The Ruling on Placing Toilets in Houses Facing or Turning Away from the Qiblah

The Shaykh : The other point is that I have seen in some houses the latrines or toilets directed toward the Qiblah, such that the person sitting in them to relieve himself either turns his back to it or faces it. When I mention this, I know that there is an old disagreement among the scholars on this issue. Some say that the prohibition of facing or turning one’s back to the Qiblah is general, covering both built-up areas and open deserts. Others say: No, the prohibition is specific to the desert and does not apply to built-up areas. The evidence presented in this issue may support both sides. However, as you know, if Allah wills, the truth in a single issue can only be one statement. It is not conceivable that there could be two contradictory statements, both of which are correct. One statement says: It is not permissible to face the Qiblah with urine or feces in a built-up area. The other says: It is permissible. These are two conflicting statements, and it is impossible for both to be correct; one must be the truth and the other the error. Therefore, as you all know, when scholars differ on something, it is obligatory to return to the Book of Allah and the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), as in His saying, the Exalted: .
The basis for this topic is what al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded in their Sahihs from the hadith of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . It is not hidden from you that his saying (peace be upon him): is specifically regarding Medina. Otherwise, in some countries, like your country here, the situation is completely reversed. The important point is that among the etiquettes of relieving oneself is that a Muslim does not face the Qiblah with urine or feces, wherever he may be in the vast lands of Allah.