Muslim toilet etiquette

[LoopyLoopsOlympicHoops]

Please explain to me a few things. With the water hose thing, how do people dry themselves? There is rarely any paper.

My landlord (lady actually I presume) left, amongst other things, disposable knickers in the bathroom. Is this common or quirky?

The squatting on the toilet seat thing. Footprints. Why?

Sorry, I sound so intolerant today - don't mean to be, just flummoxed. :)

[laptopwieldingharpy]

That was meant for natation.

[Windsock]

I can't see what's wrong with it.
Even the Finns have a different toilet tradition.
Maybe it's ok to ask about them?

[laptopwieldingharpy]

Sorry, Belgium, not that am stalking, just trying to be consistent

[MummyPigsFatTummy]

Curious now, Windsock. What do the Finns do?

[ChunkyPickle]

The drying thing always flummoxed me too. BUT you do need to get used to remembering to take paper from outside the toilet into the cubicle - rather than expecting it to be in the cubicle. Actually in the UK I really miss having the hosepipe - is very refreshing.

Yes, perhaps Malaysian toilet etiquette would be more accurate, but I can't imagine why you wouldn't just politely correct that and answer the question - the OP isn't being casually racist or maliciously offensive!

Squatting on a european toilet seat has been considered impolite everywhere I've been where it's an issue. People should use one of the squat toilet cubicles, or lift the lid, or sit like a european rather than squat on the seat (and you'll see signs pointing that out all over Singapore, Malaysia etc.)

I have no idea on the disposable knickers. That's a new one on me.

[Redbindy]

Both OPs and natations questions were perfectly reasonable. For another poster to deliberatly take offence on behalf of others, and to keep banging on about it is little short of deliberate trolling.

[Windsock]

finns have have a hose too - and always ( form my expeirence anyway in public loos) have washbasin IN cubicle.

[ChunkyPickle]

So, what do Finns do about drying then? - I imagine it'd get a bit nippy going around with soggy nether regions?

[Windsock]

loo roll

[SoupDragon]

FFS, the title isn't racist in any way and the OP just contains questions. Get a grip, Harpy.

[shrinkingnora]

Jehovah jehovah!

[Lottapianos]

My Italian friend said that her family thinks people who don't use a bidet to wash after using the toilet are dirty buggers. And it's etiquette for them to put out a small towel for each person to dry their bits off after using it, including guests who are just visiting for a couple of hours or whatever.

Apparently squatting is the healthiest position to be in to do a movement as everything moves more naturally that way.

I don't see anything offensive in the thread title either Or in the questions asked by other posters - it's all very interesting actually!

[PenisVanLesbian]

Malaysia is a muslim country though, yes? So its offensive to mention customs in a muslim country by calling them muslim?



Anyone willing to bet the offended is not remotely muslim or malaysian and is being professionally offended?

[ChunkyPickle]

loo roll. How boring. I was hoping for some special bum drying secret.

[CharminglyOdd]

I wasn't going to reply but I'm another who doesn't see anything offensive - the OP is expressing curiosity and I agree with Lotta, it's interesting as I had never heard of this before and had wondered about squatting toilets (in France generally) as I had no idea it was meant to be healthier - I have always just held on until the next loo-with-a-seat as I can't get the hang of squatting toilets.

This thread also answers a question I had from our holidays this summer - we went to Germany and there was a very large group from the Middle East (at least a couple of hundred people) in the small village. We stopped in the biggest tourist attraction and both DP and I saw two toilets labelled 'Muslim toilet' (translation) in the venue, male and female blocks. There were people in them at the time so we didn't look (TBH I wasn't sure if I was allowed in there) but I'm guessing they will have been adapted with hoses. It also explains the hoses we found in toilets in Jordan. My friend and I thought they were for swishing out the toilet/cubicle after you'd been in... no wonder people were giving us funny looks

[exexpat]

About the footprints on the toilet seat thing - I used to see this a lot in when I was living in Taiwan (not a Muslim country, in case anyone was unsure) a couple of decades ago.

Squat toilets (ie hole-in-the-floor ones) were still very common there at that time, and I guess when you are used to going to the loo that way, sitting on a toilet seat to do a poo may feel strange, so people try to use a western-style toilet in a squat-style way (I have to say that squatting is probably a healthier way for bowel movements). Also I think some people might not want to sit on toilet seats for fear of germs. And I suppose if there is no loo paper, you can't wipe the footprints off.

In your position, I'd just make sure I carried tissues/wipes everywhere.

[Lottapianos]

I work in East London and often visit the homes of Muslim families. On occasion, I have used the bathroom while there and I always notice a large plastic jug down the side of the toilet. I guess this is used for 'rinsing' purposes after using the toilet?

[LoopyLoopsOlympicHoops]

I'm happy to apologise for any offense caused - it was certainly not intended - but am struggling to see the need for the hoo-ha. We were shown around our flat by our (Muslim) landlord, who was very proud of his 'Muslim Toilets' (his terminology, not mine), especially the one (and it is quite exciting I agree!) that squirts directly without any hose or anything fiddly.

I don't think washing is less hygenic at all, it makes sense, but I can't fathom the drying bit. In fact, I was asking really because I'm impressed by the clever jet non-denominational-yet-different-to-what-I-am-used-to toilet and would be tempted to use it, if I could understand the drying issue.

This emigration, along with the difficulties with internet connection, have led to me being on MN a lot less. This kind of odd, over the top response makes me realise that perhaps I need to just be living life, not talking about it.

I do, however, have another question. Harpy please look away, anything I say is likely to offend you.
I was in a shopping centre the other evening and took DD to the toilet. There was, I think a wash or shower room next to the toilets, and a lot of women had taken their shoes off and entered. It's ramadan, and I think it was around 7.30, so time to break the fast. Were these ladies (of religion unknown, I only saw shoes and heard a lot of bustle) showering? Is this part of religious practice? Can anyone explain without jumping down my virtual neck p[lease?

[LoopyLoopsOlympicHoops]

btw, going to have a go at Wikipedia for being racist? idealmuslim.com? myreligionislam.com?

I'm going to ask some of my many muslim colleagues to see if they think it is offensive. I doubt it, and I hope not. I'd guess they are probably proud.

[Vanfurgstan]

They were probably doing ablution. You wash arms face and feet not full on shower. If you google ablution it will explain better.

[PenisVanLesbian]

They may well have been washing hands and feet and such ready for prayers? Or is that just the men?

[HildaHotPants]

Hi Loopy

I've lived in your neck of the woods (we have spoken but I was another nn then). I used to carry lots of mini tissue packs with me, as 9/10 there would be no loo roll, unless you went into a posh hotel.

I think it is mainly chinese style to squat on 'western' toilets as they do when at home in a floor pan.

We lived in a condo and the toilet automatically came with a hose attached. I have used it but found the jet far too powerful, and the water icy cold. It was rather handy for cleaning the loo!

here for those who don't know what they are Friends of mine who didn't have the shower hose (and were muslim or hindu) would have a plastic pan by the toilet.

Another thing I wondered, was whether the muslim ladies used to take off their lower garments as the floors are normally wet through and they never came out looking like they had waded through it all.

Which area did you end up in btw?

[LoopyLoopsOlympicHoops]

That's what I thought, but in a shopping centre? no mosque nearby. But then, we drove past a mosque when people were leaving and we saw only men - do women perhaps not attend certain services?

[LoopyLoopsOlympicHoops]

Hi Hilda :)

We're living near my work, I won't say where as there are clearly some strange vibes going on, but out of the city a bit. It's lovely and I love it. Family are doing really well appart from today - the baby is ill and we had a key-broken-in-lock drama earlier, but all OK now. Who did you used to be?

[PenisVanLesbian]

I think women are not allowed in some mosques, and strictly segregated at others. Even at weddings, the women are not in the main mosque, not even the bride (at the ones I have been to anyway).