The Ruling on Saying the Name of Allah and Performing Ablution in the Bathroom

Question:
A questioner asks about the remembrance of Allah when a person performs ablution inside the bathroom; how is this done?

Answer:
The Sunnah is to listen and not engage in dhikr (remembrance of Allah); dhikr is disliked in the bathroom—the place for relieving oneself. However, if he intends to perform ablution, he should say the name of Allah at the beginning of the ablution. This is because saying the name of Allah is obligatory according to a group of scholars, so he should not leave it off due to the dislike. The obligatory act takes precedence, and the dislike is removed. He should say the name of Allah at the start of the ablution, when washing the hands, before rinsing the mouth and inhaling water into the nose, or when rinsing the mouth and inhaling water into the nose. The point is that he says the name of Allah at the beginning of the ablution, even if he is in the bathroom, if the need for ablution arises in the bathroom. This is because saying the name of Allah is obligatory according to a group of scholars, and a confirmed Sunnah according to the majority, so he should not leave it off.