Avoiding the use of Public Bathrooms for Fear of Contagious Diseases

Question: Is it permissible to make tayammum if there is a highly contagious disease that prevents one from using public bathrooms?

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

Yes, fear of getting sick is a genuine reason to make tayammum (Minhaj al Talibin, Nawawi).

However, that is on the assumption that there is indeed a genuine fear of getting sick, and that there is no other practical way of making wudu without such fear.

If, for example, one could make wudu over a nearby patch of grass or ground, or use some other bathroom, then there would be no excuse to make tayammum.

Similarly, if the fear of getting sick was negligible, then it also would not be an excuse.

I pray this helps.

[Ustadh] Farid

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language