Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When you go to relieve yourselves, do not face the Qiblah nor turn your back towards it. Rather, turn your face towards the east or the west at that time. Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When we came to Syria, the toilets there were built facing the Qiblah. (When we went to relieve ourselves) we would turn away and seek forgiveness from Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say that people used to say: When you sit to relieve yourself, do not face the Qiblah nor Bayt al-Maqdis. However, one day I climbed onto the roof of my house and I saw the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) sitting on two bricks facing Bayt al-Maqdis to relieve himself.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that (one day, for some need of mine) I climbed onto the roof of my sister and the noble wife of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyidah Hafsah’s (may Allah be pleased with her) house, and I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) relieving himself with his back towards the Qiblah and his face towards Shaam (Syria).