Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch
Question
When the toilet is flushed in public bathrooms, water often comes up and hits the toilet seat. However, with time, the seat will dry again once the water evaporates (though the water may leave a transparent stain/mark on the porcelain seat). My question is-should I wash or wipe the toilet seat each time before using, even after evaporation? Is it necessary to scrub to remove the transparent stains? If I don’t, does the impurity get transferred to me if the dust on toilet seats comes onto my body? Do I have to check for this? Does impurity get transferred if my body is moist and touches the toilet seat? After using the bathroom, should I wait and check to see if any water has come up after flushing and clean it?
I am confused once the water evaporates, and all that’s left is a potential stain – is it necessary to wipe the toilet seat, or is it pure? Should I be wiping the toilet seat before use just in case the water came up the last time someone flushed?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
Regardless of the presence of (dry) impurities, a dry toilet seat does not make one’s body impure sitting on it. This is because dry impurity cannot transfer through contact with a dry surface. [Tahtawi/Shurunbulali, Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah]
If the dry impure seat is touched by a moist object, impurity is only considered to have transferred to the object, if the traces of the impure are clearly manifest on the object (in this case the person’s body). If the traces of the impurity are just vaguely present of not at all, the object remains pure. [Ibid.]
Toilet Seats: Wash or Wipe?
As we already mentioned, if a toilet seat is dry, impurities do not transfer to the one sitting on it. However, if one can do so without difficulty and has the means to, one may prefer to wash the seat-this is discretionary and not an obligation. [Ibid.]
If the seat has liquid impurity, wiping the seat dry is sufficient to make the seat pure. [Ibid.]
Note that all liquid is considered pure until proven otherwise. One should not assume that drops of water on a seat are impure. [Ibid.]
Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani