From some time, I have developed a habit of reading fiction novels on my phone in washroom. Is it permissible?
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Respected brother in Islam,
When a person goes to the toilet to relieve himself, he should confine himself to answering the call of nature and cleansing himself and exiting the toilet as soon as possible.
Toilet is the dwelling place of the Shayateen. It is the nature of Shayateen to interfere and attack human beings. It is precisely for that reason, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam advised us to take refuge in Allah against the male and female Shayateen. The dua is as follows;
اللهم إني أعوذ بك من الخبث والخبائث[1]
Translation: “I seek refuge with Allah from the wicked and noxious things.”
It is highly improper for a person to read fiction novels even in the toilet. His concentration should be to relieve himself as soon as possible and guard himself against the attacks of the Shayateen. The reading of novels will make him unmindful of that and may cause him harm [2].
And Allaah Ta’aala Knows Best
Anas Sharieff Qasmi
Student, Darul Iftaa
Hyderabad, India.
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
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[1]سنن الدارمي ت الغمري (ص: 225)
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ (2)، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ ابْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ الله صَلى الله عَليهِ وسَلم إِذَا دَخَلَ الْخَلَاءَ قَالَ: اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ
[2] حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح (ص: 54)
ويكره الدخول للخلاء ومعه شيء مكتوب فيه اسم الله أو قرآن ونهي عن كشف عورته قائما وذكر الله فلا يحمد إذا عطس ولا يشمت عاطسا ولا يرد سلاما ولا يجيب مؤذنا ولا ينظر لعورته ولا إلى الخارج منها ولا يبصق ولا يتمخط ولا يتنحنح ولا يكثر الالتفاتات ولا يعبث بيده ولا يرفع بصره إلى السماء ولا يطيل الجلوس لأنه يورث الباسور ووجع الكبد.