Question
Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu
I really need help with Istinja as it takes me sometimes over a hour and i am not sure if what i am doing is necessary as i don’t really know the best way of istinja (I am mixed Race). And it’s affecting my life,work and personal life.
So When i do a number 2 i do the following:
1. Wash the exit point of the dirt and the area around it.
2. Wipe the exit point of the dirt with tissue paper and the area around it.
For washing i fill this Vessel/Lota up to near the top:
After washing and doing the wipe i notice yellow poo marks on the tissue paper therefore i normally fill up the vessel/Lota again up to near the top and wash the exit point and the outside area and then after this i wipe with tissue paper.
If after the second time when i wipe there is no yellow/ poo marks i proceed to do the below (Step 3) however if there is yellow poo marks after i wipe, i fill up the vessel/lota upto the top again and wash the exit point and the outside area until the water has left the vessell and then wipe. I repeat the above so fill vessel to the top wash first then wipe, then wash the wipe etc until the tissue paper is white. Sometimes the tissue paper is white after the 3rd wash and wipe and sometimes even after the 4th.,
Is this necessary?
Step 3 – After doing the above so getting to the point where the tissue paper is white after washing and wiping the exit point and the outside, i then put half my middle finger or half of other fingers in my left hand in the exit hole and navigate left and right a couple of times to ensure all dirt has exited. This step is without water.
If i still feel there is dirt in the inside of the hole, i then fill up the above lota/vessel to the top and wash the dirt out with my middle finger or other fingers inside the hole, pulling the remaining dirt out. If i need to fill the lota/vessel more then once until i have pulled the dirt out fully i will.
Is this necessary?
Step 4 – Once i know all the dirt is out i then get tissue paper and using my left hand put tissue paper in the hole and navigate left and right a couple of times with the tissue paper and when i take the tissue paper out and i see yellow poo marks on the tissue paper does this mean i am napaak/Najees?
If i do not see yellow poo marks i end my istinja here.
Step 5 – Then if i see yellow poo marks on the tissue paper, the lota/vessel in the link above i then fill it to the top and i then wash the inside of the hole with half of middle finger or half of other fingers on my left hand navigating left and right inside the hole until all the water has left the vessel/lota.I then wipe with tissue paper inside the hole again navigating left and right.
If the tissue paper is still white after this i then finish my istinja of the back side.
Is this step (step 5) necessary if i see yellow poo marks on the tissue on step 4?
Step 6 – If after step 5 there is still yellow marks on the tissue paper i will fill the lota/vessel up to the top and wash inside the hole again navigating left and right inside the hole using half middle finger or half other fingers on my left hand and then wipe again by putting the tissue paper inside the hole and navigating left and right with the tissue paper and I do this process until there is not a single yellow mark on the tissue paper after the wash. And once i can’t see a yellow mark on the tissue paper i then finish my istinja on the back side.
Is it necessary to do step 6 if after step 5 there is still yellow marks on the tissue paper?
Finally
When i do a number 1 after the urine has left i do the following:
1. Wash the penal
2. Dry it
3. Give it a downwards shake to ensure all urine has left
Is step 2 and 3 necessary?
There are times after doing a number 2 i am spending a good 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 ensuring i am clean as salaah is very important to me and i am in a place with a very minority muslim community and my work is being affected as well as my day to day life spending so long in the bathroom.
I appreciate a quick response inshaAllah
Thank You
Answer
There is no set procedure for istinja. Its fundamental condition is that one cleans oneself from filth. It can take one vessel (lota) of water or two, four to five steps of wiping or more. [1]
However, there is absolutely no reason why istinja following a bowel movement should last up to an hour. It is more than likely that this is an issue of wasawis and doubts. Please refer to this video from Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam on OCD and purity related issues for spiritual guidance on this matter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok7Byi9u8Z0&t=1007s
Your process of istinja describes various unnecessary steps. Following a bowel movement, fill an entire vessel of water and clean the entire bottom section properly. Three-quarters of a vessel should be more than enough to clean this entire section, including the parts you clean during your fourth step. If you feel that it is not enough, it is more than likely an issue with the vessel itself, as it is not reaching the necessary areas. The vessel you are using has a relatively short snout. Instead, buy a vessel with a longer snout for better-controlled use, thus allowing you to target the areas completely without wasting water.
Thereafter, use tissue to dry and observe for any marks. If marks remain, use the remaining quarter of the vessel and dry. This should be more than enough to clean yourself up and be satisfied. Moreover, improve your diet and consult a doctor on how to improve your bowel movements.
As for urine, one must ensure that all the droplets of urine are out before they clean themselves. For most, this entails undergoing the procedure of istibra’. When performing istibra’, one may place tissue and wrap their private part after urinating and leave the bathroom for a short while. When they are satisfied that the droplets have come out, one would go back to the bathroom and wash their private part.
As with istinja, there is no recommended time limit for the istibra process. The fundamental is that one is content that there are no further droplets to be released. This can take place with a moment of istibra or right after urinating. If a downward shake is enough to release all droplets of urine, the procedure you have submitted would be fine. Otherwise, istibra is necessary to ensure that this has taken place.[2]
[1] «الفتاوى العالمكيرية = الفتاوى الهندية» (1/ 48): وليس في الاستنجاء عدد مسنون. كذا في التبيين وإنما الشرط هو الإنقاء حتى لو حصل بحجر واحد يصير مقيما للسنة ولم يحصل بثلاثة أحجار لا يصير مقيما للسنة. كذا في المضمرات»
[2] الفتاوى العالمكيرية = الفتاوى الهندية» (1/ 49): والاستبراء واجب حتى يستقر قلبه على انقطاع العود. كذا في الظهيرية قال بعضهم: يستنجي بعدما يخطو خطوات وقال بعضهم: يركض برجله على الأرض ويتنحنح ويلف رجله اليمنى على اليسرى وينزل من الصعود إلى الهبوط والصحيح أن طباع الناس مختلفة فمتى وقع في قلبه أنه تم استفراغ ما في السبيل يستنجي. هكذا في شرح منية المصلي لابن أمير الحاج والمضمرات»
Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow
Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel