The Diyanet issued a decree permitting to use toilet paper, since it does not contradict Islam. At the same time, it stressed that water should be the primary means of hygiene, Joinfo.ua reports with reference to the Turkish edition of Hurriyet.
The Diyanet recalls that before praying a person should cleanse their body, clothing and a place for prayer, and cleaning should be done using water.
"If the use of water is impossible, there can be used other cleaning means. Despite the fact that some sources call toilet paper unacceptable for using as a purifying material, because it is a material for writing, no regulations prohibit the use of paper for hygiene purposes," reads an excerpt from the statement of the Turkish authorities.
In addition, in March, the religious authorities in Turkey have issued another statement on personal care products. This time it was about alcohol-containing substances. "If the substances containing alcohol are poured out on the clothes or an open part of the body, they can not be simply washed away or used during the prayer. Drinking alcohol-containing substances intended for washing is prohibited, but it can be used for cleaning different surfaces," the Diyanet adds.
