How the Supplication to Enter the Lavatory Should Be Pronounced?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Salam aleykum,

How is the dua before entering the bathroom to be said? Is it the top or bottom one? There is a slight variation: one has a dhamma on the “ba” (khubuthi) and one has a sukun on it (khubthi). Also, do we pronounce the kasra on the last letter of the last word?

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبْثِ وَالْخَبَاﺋِﺚِ

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.

Both variations are correct.

When the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) entered the lavatory, he would say, “O Allah, I seek refuge with you from foulness (khubuth) and the foul ones (shaytans).” [Bukhari]

Imam Nawawi mentions in his Book of Remembrances (Kitab al-Adhkar) that the word is said with either a dhamma or a sukun. Ibn al-Athir also mentions this in his entry on the word in his al-Nihaya fi Gharib al-Hadith wa al-Athar, and Fayyumi adds that it is from the dialect of Tamim.

As for the last letter, to end with a sukun is actually from proper pronunciation when stopping on a vowelled letter. However, it would be fine to pronounce the kasra too.

Please also see: What Are the Sunnas Related to Burping and Passing Wind?

And Allah alone gives success.

wassalam,

Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani