With regard to the permissibility of doing dhikr while in toilet, it is imperative to atate that there are two types of dhikr: dhikr with the tongue such as reciting the Quraan and duaas, which is encouraged in the shareeah, and dhikr in the heart, which means thinking of Allaah and his greatness and power, or reciting Quraan in one's heart .The scholars differentiated between the two types of dhikr .They said it is makhrooh to remember Allaah on the tongue (by speaking) in the toilet and glorify Allaah in that place.
With regard to remembering Allaah in one's heart, they said that this is not makrooh and there is nothing wrong with it. The proof that this distinction is made between the two kinds of dhikr is the fact that the scholars that it is permissible for a person who is junub (in a state of impurity following sexual activity ) to recite Quraan in his heart ,but it is haram for him to recite it loud or utter it. Imam Al-Nawawi said: (The scholars) are agreed that a person who is junub thinks of Quraan In his heart,without moving his tongue ,without moving his tongue, he is not reciting it in the way that is forbidden for one who is junub .(sharh al-Nawawi ala saheeh muslim,4/103) Ibn al-mundhir said: A person should not remember Allaah on his tongue (by speaking) when he is in the toilet , rather (he should do so ) in his heart (Al-Awsat)
It is part of Islamic etiquette that a person should remember his lord when he wants to enter the toilet or the bathroom, by saying this before entering the toilet : "Allaahummah inni aoodhu bika min al-khubthi wal-khabaaith (O Allaah, I seek refuge with you from the male and female devils )."But he should not mention Allaah after he enters, rather he should stop mentioning Him after he enters (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah) Shaykh `Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz said: Remembring Allaah in one's heart is permissible at all time and in all places, In the toilet and elsewhere. Rather what is Makhrooh in the toilet and similar places is to remember Allaah on one's tongue (by speaking), except by saying Bismillaah when beginning to do wudoo he should say that if it is not easy for him to do wudoo outside the toilet ,because it is obligatory according to some scholars ,and it is sunnah muakkadah ( a confirmed sunnah) according to the majority. (Fataawa al-Shaykh ibn baaz, 5/408).
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited