Rafiq
Ask Rafiq
The du'a is "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-khubthi wal-khaba'ith" — "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from male and female devils." The Prophet ﷺ said it when he entered the toilet, and it is reported in the most authentic collections.
The du'a
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from al-khubth and al-khaba'ith."— Sahih al-Bukhari 142, from Anas ibn Malik
Some narrations begin it with Bismillah, and some give the wording as "A'udhu billahi minal-khubthi wal-khaba'ith" — both are reported from the Prophet ﷺ.
What the words mean
Al-khubth (with a still b) is evil, and al-khaba'ith are the devils — so the supplication seeks refuge from evil and from the people of evil. Ibn Taymiyyah notes that this reading is stronger than the alternative, that al-khubth is the plural of khabith (male devils) and al-khaba'ith the plural of khabithah (female devils), because it carries a wider meaning.
Why it is said here
The Prophet ﷺ explained the reason: these places are attended by the devils. In the narration of Zayd ibn Arqam, he said:
"These privies are attended [by the devils], so when one of you enters, let him say: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from al-khubth and al-khaba'ith."— Sunan Abu Dawud 6
That is why the remembrance and seeking refuge are prescribed before entering.
When to say it
The scholars hold it is said when you intend to enter, before you go in — not after. Ibn Taymiyyah records that the wording "when he wanted to enter" appears in one version of al-Bukhari, and the same meaning is in the other narrations. The point is that the dhikr precedes the entry, since the devils are present in the place.
A related sunnah
Ibn Taymiyyah also notes that a person steps in with the left foot and out with the right — the reverse of entering a mosque — because the right is more deserving of being brought forward to good places and held back from harm and places of harm. On leaving, the reported du'a is "Ghufranak" ("Your forgiveness").
Key takeaways
- The du'a for entering the toilet is "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-khubthi wal-khaba'ith".
- Say it before entering, when you intend to go in — not after.
- It seeks refuge from evil and from the devils, who attend such places.
- Step in with the left foot and out with the right; on leaving, say "Ghufranak".
- The narration is in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawud and Sunan Ibn Majah.
And Allah knows best.
This is a guide to what the scholars have said, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar who can hear the details.