Purification before Salaat (Prayer)

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.

1. Wash the hands 3 times up to the wrists with water, allowing water to run between the fingers.

2. Rinse the mouth with water three times.

3. Clean the nostrils by sniffing water in then out 3 times.

4. Clean the face 3 times from the top of the forehead down to the chin and from ear to ear.

5. Wash the arms three times, from the elbows right arm first, then left.

6. 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.

7. Wipe the earlobes with the fore-fingers cleaning the inside of the ears and the thumbs cleaning the external side.

8. 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.

1. Begin with clean flowing water, stand or squat in the water. Do not sit in the water.

2. Make the intention (Niyyat Ghusl) to perform Ghusl.

3. Wash the hands 3 times up to the wrists with water, allowing water to run between the fingers.

4. Wash private areas with the left hand.

5. Wash the hands again 3 times up to the wrists with water, allowing water to run between the fingers.

6. Rinse the mouth with water three times.

7. Clean the nostrils by sniffing water in then out 3 times.

8. Clean the face 3 times from the top of the forehead down to the chin and from ear to ear.

9. Wash the arms three times, from the elbows right arm first, then left.

10. 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.

11. Wipe the earlobes with the fore-fingers cleaning the inside of the ears and the thumbs cleaning the external side.

12. 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.

13. 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.

1. Make intention (Niyyat Tayammum) to perform Tayammum.

2. Gently pat the palms of your hands on pure sand or gravel.

3. Blow off remaining dust then gently wipe hands across face.

4. Pat hands on ground gently and blow off the dust.

5. Wipe the right hand up to the elbow then repeat with the left arm.