1/23. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 337 — Odd Stones and Concealment
Looking for a place to defecate or urinate
Hadith About Odd Stones and Concealment in Toilet Etiquette
Sunan Ibn Majah : 337
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 337
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، حَدَّثَنَا ثَوْرُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ حُصَيْنٍ الْحِمْيَرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدِ الْخَيْرِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " مَنِ اسْتَجْمَرَ فَلْيُوتِرْ مَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ وَمَنْ لاَ فَلاَ حَرَجَ وَمَنْ تَخَلَّلَ فَلْيَلْفِظْ وَمَنْ لاَكَ فَلْيَبْتَلِعْ مَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ وَمَنْ لاَ فَلاَ حَرَجَ وَمَنْ أَتَى الْخَلاَءَ فَلْيَسْتَتِرْ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ إِلاَّ كَثِيبًا مِنْ رَمْلٍ فَلْيَمْدُدْهُ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَلْعَبُ بِمَقَاعِدِ ابْنِ آدَمَ مَنْ فَعَلَ فَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ وَمَنْ لاَ فَلاَ حَرَجَ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet said: "Whoever uses stones to clean himself, let him use an odd number of stones. Whoever does that has done well, and whoever does not, there is no harm in it. Whoever uses a tooth stick should spit out (whatever he removes) and whoever removes (the particle of food) by dislodging it with his tongue should swallow it. Whoever does that has done well, and whoever does not, there is no harm in it.Whoever goes to the toilet should conceal himself, and if he cannot find anything except a pile of sand (behind which to conceal himself), then he should use that, for the Shaitan plays with the backside of the son of Adam. Whoever does that has done well, and whoever does not, there is no harm in it."
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 337In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 71English translation : Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 337
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 337
This hadith about odd stones and concealment brings several manners together. Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet said whoever uses stones to clean himself should use an odd number. The report also mentions what to do with food particles removed from between the teeth. Then it says that whoever goes to the toilet should conceal himself. If he finds only a pile of sand, he should use it for cover. The wording also says that Shaitan plays with the backside of the son of Adam. The repeated phrase, “whoever does that has done well, and whoever does not, there is no harm,” should be kept in the explanation because it is part of the text.
What we learn from this hadith
- Using an odd number of stones for cleaning is praised in this report.
- The hadith encourages concealment when going to the toilet.
- Even a pile of sand may be used as cover if nothing else is found.
- The narration includes the phrase that whoever does it has done well, and whoever does not, there is no harm.
