As man advances and progresses in developments and technology, the levels of comfort in his life also proportionately increase. Among the many facilities with which we are now pampered is that of the en-suite toilet.
There was a time when the toilet was outside the home. Using it at night was literally a nightmare! Navigating through the yard in the dark was itself a mission, let alone the fear of being given a fright.
When a person steps onto the battlefield, he has to ensure that he is armed and well equipped. Otherwise, he will be vulnerable and prone to danger. Similarly, on account of the toilet being the devil’s ‘battlefield’, Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) has shown us certain weapons with which we can equip and protect ourselves from danger and harm.
Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) has taught us to recite the du‘aa before entering the toilet so that we will enjoy the protection of Allah Ta‘ala from the male and female devil. Together with reciting the du‘aa, we must ensure that our head is covered, we are wearing shoes, we enter with the left foot, avoid urine splashes and do not turn our face or back towards the qiblah.
When the toilet was outside the home, we probably felt so spooked that we read the du‘aa a dozen times! Unfortunately, today, with the en-suite being part of the bedroom, we have become so casual that we simply step in and out as we please, without shoes, bare headed and without reciting the du‘aa. We sometimes even use the toilet without any clothes at all because we intend using the shower thereafter. This is definitely not in keeping with hayaa (shame).
Is it any surprise that we complain of jinn and jaadoo when we ourselves have entered their domain without any defence?
Let us strive to bring alive the sunnats and etiquettes of using the toilet in our lives and that of our children.