Sunnah and Pollution

al-qaradawi stated that the prophet (peace be upon him) used to admonish some people for the irresponsible pollution or infection of the environment. the blessed prophet called certain actions "the actions that provoke curses" (abu dawud). among these actions are urinating in water, urinating in the bath, relieving oneself in the shade or where people take shelter, and relieving oneself in the roads. also, imam muslim reported on the authority of abu hurairah "avoid the practice of the two things that provoke cursing: relieving oneself in roadways where people walk and in shaded places where people take shelter."

relieving oneself includes excretion of both urine and feces. islamic jurists say doing it in public places is makruh (condemned and discouraged). in the opinion of al-qaradawi, however, it actually approaches the degree of prohibited. imam an-nawawi and imam adh-dahabi both agreed that it was "one of the major sins" (qaradawi 14). our beloved messenger also prohibited bathing in stagnant water as it may cause diseases; he said, "none of you must wash in standing water when you're is in a state of major ritual impurity." (muslim)