Should I Make Sure to Get Rid of Urine Drops Before Getting to Sleep?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

1. After urinating, I wipe myself once and wait about 5 minutes and I have to wipe again, as another drop follows. During the night I am unable to wait for 5 minutes and wipe the second time after 5 minutes because I cannot fall back asleep again easily. Is it permissible for me to only wipe the first time and to go to bed without waiting to wipe the second time?

2. After I make tayammum for Asr, is it permissible for me to pray a Nafl prayer before Asr, with one tayammum? Or, do I have to make another tayammum for Asr?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

1. It is generally from the sunna to maintain cleanliness and purity. But there is no expectation to “wait” for urine drops if you are returning to bed, except if you are reasonably sure that they will make one’s person filthy.

2. It is permissible to pray multiple prayers with a single dry ablution (tayammum). Yet, note that the dry ablution is only permissible in the case of a valid and permitting excuse. Otherwise, the prayer would be invalid.

Please also see: A Reader on Ritual Purity, Urine Leakage and Misgivings and: A Reader on Waswasa (Baseless Misgivings)

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.