Review and Discussion under the Chapter on the Etiquette of Relieving Oneself
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The Shaykh : What is meant by the etiquette of relieving oneself? I mean, what is meant by the etiquette of relieving oneself?
The student: They are the legal etiquettes that are performed by one who wishes to relieve himself.
The Shaykh : Relieving oneself, verbal or physical?
The student: Verbal and physical.
The Shaykh : Verbal and physical.
Now, what is meant by relieving oneself?
The student: Relieving oneself.
The Shaykh : Relieving oneself by urination or defecation.
Now, why did they use the euphemism "relieving oneself" for this?
The student: Because it is disliked to mention it by its explicit name.
The Shaykh : Because it is disliked to mention it by its explicit name. Now, this phrase has become a customary reality such that the addressee does not direct his understanding to any other meaning.
Why did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) remove his ring when he entered the place of relief?
The student: Because it bears the name of Allah.
The Shaykh : And what is on it?
The student: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The Shaykh : Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Now, is it out of respect for the phrase, or out of respect for the name of Allah or the name of Muhammad?
The student: Out of respect for the name of Allah.
The Shaykh : Yes, out of respect for the name of Allah the Exalted.
Now, does this hadith indicate that it is forbidden to enter a place of relief while wearing something that bears the name of Allah?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : Why?
The student: Because it is merely an action.
The Shaykh : Because a mere action does not indicate prohibition.
Now, does it indicate that it is disliked to enter a place of relief while wearing something that bears the name of Allah?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, how so?
The student: Because his action was done as an act of worship for the sake of recommendation, or its omission was for the sake of dislike.
The Shaykh : Does the omission of a recommended act become disliked? Yes?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes, it means that if a person does not glorify Allah three times in the prayer, he has done something disliked, yes?
It appears that this is contrary to Ibn Jinni, my brother, yes. Do you know what the disagreement with Ibn Jinni is?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : Yes, you don't know, because Ibn Jinni had an old father who was ignorant, and he wanted to be the scholar rather than his son. But he said: What should I say to people if they ask me? So his son, who was intelligent, said to him: If they say something to you, say: "There are two opinions on it." So a man said to him: "Is there doubt about Allah?" He said: "There are two opinions on that." He said: "How is that?" He said: "The solution is with my son." He said: "Yes, there are two opinions on its grammar, not on the existence of Allah Mighty and Majestic. The existence of Allah Glorified and Exalted is not a matter of two opinions. Do you understand? So it became a proverb that whenever a person does not know something, he says: "There are two opinions on it." So are you now saying that it is necessary that omitting a recommended act leads to falling into something disliked?
The student: ... a fortiori it would be disliked, and some said ... .
The Shaykh : The point is, whether we call it the preferred act, the recommended act, or the encouraged act, does it follow that if one omits it, the person has fallen into something disliked?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : It does not follow, it does not follow at all, it does not follow that it becomes disliked. And on this basis, if we say that one should not enter a place of relief while wearing something that bears the name of Allah, it does not follow that his entering is disliked. And this is the correct view, even though the jurists say: "It is disliked." But as long as there is no prohibition and it is merely an action, it is not said to be disliked.
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) excepted one thing from that, (Salih), the mushaf (written copy of the Qur'an). They said?
The student: It is forbidden.
The Shaykh : It is forbidden to enter with it except out of dire necessity, meaning if he fears it will be stolen or something like that.
The student: They are the legal etiquettes that are performed by one who wishes to relieve himself.
The Shaykh : Relieving oneself, verbal or physical?
The student: Verbal and physical.
The Shaykh : Verbal and physical.
Now, what is meant by relieving oneself?
The student: Relieving oneself.
The Shaykh : Relieving oneself by urination or defecation.
Now, why did they use the euphemism "relieving oneself" for this?
The student: Because it is disliked to mention it by its explicit name.
The Shaykh : Because it is disliked to mention it by its explicit name. Now, this phrase has become a customary reality such that the addressee does not direct his understanding to any other meaning.
Why did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) remove his ring when he entered the place of relief?
The student: Because it bears the name of Allah.
The Shaykh : And what is on it?
The student: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The Shaykh : Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Now, is it out of respect for the phrase, or out of respect for the name of Allah or the name of Muhammad?
The student: Out of respect for the name of Allah.
The Shaykh : Yes, out of respect for the name of Allah the Exalted.
Now, does this hadith indicate that it is forbidden to enter a place of relief while wearing something that bears the name of Allah?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : Why?
The student: Because it is merely an action.
The Shaykh : Because a mere action does not indicate prohibition.
Now, does it indicate that it is disliked to enter a place of relief while wearing something that bears the name of Allah?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, how so?
The student: Because his action was done as an act of worship for the sake of recommendation, or its omission was for the sake of dislike.
The Shaykh : Does the omission of a recommended act become disliked? Yes?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, yes, it means that if a person does not glorify Allah three times in the prayer, he has done something disliked, yes?
It appears that this is contrary to Ibn Jinni, my brother, yes. Do you know what the disagreement with Ibn Jinni is?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : Yes, you don't know, because Ibn Jinni had an old father who was ignorant, and he wanted to be the scholar rather than his son. But he said: What should I say to people if they ask me? So his son, who was intelligent, said to him: If they say something to you, say: "There are two opinions on it." So a man said to him: "Is there doubt about Allah?" He said: "There are two opinions on that." He said: "How is that?" He said: "The solution is with my son." He said: "Yes, there are two opinions on its grammar, not on the existence of Allah Mighty and Majestic. The existence of Allah Glorified and Exalted is not a matter of two opinions. Do you understand? So it became a proverb that whenever a person does not know something, he says: "There are two opinions on it." So are you now saying that it is necessary that omitting a recommended act leads to falling into something disliked?
The student: ... a fortiori it would be disliked, and some said ... .
The Shaykh : The point is, whether we call it the preferred act, the recommended act, or the encouraged act, does it follow that if one omits it, the person has fallen into something disliked?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : It does not follow, it does not follow at all, it does not follow that it becomes disliked. And on this basis, if we say that one should not enter a place of relief while wearing something that bears the name of Allah, it does not follow that his entering is disliked. And this is the correct view, even though the jurists say: "It is disliked." But as long as there is no prohibition and it is merely an action, it is not said to be disliked.
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) excepted one thing from that, (Salih), the mushaf (written copy of the Qur'an). They said?
The student: It is forbidden.
The Shaykh : It is forbidden to enter with it except out of dire necessity, meaning if he fears it will be stolen or something like that.