Why Muslims Enter the Bathroom Left Foot First
The Islamic Principle of Precedence: Right Over Left in Daily Practice
Summary
This lecture discusses the Islamic principle of giving precedence to the right over the left (al-tayamun) in various daily activities and rituals. Sh. Ali Mashhour explains that entering the bathroom or toilet should be done with the left foot first and exiting with the right foot, based on the principle that the right is honored in noble acts while the left is used for less honorable matters. Sh. Ali Mashhour references teachings from Al-Shawkani and Aisha's narrations about the Prophet Muhammad's consistent practice of preferring the right side in eating, dressing, bathing, and other affairs.
Note: This transcript was generated using YouTube's automatic captioning, with AI-assisted cleanup for readability. It may contain inaccuracies due to background noise, audio quality, or limitations of the transcription software — particularly during Arabic recitation. Listener discretion is advised; please refer to the original video for precise wording.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاه والسلام على رسوله الكريم وعلى اله واصحابه اجمعين واشهد ان لا اله الا الله واشهد ان محمدا عبده ورسوله اللهم صل وسلم وبارك على نبينا محمد وعلى اله واصحابه اجمعين اما بعد الوجي الخلاء place of the place and act of yesterday we mentioned عاذ بسم الله اللهم اني اعوذ بك من الخبث والخبائث غفرانك ويستحب ان يقدم قدم رجله اليسرى في الدخول واليمنى في الخروج وذلك لكون التيامن فيما هو شريف والتياسر فيما هو غير شريف وقد ورد ما يدل عليه في الجمله والحديث وال والكلام للحافظ الشوكاني رحمه الله في السيل الجرار المتدفق على نزهه الازهار اند الشوكاني رحمه الله هيش I don't think of people appreciate how this princile is and that is the princile of me to give to the right over the left in anything et soئل كان يعجبه التيمن في ترجله وتنعله واغتساله وفي شانه هكذا قالت عائشه في البخاري عائشه صلى الله عليه وسلم precedence to the right over the in brushing in putting on his clothing in putting on his shoes in bathing and in all of his affairs and So based on this he go tells us that it is preferable that when a person enters the area of relieving ones that they enter with their left foot and what they leave they leave with their right foot. So they step over that threshold with their left in entering, their right foot in leaving. And that is due to the fact that giving precedence the act of or the practice of giving precedence to the right over the left in all things honorable is a general principle. and stting with the left and all things that are less honorable less desirable right such as the opposite of these things taking the you with the left taking the shoes you with the left right when we look at the prop صلى الله عليه وسلم the price of right and left is very consistent صلاه صلى الله عليه وسلم كان ينصب رجله اليمنى ويفترش اليسرى عليه الصلاه والسلام تشهد up would underneath And for this you find that even in the act of many of the if not most have traditionally mentioned that a person put his weight on his left as opposed toing his weight or placing a person's weight on his right do have that we do there is some weakness in these chr however the principle is enough ofidence for that right the principle which is giving precedence to the right over the left and issues of beautification and honor giving beginning with the left before the right in anything that is الشوكاني رحمه الله.
[Silence]
صلى الله عليه عليه الصلاه والسلام صلى الله عليه وسلم التسليم صلى الله عليه وسلم anything and overossold this is the person enters the begin with the right when they left when a person enters his home he begins with the right when he leaves he begin with the left when a person enters the maret place they begin with the left and they leave with the toi they are entering from they with the right across the why is this why in isl do we have this price well the the main reason تشريف اليمين والتفاؤل باخذ الكتاب باليمين وكون الانسان من اصحاب اليمين هذا اسمه تفاؤل and hopeful and pr to اصحاب اليمين ما اصحاب اليمين واصحاب الشمال ما اصحاب الشمال والسابقون السابقون اولئك المقربون people are الله tells us there are to people and people number.
[Arabic recitation]
هو السلم في لغه العرب واللي احنا بنحكي له في لغتنا الدرجات بيت الدرج المعراج صلى الله عليه وسلم الاقصى مربط البراق صلى الله عليه وسلم ركعه تحيه المسجد جبريل عليه السلام جبريل عليه And when he ascended he met the most honorable of each heaven seven heavens he the most honorable of each in those seven heavens and in the first heaven he Adam and Adam had souls to his right and souls to his left you and me and everybody wouldب صلى الله عليه وسلم parading of peopleell will.
[Silence]
ابن كثير تفسير سوره الواقعه المقربون الله سبحانه وتعالى اصحاب اليمين اصحاب اليمين التيم are جعلني الله واياكم من اصحاب اليمين نسال الله سبحانه وتعالى بمنه وكرمه وجوده ان يفقهنا في ديننا وان يستعملنا ولا يستبدلنا والله اعلم وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى اله واصحابه.