Sunan Abi Dawud

When the Prophet (ﷺ) went (outside) to relieve himself, he went to a far-off place.

When the Prophet (ﷺ) felt the need of relieving himself, he went far off where no one could see him.

When Abdullah ibn Abbas came to Basrah, people narrated to him traditions from AbuMusa. Therefore Ibn Abbas wrote to him asking him about certain things. In reply AbuMusa wrote to him saying: One day I was in the company of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He wanted to urinate. Then he came to a soft ground at the foot of a wall and urinated. He (the Prophet) then said: If any of you wants to urinate, he should look for a place (like this) for his urination.

When the Apostle of Allaah (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) entered the toilet, he used to say (before entering): "O Allaah, I seek refuge in Thee." This is according to the version of Hammad. 'Abd al-Warith has another version :"I seek refuge in Allaah from male and female devils."

" O Allaah, I seek refuge in Thee." Shu'bah said: Anas sometimes reported the words: "I take refuge in Allah."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: These privies are frequented by the jinns and devils. So when anyone amongst you goes there, he should say: "I seek refuge in Allah from male and female devils."

It was said to Salman: Your Prophet teaches you everything, even about excrement. He replied: Yes. He has forbidden us to face the qiblah at the time of easing or urinating, and cleansing with right hand, and cleansing with less than three stones, or cleansing with dung or bone.

The Apostle of Allaah ( sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) as saying: I am like father to you. When any of you goes to privy, he should not face or turn his back towards the qiblah. He should not cleanse with his right hand. He (the Prophet, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) also commanded the Muslims to use three stones and forbade them to use dung or decayed bone.

That he (the Holy Prophet, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said:"When you go to the privy, neither turn your face nor your back towards the qiblah at the time of excretion or urination, but turn towards the east or the west. (Abu Ayyub said): When we came to Syria, we found that the toilets already built there were facing the qiblah, We turned our faces away from them and begged pardon of Allaah.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has forbidden us to face the two qiblahs at the time of urination or excretion.

I saw Ibn Umar make his camel kneel down facing the qiblah, then he sat down urinating in its direction. So I said: AbuAbdurRahman, has this not been forbidden? He replied: Why not, that was forbidden only in open country; but when there is something between you and the qiblah that conceals you , then there is no harm.

I ascended the roof of the house and saw the Apostle of Allaah ( sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) sitting on two bricks facing Jerusalem (Bait al-Maqdis) for relieving himself.

The Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) forbade us to face the qiblah at the time of making water. Then I saw him facing it (qiblah) urinating or easing himself one year before his death.

When the Prophet (ﷺ) wanted to relieve himself, he would not raise his garment, until he lowered himself near the ground. Abu DAwud said: This tradition has been transmitted by 'Abd al-Salam b. Harb on the authority of al-A'mash from Anas b. Malik. This chain of narrators is weak (because A'mash's hearing tradition from Anas b. Malik is not established).

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: When two persons go together for relieving themselves uncovering their private parts and talking together, Allah, the Great and Majestic, becomes wrathful at this (action). Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated only by 'Ikrimah b. 'Ammar.

A man passed by the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) while he was urinating, and saluted him. The Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) did not return the salutation to him. Abu Dawud said : It is narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) performed tayammum, then he returned the salutation to the man.

Muhajir came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was urinating. He saluted him. The Prophet (ﷺ) did not return the salutation to him until he performed ablution. He then apologised to him, saying: I disliked remembering Allah except in the state of purification.

The Apostle of Allaah ( sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) used to remember Allaah, the Great and Majestic, at all moments.

When the Prophet (ﷺ) entered the privy, he removed his ring. Abu Dawud said: This is a munkar tradition, i.e. it contradicts the well-known version reported by reliable narrators. On the authority of Anas the well-known version says: The Prophet (ﷺ) had a silver ring made for him. Then he cast it off. The misunderstanding is on the part of Hammam (who is the narrator of the previous tradition mentioned in the text). This is transmitted only by Hammam.

The Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) passed by two graves. He said : Both (the dead) are being punished, but they are not being punished for a major (sin). One did not safeguard himself from urine. The other carried tales. He then called for a fresh twig and split it into two parts and planted one part on each grave and said: Perhaps their punishment may be mitigated as long as the twigs remain fresh. Another version of Hannad has: "One of them did not cover himself while urinating." This version does not have the words: "He did not safeguard himself from urine."

A tradition from the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) conveying similar meaning. The version of Jarir has the wording : "he did not cover himself while urinating." The version of Abu Mu'awiyah has the wording: "he did not safeguard himself (from urine)."

AbdurRahman ibn Hasanah reported: I and Amr ibn al-'As went to the Prophet (ﷺ). He came out with a leather shield (in his hand). He covered himself with it and urinated. Then we said: Look at him. He is urinating as a woman does. The Prophet (ﷺ), heard this and said: Do you not know what befell a person from amongst Banu Isra'il (the children of Israel)? When urine fell on them, they would cut off the place where the urine fell; but he (that person) forbade them (to do so), and was punished in his grave. Abu Dawud said: One version of Abu Musa has the wording: "he cut off his skin". Another version of Abu Musa goes: "he cut off (part of) his body."

The Apostle of Allaah ( sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) came to a midden of some people and urinated while standing. He then asked for water and wiped his shoes. Abu Dawud said: Musaddad, a narrator, reported: I went far away from him. He then called me and I reached just near his heals.

The Prophet (ﷺ) had a wooden vessel under his bed in which he would urinate at night.

The Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) as saying : Be on your guard against two things which provoke cursing. They (the hearers) said : Prophet of Allaah ( sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam), what are these things which provoke cursing: easing in the watering places and on the thoroughfares, and in the shade (of the tree)(where they take shelter and rest).

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Be on your guard against three things which provoke cursing: easing in the watering places and on the thoroughfares, and in the shade (of the tree).

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: No one of you should make water in his bath and then wash himself there (after urination). The version of Ahmad has: Then performs ablution there, for evil thoughts come from it.

Humayd al-Himyari said: I met a man (Companion of the Prophet) who remained in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) just as AbuHurayrah remained in his company. He then added: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade that anyone amongst us should comb (his hair) every day or urinate in the place where he takes a bath.

The Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited to urinate in a hole. Qatadah (a narrator) was asked about the reason for the disapproval of urinating in a hole. He replied: It is said that these (holes) are the habitats of the jinn.

When the Prophet (ﷺ) came out of the privy, he used to say: "Grant me Thy forgiveness."

The Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: When any one of you urinates, he must not touch his penis with his right hand, and when he goes to relieve himself he must not wipe himself with his right hand (in the privy), and when he drinks, he must not drink in one breath.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used his right hand for taking his food and drink and used his left hand for other purposes.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used his right hand for getting water for ablution and taking food, and his left hand for his evacuation and for anything repugnant.

Aishah, also reported a tradition bearing similar meaning through another chain of transmitters.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone applies collyrium, he should do it an odd number of times. If he does so, he has done well; but if not, there is no harm. If anyone cleanses himself with pebbles, he should use an odd number. If he does so, he has done well; but if not, there is no harm. If anyone eats, he should throw away what he removes with a toothpick and swallow what sticks to his tongue. If he does so, he has done well; if not, there is no harm. If anyone goes to relieve himself, he should conceal himself, and if all he can do is to collect a heap of send, he should sit with his back to it, for the devil makes sport with the posteriors of the children of Adam. If he does so, he has done well; but if not, there is no harm.

Shayban al-Qatbani reported that Maslamah ibn Mukhallad made Ruwayfi' ibn Thabit the governor of the lower parts (of Egypt). He added: We travelled with him from Kum Sharik to Alqamah or from Alqamah to Kum Sharik (the narrator doubts) for Alqam. Ruwayfi' said: Any one of us would borrow a camel during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) from the other, on condition that he would give him half the booty, and the other half he would retain himself. Further, one of us received an arrowhead and a feather, and the other an arrow-shaft as a share from the booty. He then reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: You may live for a long time after I am gone, Ruwayfi', so, tell people that if anyone ties his beard or wears round his neck a string to ward off the evil eye, or cleanses himself with animal dung or bone, Muhammad has nothing to do with him.

The fort of Alyun lies at the mountain in Fustat. Abu Dawud said: The kunyah (surname) of Shaiban b. Umayyah is Abu Hudhaifah.

The Apostle of Allaah ( sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) forbade us to use a bone or dung for wiping.

A deputation of the jinn came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: O Muhammad, forbid your community to cleans themselves with a bone or dung or charcoal, for in them Allah has provided sustenance for us. So the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade them to do so.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When any of you goes to relieve himself, he should take with him three stones to cleans himself, for they will be enough for him.

The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about cleansing (after relieving oneself). He said: (One should cleanse oneself) with three stones which should be free from dung. Abu Dawud said: A similar tradition has been narrated by Abu Usamah and Ibn Numair from Hisham.

The Prophet (ﷺ) urinated and Umar was standing behind him with a jug of water. He said: What is this, Umar? He replied: Water for you to perform ablution with. He said: I have not been commanded to perform ablution every time I urinate. If I were to do so, it would become a sunnah.

The Apostle of Allaah ( sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) entered a park. He was accompanied by a boy who had a jug of water with him. He was the youngest of us. He placed it near the lote-tree. He ( the Prophet, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) relieved himself. He came to us after he had cleansed himself with water.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The following verse was revealed in connection with the people of Quba': "In it are men who love to be purified" (ix.108). He (AbuHurayrah) said: They used to cleanse themselves with water after easing. So the verse was revealed in connection with them.

When the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) went to the privy, I took to him water in a small vessel or a skin, and he cleansed himself. He then wiped his hand on the ground. I then took to him another vessel and he performed ablution. Abu Dawud said : The tradition is transmitted by al-Aswad b. 'Amir is more perfect.

(the Prophet, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) as saying : Were it not that I might oeverburdern the believers, I would order them to delay the night ('isha ) prayer and use the tooth-stick at the time of every prayer.

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Were it not hard on my ummah, I would order them to use the tooth-stick at the time of every prayer. AbuSalamah said: Zayd ibn Khalid used to attend the prayers in the mosque with his tooth-stick on his ear where a clerk carries a pen, and whenever he got up for prayer he used it.

Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Habban asked Abdullah ibn Abdullah ibn Umar about the reason for Ibn Umar's performing ablution for every prayer, whether he was with or without ablution. He replied: Asma', daughter of Zayd ibn al-Khattab, reported to me that Abdullah ibn Hanzalah ibn AbuAmir narrated to her that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was earlier commanded to perform ablution for every prayer whether or not he was with ablution. When it became a burden for him, he was ordered to use tooth-stick for every prayer. As Ibn Umar thought that he had the strength (to perform the ablution for every prayer), he did not give up performing ablution for every prayer. Abu Dawud said: Ibrahim b. Sa'd narrated this tradition on the authority of Muhammad b. Ishaq, and there he mentions the name of 'Ubaid Allah b. 'Abd Allah (instead of 'Abd Allah b. 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar)

On the authority of his father ( Abu Musa al-Ash'ari), reported (according to the version of Musaddad) : We came to the Apostle of Allaah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) to provide us with a mount, and found him using the tooth-stick, its one end being at his tongue (i.e. he wsa rinsing his mouth). According to the version of Sulaiman it goes : I entered upon the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam ) who was using the tooth-stick, and had it placed at one side of his tongue, producing a gurgling sound. Abu Dawud said : Musaddad said that the tradition was a lengthy but he shortened it.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was using the tooth-stick, when two men, one older than the other, were with him. A revelation came to him about the merit of using the tooth-stick. He was asked to show proper respect and give it to the elder of the two.