Is it necessary to use one’s hand during Istinjaa?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Respected Sister,

After relieving oneself, if the impurity does not spread to the size of a 50 cents coin (about 3 cm in diameter) or more, then doing istinja is Sunnah. It is best to use toilet paper followed by water. Second best is to only use water. Third best is to only use toilet paper. In all the three cases one will get the reward of acting upon the Sunnah, although the reward will vary. Nonetheless, if you do not use water, your salaat will still be valid.

If, however, the impurity spreads to the size of a 50 cents coin (about 3 cm in diameter) or more, then washing away the impurity with water is compulsory. Using toilet paper only is not sufficient.

In the enquired situation, water and tissue was used. Hence, the sunnah of istinja will be obtained. The purpose of istinja is to obtain purity and using the hand only assists one in this regard. However, purity can be obtained without using the hand, it will not be necessary to repeat one’s salaah if one did not use one’s hand during istinja. If one is certain of purity after using water and tissue only, then one should not entertain these thoughts as it is from shaitaan¹.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Abdullah Noorgat

Student Darul Ifta

South Africa

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

_________

1)      الِاسْتِنْجَاء سنة وَيجوز فِيهِ الْحجر وَمَا قَامَ مقَامه يمسحه حَتَّى ينقيه وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ عدد مسنون وغسله بِالْمَاءِ أفضل وَلَو جَاوَزت النَّجَاسَة مخرجها لم يجز فِيهِ إِلَّا المَاء (بداية المبتدي (ص: 11)

وَالِاسْتِنْجَاءُ سُنَّةٌ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنَ السَّبِيلَيْنِ إِلَّا الرِّيحَ، وَيَجُوزُ بِالْحَجَرِ وَمَا يَقُومُ مَقَامَهُ (ف) يَمْسَحُهُ حَتَّى يُنْقِيَهُ، وَالْغَسْلُ أَفْضَلُ، وَإِذَا تَعَدَّتِ النَّجَاسَةُ الْمَخْرَجَ لَمْ يَجُزْ إِلَّا الْغَسْلُ، (الاختيار لتعليل المختار (1/ 36)

ثُمَّ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْجَمْعَ بَيْنَ الْمَاءِ وَالْحَجَرِ أَفْضَلُ، وَيَلِيهِ فِي الْفَضْلِ الِاقْتِصَارُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ، وَيَلِيهِ الِاقْتِصَارُ عَلَى الْحَجَرِ وَتَحْصُلُ السُّنَّةُ بِالْكُلِّ وَإِنْ تَفَاوَتَ الْفَضْلُ كَمَا أَفَادَهُ فِي الْإِمْدَادِ وَغَيْرِهِ (الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1/ 338)