Ablution is an important act of worship, since a Muslim needs to perform it before he can offer his obligatory or voluntary prayers. This means that a Muslim may need to perform ablution, or wudhu, five times a day. Hardly anyone who attends regularly to his prayers can do so without performing ablution three times on any day. The essential requirements in ablution are stated in the Qur’an, and these are washing one’s face, hands up to the elbows, wiping a part of one’s head and washing one’s feet up to the ankles. This must, of course, be preceded with the intention of performing the ablution, since every action depends on the purpose for which it is done. We mentioned last week several Hadiths explaining how the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed ablution, which involves washing one’s face, arms and feet as well as wiping one’s head. Additionally, one is recommended to rinse one’s mouth, blow one’s nose and cleaning one’s ears, as well as doing everything mentioned three times. We may add a further Hadith mentioning another recommended action. Anas reports: “When the Prophet performed his ablutions, he would take some water in his hand and place it under his jaw moving his fingers through his beard. He also said, ‘it is God that commanded me to do this.’” (Related by Abu Dawood, Al-Darimi and Al-Baghawi.)
The grand ablution is another important aspect of Islamic worship. It is required to remove the state of ceremonial impurity which happens to both man and woman should they have sexual intercourse. It also occurs when a man discharges semen as a result of arousal, either in a wet dream or when awake, and when a woman goes through her monthly period. A person cannot offer prayers when in this state. To remove this state and purify oneself, grand ablution, or ghusl, is required. In all situations, we look up to the Prophet for guidance. Regarding this, Aishah explains how the Prophet performed his grand ablution: “When the Prophet (peace be upon him) washed himself to remove ceremonial impurity, he started by washing his hands. He followed this with an ordinary ablution like he always did when he wanted to pray. Then he would wet his hands and put his fingers through his hair to wet its roots, before he poured three handfuls, with both hands, over his head. He then poured water over all his body.”(Related by Malik, Al-Shafie, Al-Darimi and others.)
This Hadith gives us a detailed description of the Prophet’s grand ablution. It begins with washing one’s hands and an ordinary ablution. This is strongly recommended, particularly if there is no shortage of water. Otherwise, the grand ablution on its own, which means washing one’s head and body, incorporates the ordinary ablution. As for washing one’s head, the Prophet’s action described here shows what is necessary which is ensuring that the water gets to the skin of one’s head, but it is not necessary to pour much water over one’s head. This is particularly useful for women who may have time- consuming hairstyles that would be spoilt with using much water. The rest of one’s body must be washed, ensuring that the water reaches every part of one’s body.
The Prophet also emphasized the need to economize the use of water, even for purification purposes. Anas ibn Malik reports: “God’s Messenger used to perform his grand ablution using four to five mudds and to perform ordinary ablution with one mudd.” (Related by Al-Bukhari, Muslim and Al-Tirmidhi.) He was apparently consistent in using such small amounts of water. A mudd was a measure the Arabs used at the time. According to their description, it is just over 400 mls, or about two cups. This was sufficient for the Prophet to do his ablution. He performed the grand ablution, washing all his body, with no more than two liters of water. This is certainly a fine exercise in the proper use of natural resources.
It is also important to mention that a man and his wife can use the same water container when they perform the grand ablution. Aishah reports: “I used to perform the grand ablution together with God’s Messenger, using water from one container placed between us. He would take the water ahead of me, and I would say, ‘leave some for me; leave some for me.’” (Related by Muslim, Al-Darimi and Ibn Khuzaymah.) Another Hadith also reported by Aishah quotes her as saying: “I used to perform the grand ablution with the Prophet using the same container, when both of us were in the state of ceremonial impurity. Sometimes, he told me to wrap myself well when I was in menstruation and we would have some foreplay. At times when he was spending days in the mosque, he might put his head through the door and I would wash his head when I was in the menstruation.” (Related by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Malik, Al-Shafie and others.)
The last two Hadiths mention some important points with regard to purity in the religious sense. Islam always steers a middle, easy way in all matters. With regard to purity it requires some physical action to prepare a person for his worship. Therefore, ablution is recommended in various situations, but obligatory before prayer. This is not a question of physical purity. A person may be in the best state of cleanliness but required, nevertheless, to perform ablution before prayer. Similarly, the grand ablution is required to remove janabah, which we translate as “a state of ceremonial impurity” as there is no equivalent in English. Although it results from a physical condition, such as a woman’s period or a man’s ejaculation or sexual intercourse, the impurity is not physical. A person who is in this condition is not contaminated with impurity. He or she can eat, drink and do whatever they want, but they cannot offer their prayers because they are in a state of ceremonial impurity.
In the last Hadith, Aishah points out three situations to stress this point. The first is that two people in this state can use the same water container at the same time to perform their ablution. They do not impart the impurity to the water, even though both of them may put their hands in the water. Thus, if a person in this state take a dip into a pool or a stream, intending to remove the state of ceremonial impurity, he achieves his purpose and the water remains pure and usable by another person.
The second point is that foreplay is permissible when one’s wife is in her period. What is not permitted is sexual intercourse. Hence, the Prophet told his wife to cover herself well to make sure he does not come near the area of intercourse and they had their pleasure in foreplay. What the Prophet did even in such private matters is accurately and authentically reported so that we learn the limits allowed in our faith. Whatever he did is permissible, because he never approached anything that God forbids.
The last point is that Aishah washed the Prophet’s head when she was in her period that makes clear that one’s ceremonial impurity does not contaminate another. The fact that he was in the mosque makes this even clearer. It is not an impurity that can be spread by touch or physical interaction.