Saturday, June 4, 2011

3.11. ABLUTION (wuzu)

God says

O you who have attained to faith! When you prepare for prayer, wash your faces and your hands and arms upto elbows, pass your (wet) hands lightly over your head, and wash your feet upto ankles….. Q5:6

(Washing of mouth, throat and nose are sunnat of wuzu.)

Ablution is a transition to prayer: turning of mind to remembrance of God, while washing each part patiently and properly.

Start by saying ‘BISMILLAHI WAL HAMDU LILLAH’ (I begin with the name of God and all praise be to God) and at the end recite: ‘ASH HADU AL LA ILA HA IL LAL LAHU, WAH DAHU LA SHAREEKA LAHU, WA ASH HADU ANNA MUHAMMADAN ‘ABDU HU WA RUSOOLU HU.’

It is preferable to maintain silence, cleansing the mind from thoughts other than remembrance of God, in preparation of prayer.

…..If you are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if you are ill or are traveling, or have just satisfied a call of nature, or have cohabited (your) women, and can find no water – then take resort to pure dust passing (your palms) therewith lightly over your face and your hands. -- Q.5:6


Prophet said

“Whoever performs ablution and performs it well*, his sins come out of his body till they come out even from under his nails” – H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Osman.

* More than three times is forbidden.



Holy Prophet passed by Sa`ad while he was performing ablution and asked, “Why is this extravagance?” Sa`ad enquired: Is there any extravagance in ablution?

“Yes” said the Prophet, “Even though you may be doing it from a flowing rivulet.” -- H: Ahmed and Ibn Majah. N: Abdullah-b-Amr-b-al-‘Aas

Moral of this to be followed is that abundance of any resource, not only water, must not result in its abuse i.e., its excess.