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Purification Before Salaat
Islam
encourages cleanliness. To ensure this is preformed, it is mandatory
that your body and clothing be clean before performing your salaat.
Your prayer will not be valid unless your body and clothing are
clean. Clothing must be considered tahir and removed of all
impurities. Impurities include blood, urine, and excrement.
Water
Restrictions
The
following water only, is permissible for Wudu. Natural water such as
rain, lakes, rivers (any moving water) and tap water. Only in the
following situation are you permitted to perform prayer while your
body or clothing is najis (dirty). If you are injured and the body
becomes dirty and it is difficult to wash the clothing or body. If
you do not know that your body or clothing is najis (dirty), and
after the Salaat you realizes it. If you have made wudu and should
come in contact with blood that is less then the size of the tip of
your thumb. Someone is helpless and must pray with a najis body or
clothing; for example, one does not have water to clean the clothing
or body.
Minor Impurities
and
the Purification Method
The
purifying of your body is called wudu. The passing of excrement,
gas, urine, vomiting, bleeding, touching of sexual organs without
clothing, falling into a deep sleep, and laughing loudly during
salaat can all break your wudu. Once wudu is preformed and not
broken you may perform multiple prayers. Here are some instructions
to follow for performing wudu.
To perform
Wudu you should first make the intention (Niyyat) to perform Wudu.
Call upon Allah at the start of Wudu by saying Bismillah.
-
Wash the
hands 3 times up to the wrists with water, allowing water to run
between the fingers.
-
Rinse the
mouth with water three times.
-
Clean the
nostrils by sniffing water in then out 3 times.
-
Clean the
face 3 times from the top of the forehead down to the chin and
from ear to ear.
-
Wash the
arms three times, from the elbows right arm first, then left.
-
Moisten
the hands and pass them over the head from the forehead to the
back of the hairline, and from there back to the forehead.
-
Wipe the
earlobes with the fore-fingers cleaning the inside of the ears
and the thumbs cleaning the external side.
-
Wash both
feet beginning with the right foot up to the ankles allowing the
water to run between each toe.
Major Impurities
and the Purification Method
To remove
major impurities from your body, you are required to perform Ghusl,
or a full shower. The following acts require Ghusl. The emission of
fluids from male or female sexual organs, menstruations, sexual
intercourse, masturbation, child birth.
To perform
Ghusl you should combine the procedures of Wudu to maximize the
level of purity.
-
Begin with
clean flowing water, stand or squat in the water. Do not sit in
the water.
-
Make the
intention (Niyyat Ghusl) to perform Ghusl.
-
Wash the
hands 3 times up to the wrists with water, allowing water to run
between the fingers.
-
Wash
private areas with the left hand.
-
Wash the
hands again 3 times up to the wrists with water, allowing water
to run between the fingers.
-
Rinse the
mouth with water three times.
-
Clean the
nostrils by sniffing water in then out 3 times.
-
Clean the
face 3 times from the top of the forehead down to the chin and
from ear to ear.
-
Wash the
arms three times, from the elbows right arm first, then left.
-
Moisten
the hands and pass them over the head from the forehead to the
back of the hairline, and from there back to the forehead.
-
Wipe the
earlobes with the fore-fingers cleaning the inside of the ears
and the thumbs cleaning the external side.
-
Pour water
over your head 3 times. then over right and then left side of
body three times. The entire body should become wet leaving
nothing dry.
-
Wash both
feet beginning with the right foot up to the ankles allowing the
water to run between each toe.
Tayammum and the
Purification Method
Islam is
formatted to adapt to many circumstances that may occur. One such
circumstance is not having water available to perform purification.
If no water, water that is contaminated, or if water is very scarce
you are allowed to perform a dry purification called Tayammum.
-
Make
intention (Niyyat Tayammum) to perform Tayammum.
-
Gently pat
the palms of your hands on pure sand or gravel.
-
Blow off
remaining dust then gently wipe hands across face.
-
Pat hands
on ground gently and blow off the dust.
-
Wipe the
right hand up to the elbow then repeat with the left arm.
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