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Should toilets be open in Masjids during Covid-19?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by IslamicPortal.co.uk

Should toilets be open in Masjids during Covid-19?

Question

The UK Government’s guidance on places of worship states,

“Toilets inside or linked to places of worship should be kept open and carefully managed to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19.”

However, toilet facilities remain closed in many Masjids across England, despite the fact that they are open in hospitals, schools, supermarkets, airports and other public places. Over 30 million people have had their first dose of the vaccine and 5 million people have had both doses. In light of these developments, should Masjids keep toilet facilities open?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم

Answer

Masjids should keep toilets open in accordance with the Government guidance and adopt reasonable precautionary measures. From an Islamic perspective, worshippers are generally encouraged and more so during this pandemic to use toilets at home and also perform ablution at home. However, this does not mean that Masjids should keep the toilet and ablution facilities closed. The facilities should be kept open not least for travellers, the elderly, and those who require to use them. This is particularly important for the forthcoming month of Ramadan. Worshippers should not need to return home just to use the toilet or perform ablution, for example whilst performing Tarāwiḥ Ṣalāh or waiting for Maghrib Ṣalāh. As we begin the journey out of lockdown, it is important for Masjids to start reverting to some level of normality.

Allah knows best

Yusuf Shabbir

22 Shaʿbān 1442 / 5 April 2021

Approved by: Mufti Shabbir Ahmed and Mufti Muhammad Tahir

(For other Q&As, Fatwas & articles regarding Covid-19, click here)

This answer was collected from IslamicPortal.co.uk, which is a repository of Islamic Q&A, articles, books, and resources. Various schools write and oversee the answers, including Maulana Yusuf Shabbir, Mufti Shabbir Ahmed, and Mufti Muhammad Tahir. 

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