Short answer
No, it is not haram. In the Hanafi school, urinating standing up without a reason is makruh (disliked), and sitting or squatting is the sunnah. With a reason, such as only a urinal being available or an injury, it is fine, as long as you avoid splashes and stay covered.
Urinating while standing is makruh tanzihi without an excuse, and sitting is sunnah. With an excuse it is permitted without dislike. Protecting the body and clothes from splashes is necessary, and exposing the awrah to others is haram.
Other madhhabs
- Maliki
- Allowed without dislike if the ground is soft or one is safe from splashes and from being seen.
- Hanbali
- Not disliked when one is safe from splashes and from being seen.
Explanation
Aisha said that whoever tells you the Prophet ﷺ urinated standing should not be believed, because he only urinated sitting. Hudhayfah, on the other hand, saw him urinate standing once at the rubbish heap of some people. Scholars reconcile the two: sitting was his normal practice, which Aisha saw at home, and standing was a rare case for a reason, such as the nature of the place, which Hudhayfah saw.
In practice:
- At home: sit or squat. It is the sunnah, and it keeps urine from splashing.
- Public urinals: if there is no cubicle, using a urinal is allowed. Stand close, avoid splashes, and make sure no one can see your awrah.
- Medical reasons: if sitting is hard for you, standing is fine.
- Afterwards: wait for the last drops and clean with water or paper (see istinja).
The bigger concern is splashing. The Prophet ﷺ passed two graves and said one of them was punished for not protecting himself from his urine. Urinals often splash onto shoes and trousers, so if you use one, check your clothes.
Drops of urine on your clothes beyond the excused amount must be washed before you pray (see urine on clothes).
The evidence
Sunan an-Nasa'i 29
Grading to be checked... فلا تصدقوه ما كان يبول إلا جالسا ...
"Do not believe it; he did not urinate except sitting."
Sitting was the Prophet's normal practice.
Sahih al-Bukhari 224
Sahih... أتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم سباطة قوم فبال قائما ...
"The Prophet came to the rubbish heap of some people and urinated standing."
Standing is permitted when there is a reason.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Kitab al-Taharah, section on what is disliked when relieving oneself. Urinating standing is disliked without an excuse.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Taharah, section on the manners of relieving oneself. The Hanbali view that it is not disliked when safe from splashes.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.