Is Urinating While Standing Allowed in Islam?
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
The Ruling on Urinating While Standing at a Urinal
Darulifta Ahlesunnat (Dawateislami)
Question
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: Some hotels and public restrooms have urinals for urinating while standing. What is the sharīʿah ruling on using them?
Answer
Urinating while standing without any valid sharīʿah excuse is makrūh, contrary to the sunnah, and a practice of the disbelievers. The ḥadīth prohibits this, and it is also contrary to proper etiquette. Moreover, if this entails exposure of the ʿawrah or splashes of urine coming onto the body and clothes, then it is impermissible and a sin, as the blessed aḥādith strongly emphasize avoiding urine splashes. Furthermore, if the body and clothing become impure as a result, then this is ḥarām. Therefore, one must avoid using the urinals and make efforts to relieve oneself while sitting. However, if there is a valid excuse, such as not being able to sit due to back or knee pain, there are no toilets available where one can relieve oneself while sitting, or one is in a hurry and the toilets are occupied and only the urinals are available, then one may use the urinals while ensuring that one prevents the exposure of the ʿawrah and avoids splashes of impurity.
It is narrated in Sunan Ibn Mājah from Jābir bin ʿAbdullāh رضي اللہ تعالى عنه:
نهى رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه و سلم أن يبول قائماً
Translation: The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ forbade urinating while standing. (Sunan Ibn Mājah, Vol. 01, p. 112, Ḥadīth No. 309, Publ. Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Kutub al-ʿArabiyah, Beirut)
Aʿlā Ḥazrat Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عليه رحمة الرحمن states:
کھڑے ہو کر پیشاب کرنا مکروہ، سنّتِ نصارٰی (عیسائیوں کا طریقہ) ہے، رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ و سلم فرماتے ہیں: ’’من الجفاء ان یبول الرجل قائما‘‘
Translation: Urinating while standing is makrūh and the practice of the Christians. The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “For a man to urinate while standing is contrary to proper etiquette.” (Fatāwā Razawiyah, Vol. 04, p. 600, Publ. Razā Foundation, Lahore)
It is stated in a ḥadīth regarding avoiding urine splashes:
تنزھوا من البول فان عامۃ عذاب القبر منہ
Translation: Protect yourselves from urine (splashes), for most of the punishment of the grave is due to it. (Sunan al-Dāraqutnī, Vol. 01, p. 231, Ḥadīth No. 459, Publ. Muʾassisah al-Risālah, Beirut)
Ḥakīm al-ʾUmmah Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān Naʿīmī رحمة اللہ تعالى عليه states in the commentary of the ḥadīth which prohibits urinating while standing:
کھڑے ہو کر پیشاب کرنا مکروہ اور طریقۂ کفار ہے۔ جاہلیت کے لوگ گدھے بیل کی طرح کھڑے ہو کر پیشاب کیا کرتے تھے۔ اگر اس میں بے پردگی ہویا کپڑے پر چھینٹیں پڑیں یا مشابہت کفار (فیشن) کے لیے ہو، تو مکروہ تحریمی ہے، ورنہ مکروہ تنزیہی،مجبوری کی حالت میں بلاکراہت جائز۔
Translation: Urinating while standing is makrūh and the practice of the disbelievers. In the Age of Ignorance, people would urinate while standing, as donkeys and cattle do. If this entails exposure of the ʿawrah, urine splashes coming onto the clothes, or this is done in imitation of the disbelievers, then this is makrūh taḥrīmī. Otherwise, it is makrūh tanzīhī. But in the case of necessity, it is permissible without any karāhah. (Mirʾāt al-Manājīḥ, Vol. 01, p. 269, Publ. Naʿīmī Kutub Khānah, Gujrat)
If there is a valid reason, there is no harm in urinating while standing. It is stated in Marāq al-Falāḥ:
یکرہ البول قائما لتنجسہ غالبا الا من عذر کوجع بصلبہ
Translation: It is makrūh to urinate while standing as it will likely result in impurity, unless there is a valid excuse, such as back pain. (Marāq al-Falāḥ Sharḥ Nūr al-ʾĪḍāḥ, p. 27, Publ. Al-Maktabah al-ʿAsriyah, Beirut)
It is stated in Al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyah:
یکرہ ان یبول قائما ۔ ۔ ۔ من غیر عذر، فان کان بعذر فلا باس بہ
Translation: It is makrūh to urinate while standing without a valid excuse. However, if there is a valid excuse, there is no harm in doing so. (Al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyah, Vol. 01, p. 50, Publ. Dār al-Fikr, Beirut)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَ سَلَّم
(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)
Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Ref No: PIN-7739
Date: 10th Shawwāl al-Mukarram 1447 AH / 30th March 2026