Muslims everywhere can take heart that their religion has taken the cultural leap from the Stone Age straight to the Middle Ages.
A new fatwa issued in Turkey has decreed that Muslims are now permitted to use toilet paper.
And while water is still preferable, using toilet paper is not a blasphemous act that will get your hands cut off anymore.
Yay for progress!
Before now, followers of Islam were only permitted to use water, their left hand or three stones to wipe their asses. Three stones? That's right. It's actually in the Koran. How to wipe yourself. It also tells devout followers they should stand to urinate and definitely shouldn't have a conversation while you're at the urinal.
Even though some sources deem paper to be unsuitable as a cleaning material, as it is an apparatus for writing, there is no problem in using toilet paper.
Last month the Directorate of Religious Affairs had also relaxed rules on around the use of products containing alcohol – as long as they were not consumed.
Hand sanitizes and other similar products used for hygiene products are now halal.
'While it is forbidden to drink substances containing alcohol that were produced for cleaning purposes, it is acceptable to use them for cleaning,' Hurriyet Daily News reported.
In addition to the "three stones" and the "sit to pee" rule, there are seven other rules all devout Muslims must follow:
The rules state Muslims must say before entering the toilet 'In the name of Allah, O Allah! I seek refuge with You from all offensive and wicked things'
They must enter with their left foot and leave with their right saying a second prayer 'Praise be to Allah who relieved me of the filth and gave me relief'
People should not speak, greet anyone else or read while they are relieving themselves
Followers must not face the direction of Mecca while they go to the toilet or have anything bearing the name of Allah or the Quran on them
People should relieve themselves out of sight of people and should not look at their own genitals or anyone else's
After going to the toilet, Muslims should clean themselves with the left hand and water
