Commentary on the Hadith Concerning making Istinja with water because of urine or feces

Praise be to Allah,

Anas ibn Maalik (May Allah be please with him) said,

“The Messenger of Allaah (PBUH) would enter Al-Khalaa‟ (the toilet), and a young boy like myself and I would bring a vessel of water and an Anazah (A short, iron-tipped spear) and he would clean himself with the water.”[i]

Important Points Derived from the Hadeeth:

1. Permissibility of using water alone when making Istin-jaa (cleaning the private parts). And the use of water alone is preferable to using stones alone [or some solid substance such as toilet paper] since the use of water is more effective in cleaning. And the best manner is to combine the two, first using the solid substance and then following it with water, thus achieving complete cleanliness.

2. The Muslim is expected to prepare oneself by having on hand whatever one needs to clean oneself after using the toilet, avoid having to get up and search for those needed items, and thereby taking the chance to soil the body or clothing with any impurities.

3. Taking precautions and being concerned to protect oneself from the view of others, since looking at another person’s awrah (private area of the body that is not allowed to be uncovered) is forbidden. So, they used to place the spearheaded stick in the ground and place a cloth over it to be used as a screen.

4. The permissibility of using a young person for such service.

5. The excellence of Anas bin malik for serving the prophet (PBUH).

6. The small spear mentioned in the hadith which Anas would carry so he could ram it on the ground in front of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) when praying so it could be a sutra for him and at times he would use it for other purposes other than the prayer.

Allah Knows Best

Copied from Sources:

Arousing the Intellects with the Explanation of Umdatul Ahkaam. The Book Of At-Taharaah by Allama Sheikh Salih Ibn Uthaymeen (May Allah have mercy on him). page 48

Tayseer al-Allaam Sharh Umdatul-Ahkaam by Shaykh Abdullah ibn Abdur – Rahmaan Aal Bassaam. Page 36

[i] Saheeh Muslim, Volume 1, Book 2, Hadeeth Number 620, p. 391; Saheeh Bukhaari, Volume 1, Book 4,

Hadeeth Number 152, p. 143 [with slightly different wording]