali) Hadith on the Prophet (sal) Sitting and Urinating.
The hadith of Aisha (rali) stating that the prophet (sal) never urinated while standing is only the opinion and perspective of Aisha (rali). The hadith is narrated in several books of hadith.
Aisha (rali) narrated,
"The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would not urinate unless he was sitting"
(Tirmidhi-graded sahih by Albani)
Imam Tirmidhi said the following with regards to this hadith by saying,
“The prohibition of urinating while standing means it is a matter of etiquette and not absolute forbiddance.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi-12)
Aisha (rali) narrated,
"Whoever tells you that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to urinate standing up, do not believe him. He only ever used to urinate sitting down.”
(Tirmidhi-graded sahih by Albani in Sahih Sunan at Tirmidhi)
What needs to be understood here is that Aisha (rali) only saw the prophet (sal) urinating while sitting and it is indeed true that sitting while urinating is a Sunnah it doesn't mean that is wajib. Just because Aisha (rali) did not see the prophet (sal) urinating while standing does not make urinating while standing haram and does not mean that he never urinated while standing.
2. The False Cleanliness Argument
Islam no doubt encourages cleanliness. Abu Malik al-Ashari (rali) narrated that the prophet (sal) said,
"Cleanliness is half of faith"
(Muslim)
But the the cleanliness word has been used as a way to fit personal arguments and this has unfortunately given rise to extreme opinions. Let us use the famous hadith that is quoted to disapprove urinating while standing.
Ibn Abbas (rali) narrated The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, passed by two graves and he said, “Both of them are being punished, but not by a major sin. As for this man, he did not prevent his urine from soiling him. And as for this man, he would spread gossip.” The Prophet then asked for a green leaf from a date-palm. The Prophet split it into two pieces and planted one on each grave, and he said, “It is hoped that their punishment may be abated until those two leaves become dry.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
First of all we should understand that this hadith has nothing to do with urinating while standing and has only to do with not washing your urine. The above hadith is used as an argument to mean that if you urinate while standing then the urine could get in to your cloths. Even the prophet (sal) urinated while standing which will be discussed later in this article.
It is reported by Jabir bin Abdullah (rali) that they had accompanied the prophet (sal) when they came to two graves. Both the inmate of the graves were being punished. He said," They are being punished not for committing a grave sin. But, yes! (They are grave sins though on the face of it they are ordinary and it is easy to avoid them but their punishment is severe.) One of them was given to backbite other people while the other was not. Careful to clean himself of urine drops ". He then asked for one or two branches of fresh date palm and split them and dug them on each grave. He said afterwards," Soon their punishment will be softened as long as the branches are green." Or he said, “Until they dry up.”
(Adab al Mufrad-graded sahih by Albani)
3. The Shamelessness Argument
The Shamelessness argument when it comes to urinating while standing is based on an unauthentic hadith. The hadith is as follows,
Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri(rali),
I heard the Messenger of Allah (sal) say: When two persons go together for relieving themselves uncovering their private parts and talking together, Allah, the Great and Majestic, becomes wrathful at this (action).
(Abu Dawud)
This hadith was graded as a weak (daif) by Sheikh al-Albani and this hadith cannot be taken as evidence. Now, is talking in the toilet allowed? The answer is "Yes" it is indeed allowed. Narrated by Muhajir ibn Qunfudh (rali),
"Muhajir came to the Prophet (sal) while he was urinating. He saluted him. The Prophet (sal) did not return the salutation to him until he performed ablution. He then apologised to him, saying: I disliked remembering Allah except in the state of purification."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
The above hadith is clear proof that you can talk while urinating or defecating and the prophet (sal) did not return the salutation because he personally disliked it and did not forbid others.
4. Evidence Proving the Prophet (sal) Urinating While Standing
Narrated by Hudhaifa(rali):
"I saw Allah's Messenger (sal) coming (or the Prophet (sal) came) to the dumps of some people and urinated there while standing"
(Bukhari)
Narrated Hudhaifa(rali):
"Once the Prophet (sal) went to the dumps of some people and passed urine while standing. He then asked for water and so I brought it to him and he performed ablution."
(Bukhari)
Shu’ba narrated from 'Asim from Abu Wa'il from Mughirah bin Shu’ba that the prophet (sal) The Messenger of Allah came to the garbage dump of some people and urinated while standing up
(Ibn Majah-graded sahih by Imam ibn Majah)
Narrated Abu Wail(rali):
"Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari used to lay great stress on the question of urination and he used to say, "If anyone from Bani Israel happened to soil his clothes with urine, he used to cut that portion away." Hearing that, Hudhaifa said to Abu Wail, "I wish he (Abu Musa) didn't (lay great stress on that matter)." Hudhaifa added, "Allah's Messenger (sal) went to the dumps of some people and urinated while standing."
(Bukhari)
The above hadith answers the extremism of some Muslims who virtually bathe in water when they urinate. Some try to keep distance when urinating but the below hadith proves that you can stand very close to a person in the toilet with his or her consent.
Hudhaifa reported (rali),
"I was with the Messenger of Allah (sal) when he came to the dumping ground of filth belonging to a particular tribe. He urinated while standing and I went aside. He (the Holy Prophet) asked me to come near him and I went so near to him that I stood behind his heels. He then performed ablution and wiped over his socks."
(Sahih Muslim)
Narrated Hudhaifa (rali):
The Apostle of Allaah (sal) came to a middle of some people and urinated while standing. He then asked for water and wiped his shoes.
Abu Dawud said: Musaddad, a narrator, reported: I went far away from him. He then called me and I reached just near his heals.
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
5. The Issue of Urinating Facing the Qibla
Urinating or defecating facing the Qibla is an issue brought forward by those who argue that those who urinate while standing sometimes urinate facing the Qibla due to negligence. What needs to be understood is that urinating or defecating has two rulings. One is that it is haram and the other is that it is halal.
Narrated Abu Ayyub (rali):
Allah’s Messenger (sal) “Neither face nor turn your back to the Qibla while defecating or urinating, but turn towards the east or the west”.
(Bukhari)
Salman reported that it was said to him:
"Your Apostle (sal) teaches you about everything, even about excrement. He replied: Yes, he has forbidden us to face the Qibla at the time of excretion or urination, or cleansing with right hand or with less than three pebbles, or with dung or bone."
(Muslim)
The above hadiths would indicate that it is forbidden to defecate or urinate facing the Qibla but there are hadiths proving that it is halal to defecate or urinate while facing the Qibla.
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah (rali):
"The Prophet of Allah (sal) forbade us to face the Qibla at the time of making water. Then I saw him facing it (Qibla) urinating or easing himself one year before his death"
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
Abdullah bin Umar said(rali):
"I went up to the roof of the house of my sister Hafsa and saw the Messenger of Allah (sal) relieving himself facing Syria. With his back to the Qibla."
(Sahih Muslim)
Scholars try to reconcile these hadiths and quote the below hadith,
Marwan al-Asfar said:
"I saw Ibn Umar make his camel kneel down facing the Qibla, then he sat down urinating in its direction. So I said: Abu Abdurrahman, has this not been forbidden? He replied: Why not, that was forbidden only in open country; but when there is something between you and the Qibla that conceals you, then there is no harm."
(Abu Dawud-graded hasan sahih by al-Albani)
The above explanation of Ibn Umar (rali) cannot be found from the statement of the prophet (sal) saying so. What we can understand is that both these views are correct because both are from the authentic hadiths of the prophet (sal) and there is no need to argue on this issue.
Aisha (rali) narrated a similar narration stating:
”While they were on their way, the time of Asr came. Some companions said we should not pray until we reach Bani-Quraiza. Others said we should pray Asr now because the Prophet (sal) did not mean for us to leave the Asr prayer, but he wanted us to be in a hurry. So some of the companions prayed ASR, while others continued on until they reached Bani-Quraiza after sunset. When they went back to the Prophet, they mentioned to him the story; He accepted the action of all of them."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
The above hadith is evidence that two opposing actions or views are allowed as long as they are established in Islam. I have explained this in detail in my article on why eating or drinking while standing is halal in Islam. You can read all about it by clicking here https://cjislam.weebly.com/6-best-proofs-why-eating-or-drinking-standing-is-halal.html
Conclusion
it is clear that both sitting and squatting while urinating are a Sunnah of the prophet (sal) and either way is halal. Islam is a religion of mercy and ease and there are people who have physical ailments where they cannot urinate while squatting and urinating while standing is a way of ease for them. We must make things easy for people. There is no doubt that urinating while standing is halal in Islam.
08/05/2020
Urinating while standing up is not haram in Islam but there is general confusion among Muslims as to this issue and the generally religious Muslims prefer sitting while urinating and the less conservative ones prefer standing. Let me explain to you in this article giving six hadith explanations on why urinating while standing is halal in Islam.
1. Aisha (rali) Hadith on the Prophet (sal) Sitting and Urinating.
The hadith of Aisha (rali) stating that the prophet (sal) never urinated while standing is only the opinion and perspective of Aisha (rali). The hadith is narrated in several books of hadith.
Aisha (rali) narrated,
"The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would not urinate unless he was sitting"
(Tirmidhi-graded sahih by Albani)
Imam Tirmidhi said the following with regards to this hadith by saying,
“The prohibition of urinating while standing means it is a matter of etiquette and not absolute forbiddance.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi-12)
Aisha (rali) narrated,
"Whoever tells you that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to urinate standing up, do not believe him. He only ever used to urinate sitting down.”
(Tirmidhi-graded sahih by Albani in Sahih Sunan at Tirmidhi)
What needs to be understood here is that Aisha (rali) only saw the prophet (sal) urinating while sitting and it is indeed true that sitting while urinating is a Sunnah it doesn't mean that is wajib. Just because Aisha (rali) did not see the prophet (sal) urinating while standing does not make urinating while standing haram and does not mean that he never urinated while standing.
2. The False Cleanliness Argument
Islam no doubt encourages cleanliness. Abu Malik al-Ashari (rali) narrated that the prophet (sal) said,
"Cleanliness is half of faith"
(Muslim)
But the the cleanliness word has been used as a way to fit personal arguments and this has unfortunately given rise to extreme opinions. Let us use the famous hadith that is quoted to disapprove urinating while standing.
Ibn Abbas (rali) narrated The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, passed by two graves and he said, “Both of them are being punished, but not by a major sin. As for this man, he did not prevent his urine from soiling him. And as for this man, he would spread gossip.” The Prophet then asked for a green leaf from a date-palm. The Prophet split it into two pieces and planted one on each grave, and he said, “It is hoped that their punishment may be abated until those two leaves become dry.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
First of all we should understand that this hadith has nothing to do with urinating while standing and has only to do with not washing your urine. The above hadith is used as an argument to mean that if you urinate while standing then the urine could get in to your cloths. Even the prophet (sal) urinated while standing which will be discussed later in this article.
It is reported by Jabir bin Abdullah (rali) that they had accompanied the prophet (sal) when they came to two graves. Both the inmate of the graves were being punished. He said," They are being punished not for committing a grave sin. But, yes! (They are grave sins though on the face of it they are ordinary and it is easy to avoid them but their punishment is severe.) One of them was given to backbite other people while the other was not. Careful to clean himself of urine drops ". He then asked for one or two branches of fresh date palm and split them and dug them on each grave. He said afterwards," Soon their punishment will be softened as long as the branches are green." Or he said, “Until they dry up.”
(Adab al Mufrad-graded sahih by Albani)
3. The Shamelessness Argument
The Shamelessness argument when it comes to urinating while standing is based on an unauthentic hadith. The hadith is as follows,
Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri(rali),
I heard the Messenger of Allah (sal) say: When two persons go together for relieving themselves uncovering their private parts and talking together, Allah, the Great and Majestic, becomes wrathful at this (action).
(Abu Dawud)
This hadith was graded as a weak (daif) by Sheikh al-Albani and this hadith cannot be taken as evidence. Now, is talking in the toilet allowed? The answer is "Yes" it is indeed allowed. Narrated by Muhajir ibn Qunfudh (rali),
"Muhajir came to the Prophet (sal) while he was urinating. He saluted him. The Prophet (sal) did not return the salutation to him until he performed ablution. He then apologised to him, saying: I disliked remembering Allah except in the state of purification."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
The above hadith is clear proof that you can talk while urinating or defecating and the prophet (sal) did not return the salutation because he personally disliked it and did not forbid others.
4. Evidence Proving the Prophet (sal) Urinating While Standing
Narrated by Hudhaifa(rali):
"I saw Allah's Messenger (sal) coming (or the Prophet (sal) came) to the dumps of some people and urinated there while standing"
(Bukhari)
Narrated Hudhaifa(rali):
"Once the Prophet (sal) went to the dumps of some people and passed urine while standing. He then asked for water and so I brought it to him and he performed ablution."
(Bukhari)
Shu’ba narrated from 'Asim from Abu Wa'il from Mughirah bin Shu’ba that the prophet (sal) The Messenger of Allah came to the garbage dump of some people and urinated while standing up
(Ibn Majah-graded sahih by Imam ibn Majah)
Narrated Abu Wail(rali):
"Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari used to lay great stress on the question of urination and he used to say, "If anyone from Bani Israel happened to soil his clothes with urine, he used to cut that portion away." Hearing that, Hudhaifa said to Abu Wail, "I wish he (Abu Musa) didn't (lay great stress on that matter)." Hudhaifa added, "Allah's Messenger (sal) went to the dumps of some people and urinated while standing."
(Bukhari)
The above hadith answers the extremism of some Muslims who virtually bathe in water when they urinate. Some try to keep distance when urinating but the below hadith proves that you can stand very close to a person in the toilet with his or her consent.
Hudhaifa reported (rali),
"I was with the Messenger of Allah (sal) when he came to the dumping ground of filth belonging to a particular tribe. He urinated while standing and I went aside. He (the Holy Prophet) asked me to come near him and I went so near to him that I stood behind his heels. He then performed ablution and wiped over his socks."
(Sahih Muslim)
Narrated Hudhaifa (rali):
The Apostle of Allaah (sal) came to a middle of some people and urinated while standing. He then asked for water and wiped his shoes.
Abu Dawud said: Musaddad, a narrator, reported: I went far away from him. He then called me and I reached just near his heals.
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
5. The Issue of Urinating Facing the Qibla
Urinating or defecating facing the Qibla is an issue brought forward by those who argue that those who urinate while standing sometimes urinate facing the Qibla due to negligence. What needs to be understood is that urinating or defecating has two rulings. One is that it is haram and the other is that it is halal.
Narrated Abu Ayyub (rali):
Allah’s Messenger (sal) “Neither face nor turn your back to the Qibla while defecating or urinating, but turn towards the east or the west”.
(Bukhari)
Salman reported that it was said to him:
"Your Apostle (sal) teaches you about everything, even about excrement. He replied: Yes, he has forbidden us to face the Qibla at the time of excretion or urination, or cleansing with right hand or with less than three pebbles, or with dung or bone."
(Muslim)
The above hadiths would indicate that it is forbidden to defecate or urinate facing the Qibla but there are hadiths proving that it is halal to defecate or urinate while facing the Qibla.
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah (rali):
"The Prophet of Allah (sal) forbade us to face the Qibla at the time of making water. Then I saw him facing it (Qibla) urinating or easing himself one year before his death"
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
Abdullah bin Umar said(rali):
"I went up to the roof of the house of my sister Hafsa and saw the Messenger of Allah (sal) relieving himself facing Syria. With his back to the Qibla."
(Sahih Muslim)
Scholars try to reconcile these hadiths and quote the below hadith,
Marwan al-Asfar said:
"I saw Ibn Umar make his camel kneel down facing the Qibla, then he sat down urinating in its direction. So I said: Abu Abdurrahman, has this not been forbidden? He replied: Why not, that was forbidden only in open country; but when there is something between you and the Qibla that conceals you, then there is no harm."
(Abu Dawud-graded hasan sahih by al-Albani)
The above explanation of Ibn Umar (rali) cannot be found from the statement of the prophet (sal) saying so. What we can understand is that both these views are correct because both are from the authentic hadiths of the prophet (sal) and there is no need to argue on this issue.
Aisha (rali) narrated a similar narration stating:
”While they were on their way, the time of Asr came. Some companions said we should not pray until we reach Bani-Quraiza. Others said we should pray Asr now because the Prophet (sal) did not mean for us to leave the Asr prayer, but he wanted us to be in a hurry. So some of the companions prayed ASR, while others continued on until they reached Bani-Quraiza after sunset. When they went back to the Prophet, they mentioned to him the story; He accepted the action of all of them."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
The above hadith is evidence that two opposing actions or views are allowed as long as they are established in Islam. I have explained this in detail in my article on why eating or drinking while standing is halal in Islam. You can read all about it by clicking here https://cjislam.weebly.com/6-best-proofs-why-eating-or-drinking-standing-is-halal.html
Conclusion
it is clear that both sitting and squatting while urinating are a Sunnah of the prophet (sal) and either way is halal. Islam is a religion of mercy and ease and there are people who have physical ailments where they cannot urinate while squatting and urinating while standing is a way of ease for them. We must make things easy for people. There is no doubt that urinating while standing is halal in Islam.