ABLUTION IN ISLAM BY YASIR YAQUB ALHASSAN

ABLUTION IN ISLAM

BY

YASIR YAQUB ALHASSAN

Department of Sociology (Criminology and Security Studies),Faculty of arts and social science, Federal University Dutse, Ibrahim Aliyu Bye-Pass P.M.B. 7156, Jigawa State, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION

The minor ritual purification performed before prayers, circumambulation of the Kaʿba, recitation of the qur’an, and the prostration expressing gratitude after reciting the qur’an. According to the qur’anic injunction which states “O you who believe! When you stand up for prayer, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet up to the ankles. And if you are unclean, purify yourselves” (qur’an 5:6), ablution is a prerequisite to performing the prayers. Its importance is also stressed in the Traditions (aḥādīṯ). A Tradition states that being purified is half of faith. Another says that prayer without purification will not be accepted.

Wuḍūʾ (Arabic: الوضوء‎ al-wuḍūʼ [wʊˈdˤuːʔ]) is the Islamic procedure for cleansing parts of the body, a type of ritual purification, or ablution. Wudu involves washing the hands, mouth, nostrils, arms, head and feet with water and is an important part of ritual purity in Islam. What activities require wuḍūʾ, what rituals constitute it andwhat breaks or invalidates it are governed by fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence)and specifically its rules concerning hygiene.

Wuḍūʾ is typically done in preparation for formal prayers (salat) and before handling and reading the Qur'an.[1] Impurifying activities that invalidate wudu include urination, defecation, flatulence, deep sleep, light bleeding and sexual intercourse.

Wuḍūʾ is often translated as "partial ablution", as opposed to ghusl ("full ablution"), washing the whole body, or tayammum ("dry ablution"), replacing water with sand or dust due to its scarcity, its harmful effect on the person or some other reason. Purification of the body and clothes is called taharah.

Although details vary with different schools of jurisprudence, the ablution is generally performed in the following order: The worshipper first washes his hands three times before dipping them in the vessel placed on his right side. He then rinses his mouth three times, pouring the water into it with his right hand. Preferably, he cleans his teeth with a tooth-stick or brush with the index finger and the thumb. Then he brings water to his nostrils with the left hand, snuffing it up and blowing it out three times. Then, holding water in both hands, he washes his face from the top of the forehead to the chin and as far as each ear three times. If he has a beard, he combs it with the wet fingers. Next, he washes his right hand and the forearm up to the elbow three times, causing water to run along his arm from the palm of the hand to the elbow. In the same way he washes the left. Then he draws his moistened fingers over the top of his head, proceeding from the center to the front and from the center to the back. He puts the tips of his forefingers into his ears and twists them round, passing his thumbs at the same time round the back of the ears from the bottom upwards. Next he wipes his neck with the fingers of both hands, making the ends of his fingers meet behind his neck and then drawing them forward. Lastly he either wipes or washes (thrice) his feet, starting with the right, from the toes up to the ankles. During the ceremony he recites certain formulae with each act. Before beginning the ablution he must formulate the intention (nīya) of performing it, and must follow the exact order mentioned above.

According to the Koranic command, the essential elements of ablution are four: washing the face, washing the hands and the forearms up to the elbows, rubbing the wet hands on the head, and either rubbing (if one reads arǰolekum) or washing (if one reads arǰolakum) the feet up to the ankles. The Sunnites, Kharijites, and Zaydīs wash their feet, whereas both the Emāmī and the Ismaʿili Shiʿites rub them, which seems closer to the literal meaning of the Koran.

For cleanliness the Ismaʿilis and the Emāmīs recommend washing the feet either before or after the ablution, but they insist that it is neither obligatory nor part of the ablution. All acts in addition to the four requisite elements of ablution are considered recommended by the sunna (custom). Rubbing is done once, but washing is done more than once. A single washing is obligatory. The Sunnites and the Ismaʿilis regard washing thrice as the sunna. The Emāmīs , on the other hand, regard washing twice as the sunna. Moreover, the Emāmīs consider wiping the ears an innovation (beḍʿa).The sunna recommends that the ablution be performed thoroughly, with plentiful water. For each washing of the face and the hands, a handful of fresh water is used; but for rubbing, new water is not necessary. The ritual must be performed without interruption. If one is interrupted long enough for the water of the last washed limb to dry, one should start from the beginning. Wiping dry with a cloth after completing the ablution is allowed, but it is recommended that the skin be left to air-dry. When suitable water cannot be procured, or washing with the water might be injurious because of illness or injury, it is permitted to perform the tayammom (q.v.), rubbing the face and hands with fine clean dust or sand. Washing of the whole body, known as ḡosl, is necessary after major ritual pollution. The water used for ablution must conform to rules regarding its purity. The details are discussed s.v. Āb “water.”

The qur’anic text, taken literally, prescribes ablution before each prayer. The Ẓāherī school maintained this to be obligatory, whereas all the four Sunnite schools of jurisprudence maintain that the ablution need not be performed before each prayer if the person has avoided every kind of impurity since the last ablution. Thus a single ablution alone is obligatory, and it is valid for all five prescribed daily prayers so long as the state of ritual purity is not invalidated by an action which requires ablution. The Shiʿites concur with the Sunnite position, but advocate that performing ablution before every prayer is indeed commendable.

The Sunnites and the Shiʿites disagree over the practice of wiping of the shoes (masḥ ʿala’l-ḵoffayn). According to all the Sunnite schools and the Ẓāherīs, a man at his permanent abode is permitted, once a day (and if he is on journey, thrice in three days), to rub his foot-covering instead of washing the feet during the ablution, if the feet when covered were washed properly and the shoes are clean, impermeable, and fit tightly. This wiping of the foot-covering is not permitted by the Shiʿites and the Kharijites. The Emāmīs allow it only under duress (i.e. by taqīya), and in circumstances where there is a threat to life from an enemy, wild beasts, or extreme cold. The Ismaʿilis, on the other hand, permit it, not under duress, but only under the following two conditions: when a person has a valid reason preventing him from washing his feet with water, as when he wipes over splints and bandages; and when a person renews the ablution out of devotion without invalidating the state of purity acquired by a previous ablution.

The state of ceremonial purity attained by the ablution is annulled by minor impurities (ḥadaṯ). Opinions vary widely as to what causes minor impurity. In general, relieving nature (breaking wind, urination, and excretion), loss of consciousness, and sleep (apart from dosing while sitting) produce minor impurities, making ablution indispensable. According to the Shiʿites and the Hanafites, kissing and touching of the other sex does not invalidate the ablution, but according to the Shafeʿites touching the skin of the other sex, unless the worshippers are related in a way that prohibits marriage, does invalidate it. The Malikites and the Hanbalites maintain that only passionate and sensuous touching invalidates the ablution. The Ẓāherīs, on the other hand, maintain that any contact of a man with a strange female, even a baby girl an hour old, invalidates the ablution.

The performance of ablution is highly extolled in the Traditions. The Prophet is reported as saying, “He who performs the ablution thoroughly will extract all sin from his body, even though it may be lurking under his fingernails.” Another Tradition says, “The key of paradise is prayer, and the key of prayer is being purified.” The Messenger of God is also reported as saying, “My people will be summoned on the Day of Resurrection with white faces and hands and feet from the marks of ablution. If any of you can extend his brightness, let him do so.”

Basis in Quran and hadith

The Qur'an says "For God loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean."In regard to Muslims being required to be clean when handling and reading the Qur'an, the Qur'an says "Which none shall touch but those who are clean". The Islamic prophet Muhammad said that "Cleanliness is half of faith".

Water requirements 

Permitted water types

       I.            Spring, sea or river water

    II.            Water of melting snow or hail

 III.            Water of a big tank or pond

 IV.            Well water

Prohibited water types           

       I.            Unclean or impure water

    II.            Water extracted from fruit and trees

 III.            Water that has changed its colour, taste and smell and has become thick because something was soaked in it

 IV.            Small quantity of water in which something unclean has fallen, e.g. urine, blood, stool or wine or some animal had died after falling into it

    V.            Water left over after drinking by haram animals (e.g. pigs or predatory animals)

 VI.            Used water of Wuḍūʾ or ghusl (according to the opinion of the Hanbali School)

Acts of wudū

There are four fard (obligatory) acts. If one of these acts is omitted, it must be returned to and then the succeeding acts completed. There are other acts that are performed during Wuḍūʾ (coming from the sunnah of Islamic prophet Muhammad and Sunni Islamic scholars) and the detailed acts of the Wuḍūʾ can be classed into 3 types:

Ø  Farā'id according to Sunni Muslims

According to Sunni Muslims, the Qur'anic mandate for Wuḍūʾ comes in the sixth ayat of sura 5. The ayat has been translated by Muhammad Muhsin Khan, Rashad Khalifa, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Pickthal and Maulana Muhammad Ali as follows. Note that these scholars' translation refer to washing the feet.

“O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.”                

 Al-Ma'ida, Sura 5, Ayah 6[7]

·         Washing the face thrice.

·         Washing both the arms including the elbows thrice.

·         Performing masah of one-fourth of the head.

·         Washing both the feet once up to and including the ankles. It's not sufficient for one to pass wet hand over the feet or shoes. Under certain conditions masah can be done over leather socks known as khuffs.

1.      Narrated by Abd-Allah ibn Amr: "...we were just passing wet hands over our feet (not washing them thoroughly) so he addressed us in a loud voice saying twice or thrice, 'Save your heels from the fire.'.

2.      Narrated by 'Ubaid Ibn Juraij: "...and he used to perform ablution while wearing the shoes (i.e. wash his feet and then put on the shoes).

3.      Narrated by Yahya Al-Mazini: " 'Can you show me how Allah's Apostle used to perform ablution?' ...and washed his feet (up to the ankles).

4.      Narrated by 'Amr: "...and then he washed his feet up to the ankles.

5.      Narrated by Humran: "...and washed his feet up to the ankles...

6.      Narrated by 'Amr bin Yahya: "...and washed his feet up to the ankles...

7.      Narrated by 'Abdullah bin Zaid: "...and washed his feet (up to the ankles).

Ø  Mustahabbāt (recommended acts)

A handful of mustahabb (recommended) acts that are considered to make the Wuḍūʾ better. If one of these acts is omitted, the Wuḍūʾ is still considered valid.

·         Reciting the shahadah after the ablution.

·         During Wuḍūʾ one should not engage in worldly talk.

·         Choosing a clean place for ablution.

·         Not wasting water in ablution.

·         Starting from the right side and then the left.

Contentions

Muslims who are unable to perform the prevailing form of ablution, due to skin disease, a disability or lack of clean water, etc. are recommended to perform tayammum, sometimes called "dry ablution", using sand or dust instead of water. Such an alternative form of ritual purity may also be accepted in cases where one fears the acquisition of hypothermia in cold weather.

Sunnism

Sunni Muslims perform the following:

·         Start by making niyyah (intention) to perform Wuḍūʾ and cleanse the self of impurities.

·         Recite bismillah.

·         Wash the right hand up to the wrist (and between the fingers) three times, then similarly for the left hand.

·         Next, rinse the mouth and spit out the water three times and rub the teeth with a miswak. If a miswak is not available then one should use the finger;

·         Some water should be taken in the right hand and sniffed into the nostrils thrice and then blown out. The left hand should be used for cleaning the nose.

·         Wash the face (from the hairline on the forehead to where facial hair begins and ear to ear). This is to be performed three times.

·         Wash the entire right arm, including the hand, up to and including the elbow three times; then the left arm three times. Pass fingers of one hand between the fingers of the other hand. If wearing a ring it should be moved freely to allow water to pass under it.

·         Then perform masah. Wet hands should be passed all over the head; then the first finger of the right and left hand should be moved in the right and left ears respectively and in the same operation thumbs should be passed around the ears; then pass the backs of the hands over the hind part of the neck only. Hands should not be passed around the fore-neck as it is prohibited. This is only done once. One may not make masah over a Muslim head cap.

·         Starting with the right foot, wash both feet from the toes up to and including the ankles thrice. The little finger of the left hand should be passed between the toes of both the feet beginning from the little toe of the right foot and ending with the little toe of the left foot.

·         Recite the shahadah.

·         Offer two-rak'at prayer.

·         Make sure all parts of body to be washed for wudu should completely be wet before the other is washed until the wudu is completed.

Invalidation

Theoretically, one can perform one Wuḍūʾ for salat and this Wuḍūʾ would be considered valid for the rest of the day. However, traditionally Muslims believe that certain acts invalidate the Wuḍūʾ (often referred to as "breaking wuḍūʾ" and "losing wuḍūʾ") and these can be stated generically thus, although the Quran does not explain most of these:

According to Sunni Muslims

·         Defecation or urination

·         Odorous or audible emissions of flatulence

·         Emission of semen (ghusl is required)

·         Slow-wave sleep while reclining

·         Vomiting

·         Loss of senses

·         Fainting

·         Sexual contact with another person (ghusl is required)

·         Touching the private parts with the bare hands (not according to Hanafi Madhhab)

·         Blood or pus leaving the body so that it leaves the point of exit (however if the blood or pus exits from the private parts then any amount breaks wuḍūʾ). Note that bleeding except from private parts does not invalidate Wuḍūʾ according to Shafi'i Madhhab.

TAYAMMUM

Tayammum is a "dry ablution" using clean soil or dust, to be performed when water is not readily available to perform ablution or when one is defiled (on janabah) and could not perform ghusl, and is authorised under specific circumstances.

Wuḍūʾ description in Hadith          

Wuḍūʾ in Hadith Abu Hurayra, in reference to the Day of Resurrection, reported that Muhammad, when asked if he would be able to recognise Muslims, said, "Yes, you would have a mark which other people will not have. You would come to me with a white blaze on your foreheads and white marks on your feet because of the traces of ablution.

·         Abu Hurayra said, "I have heard prophet (may peace be upon him) say. In a believer adornment would reach the places where ablution reaches.

·         Uthman ibn Affan stated that Muhammad, said, "He who performed ablution well, his sins would come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails.

·         'Umar ibn al-Khattab reported that Muhammad said, "No one among you does Wuḍūʾ and does Wuḍūʾ thoroughly – or adequately – and then testifies, 'There is no god but Allah Alone with no partner and I testify that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger', without the eight doors of the Garden being opened to him so that he can enter by whichever of them he wishes.

Hadiths on Performing Wudu from Large Bodies of Water

It is mentioned in numerous Hadiths by Ja'far al-Sadiq that it is permissible to make wudu with water that is not overwhelmed with the stench of dead animal. If there is a dead animal, it is recommended to take wudu from the opposite side of the location of the animal. He also said it is permissible to take wudu from the ponds between Mecca and Medina in which people perform ghusl, dogs and beasts drink, and animals die so long as the water level is at least up to the knees.

Hadiths on Performing Wudu from a Well           

It has been narrated by Ali al-Ridha that if a drop of urine, blood or animal feces falls into a well, one must remove about ten buckets from it before performing wudu. If the feces has disintegrated into the water, forty to fifty buckets must be removed. Ja'far al-Sadiq has also mentioned that if an animal falls into the well, and has not disintegrated in it, remove five to seven buckets of water from it or until the smell or taste of the water changes. However, If the animal is bleeding or has an open wound, one must draw out thirty to forty buckets before it becomes purified for wudu. If a camel dies in the well or wine is poured into the well, all the water must be drained.

o   Sebil or sabil, public water fountain in Islamic countries

o   Shadirvan, a typical Ottoman fountain usually built in the yard or at the entrance of religious buildings (mosques, khanqahs, madrasas) and caravanserais

o   Muslim hygienical jurisprudence

o   Ritual purification

o   Ghusl

o   Chōzuya

o   Wajib

o   Mustahabb

Conclusion

Al-wudu’ means ablution. It is a form of cleanliness which every muslim who want to pray must perform. Therefore, the performance of ablution becomes necessary when a muslim want to observe any of the five compulsory daily prayers(salat).

The purpose of wudu’ or ablution is to make a servant of Allah clear and fit to perform some ritual such as prayers, circumambulation of the ka’abah and recitation of the Glorious Qur’an . Ablution is performed by muslim in order to be fit observe any the five daily prayers and to recite quran,

Also there is At-tayanmmum(sand ablution). Muslims perform tayammum when we want to say any of the five compulsory daily prayers.

The condition which are necessitate the performanceof tayammum are;

When wate is not available,When we connot use water because of sickness and When we are on a jouneny and we connot find water.

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