Is Washing Filth From the Private Parts [Istinja] Necessary After Passing Gas?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: In the Hanafi school, does breaking wind necessitate istinja as well as wudhu, or just wudhu? and what is the evidence for this?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I pray that you’re well, insha’Allah.

No, breaking wind does not necessitate istinja.

It is a sunnah to perform istinja to remove filth which is less than approximately 5cm in diameter. On the exiting of wind, no such filth exits, therefore, one would not perform istinja.

Furthermore, such wind is not filthy, according to the soundest opinion in the school, and doing istinja because of it would be considered an innovation (bid`ah).

[Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah; Tahtawi, Hashiyat al-Tahtawi]

Wassalam,

Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani