Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Karim Yahya, SunniPath Academy Teacher
I have some istinja questions. I was wiping around the anus and barely any filth came on toilet paper. This happened about 4 times when I wiped. I then dug a bit deeper, and more filth that appeared. I cleaned it. I did not release stool on this sitting so it was there from before. I looked at my underwear,and there were no signs of impurity. I still wiped with dry paper towel 3 times. Does this dry method of purifying clothes suffice? (Even if there was filth on my boxers) Am I pure?
Do I only have to clean until I see no signs of filth whether from urinating or releasing stool? I don’t have to necessarily wipe 3 times correct? For instance, if I wipe my penis once near the exit, and I see no more traces of urine, I am through correct?
I frequently urinate, so things get tough. I don’t think I urinate enough though to allow for special circumstances. I probably use the bathroom anywhere from 5-10 times a day; just to urinate. I hate going to the bathroom because istinja gets complicated for me.
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
It is sunna to use a dry substance followed by water when doing istinja. If only one thing is used for istinja, water is best because it removes all trace of the filth. We would highly advice using water because it will alleviate the difficulties you are having. In Sha’ Allah.
As for dry istinja, it has relatively strict conditions [See Reliance of The traveler Section e9.4-9.5].
To answer your questions:
(1) You do not appear to be pure in this situation. You said: “I did not release stool on this sitting. This was already present.” It is a little difficult to understand what happened, but if the filth was already there it would seem to have been dry. A condition of dry ablution is that the filth be removed before it dries.
(2) Your underwear appear to be pure because you said: “I looked at my underwear, where the anus sits there were no signs of impurity.” They would only be impure if moist filth contacted them and if there were no signs of impurity we do not assume that filth contacted them.
(3) You said: “Does this dry method of purifying clothes suffice?” The answer is no. Were your underwear to have had filth on them it would have to be removed along with all traces of it (i.e. its taste, color, and smell).
(4) You said: “I don’t have to necessarily wipe 3 times correct?” The answer is that you do in fact have to wipe three times. Even if the filth is removed with less than three.
To conclude relieving ourselves is something our Lord has willed for us while we are in this world. As slaves we can only fulfill the demands of the Master. However it is from the greatness of this way of life that our Beloved Prophet (Allah bless and grant him peace) taught us everything, even how to go to the bathroom. So by the blessing of our master Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him) we have an opportunity to seek to draw nearer to Allah, even when relieving ourselves. We do this by following the sunna of His beloved (Allah bless and grant him peace). So we sincerely advise learning the sunnas of going to the lavatory and acting on them [istinja is taught in al-Maqasid Explained which is a class being held right now at SunniPath]. Then when you have done that, be confident that you are pure and do not listen to the whisperings of Shaytan if they tell you otherwise. And Allah knows best and He alone gives success (tawfiq).