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The Hand with which One Has Performed Istinjaa’ Is Not Always Considered Impure

Question

Assalamu alaykum.What is the ruling on the left hand which is used for istinja for either the front or back passage?are they taahir?as scholars,do you always consider them najis and usually pour water over them?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The hand with which one has performed Istinjaa’ (cleaning oneself using water after answering the call of nature), is not always considered impure; rather, it is considered pure if there is no trace of impurity left on it (its color or smell), but it is desirable to wash it after cleaning oneself with soil and the like of it such as soap to remove dirt from it.

Maymoonah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her narrated about the manner of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) when performing Istinjaa’, saying: “Then he struck the ground with his hand and rubbed it very hard.

An-Nawawi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said:

This Hadeeth indicates that it is desirable for the one who has cleansed himself (performed Istinjaa’) with water, when he has finished, to wash his hand with soil or a plant (that produces something like soap), or to rub it with soil, or against the wall, to remove dirt from it.” [End of quote]

Al-Kharshi ‘ala Mukhtasar Khaleel, in the Maliki School of jurisprudence, reads: “It is also recommended to wash the hand after Istinjaa’ with soil or sand or the like, which removes the smell.” [End of quote]

For more benefit on Istinjaa', please refer to Fatawa 364612, 343681, 321763 and 271426.

Allah knows best.

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