Assalaamu alaykum. I know that it is haram to talk in the toilet, but is it permissible to text anyone in the toilet without talking about religion, like by having a general discussion?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Part of the etiquette of relieving oneself is that a person should not spend more time than necessary in the toilet. Ibn Taymiyyah said, “One should not stay in the toilet for long unnecessarily because staying for long without a need is disliked. This is because it is the place where the devils gather and the place where one reveals his ‘Awrah (private parts). Luqmaan al-Hakeem was quoted to have said, 'Staying for long (in the toilet) makes the liver bleed and causes hemorrhoids.'” [Quoted from Sharh Al-‘Umdah]

Therefore, one should avoid using devices while relieving himself so that this would not cause him to stay longer, unless the person has an important matter that he cannot delay until he finishes; in which case it is acceptable for him to use it according to the need only. In this case, he should be careful not to use verses, ahaadeeth, names of Allaah, or anything that is glorified in the sharee'ah.

As regards what you mentioned at the beginning of the question, “I know that it is haraam to talk in the toilet,” then the well-known opinion of the scholars is that this is disliked (Makrooh), not prohibited (haraam). An-Nawawi said, “What Ash-Shiraazi mentioned in Al-Muhath-thab regarding the dislike of talking when relieving oneself is agreed upon. The scholars of our School (i.e. the Shaafi’i School) said, 'The dislike applies to all types of speech, with the exception of cases of necessity.'”

Allaah knows best.