ozgurislam
29-03-2007, 09:07 PM
The Manner of Ablution
When [the person] is through with abstersion, he should proceed to perform his ablution, for never has the Apostle of God been seen emerging after he had answered the call of nature without immediately performing the ablution. The person should commence with the use of the toothpick. Thus the Apostle said, "Your mouths are the pathways of the Qur'an. Render them, therefore clean with toothpicks."37 His purpose, when using the toothpick, should be the purification of his mouth for the reading of the Qur'an, and the invocation of God in prayer. The Prophet said, "One prayer after the use of the toothpick is better than seventy and five prayers without the use of the toothpick."38 And again,"Had it not been for my fear to overburden my people, I would have commanded them to use the toothpick before every parayer,39" And again "Why do you come before me with yellow teeth? Use toothpicks."40 He also was wont to use the toothpick several times every night. It was also related that ibn-Abbas once said, "The Apostle has so repeatedly commanded us to use the toothpick that we expected him soon to receive a revelation on its use."41 The Apostle also said, "Use ye the toothpick: it is a purifier for the mouth and well-pleasing unto God."42 `Ali said, "The toothpick develops and strengthens the memory and banishes sluggishness." Furthermore, it was customary for the Companions of the Prophet to go about with their toothpicks carried behind the ears.43
The manner of its use. For a toothpick men should use the arak (salvadora perisce) wood or other rough branches which remove the yellow deposits around the teeth. The toothpick should be used both horizontally and vertically, and if one should limit himself to one of the two motions, let him use it horizontally.
It is desirable to use the toothpick prior to every prayer and prior to every ablution whether it is followed with prayer or not. Equally desirable is its use when the taste of the mouth has become bad as a result of sleep, or long abstinence from food, or eating a thing of unpleasant smell.
After completing the cleansing of his mouth with the toothpick the person should then proceed with his ablution facing therein the qiblah, and saying, "In the name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate." The Prophet said, "There is no ablution to him who does not call upon the name of God,"44 i.e., no complete ablution. The person should then say, "[0 God!] I seek refuge in thee from the power of the devil. I seek refuge in thee 0 God lest they should come and surround me." He then should wash his hands three times before putting them into the vessel and should say, "0 God, I ask thee for luck and blessing, and seek refuge in thee against ill-luck and destruction." His purpose should be the removal of excrements or making prayer lawful. He should bear that purpose in mind until he had washed his face. If, however, he happens to forget the purpose of his ablution just before he washes his face, he will not be penalized for it. He then should take up a handful of water with his right, and rinse his mouth with it thrice and gargle, allowing the water to reach his throat, except when he is fasting, at which time he should take it easy [lest he swallow any of it].
Having done that he should say, "0 God, Help me to recite Thy book and to glorify Thy name." Thereupon he should take up another handful and inhale it thrice, forcing it with his breath up his nose and flushing thereby its cartilages, and then force the water out by exhaling. As he sniffs the water he should say, "0 God! Grant me [to enjoy] the perfumes of Paradise and be gracious unto me." As he exhales in order to force the water out of his nose he should say, "0 God! I seek refuge in Thee against the stench of Hell and evil of the world." This is said because inhaling constitutes drawing in and exhaling is removal and rejection.
He then should take another handful of water for his face and should wash it from the beginning of the flat part of the forehead to the extremity of the fore-part of the chin lengthwise, and from ear to ear laterally. The two temples which are on either side of the forehead are not included in the face but form a part of the head. The water is allowed to reach the edge of the bangs which women are wont to affect: It is that part which lies at the side of the face when the end of a thread is placed upon the top of the ear, and the other end is placed upon the corner of the forehead. The water, however, is allowed to reach the four parts of face where, the hair grows, namely, the eyebrows, the mustache, the side whiskers, and the eyelashes which are, for the most part sparse. The side whiskers are that part of the beard which grows parellel to and alongside the ears. Water should also be allowed to reach the base of sparse but not thick beards, i.e. the frontal part of the face. The rule which governs the hair between the lower lip and the chin is the same as that which governs the beard, whether thick or sparse. He should [wash his face in this prescribed manner] thrice and then pour water over the long part of his beard, and work his fingers in and clean the eye holes and [the inner corners of the eyes] where the dirt which they discharge collects and [the outer corners] where the kohl gathers, for it was related that the Prophet himself did that.45 When the person washes his eyes his wish should be that sin would depart therfrom. Similarly at the washing of every member of his body, he should wish for the departure of sin therefrom. As he washes his face, he should say, "0 God! Cleanse Thou my face with Thy light when Thou cleanseth the faces of Thy saints; and blacken not my face with Thy darkness when Thou rendereth the faces of Thy enemies black." When washing his face, he should also let water flow in the interstices of his beard, for, it is desirable.
He should then wash his arms up to the elbows three times, [When washing his hands] he should move the ring around his finger. He then should draw his wetten right hand over the fore-part of his head, [raising his head gear with the left], and should apply water to the upper part of the upper arm. For [the believers] will appear on the day of resurrection with whiteness on their foreheads, wrists, and ankles, from the effect of ablution.46 Similarly, a traditon declares that the Propeht said, " Whoever is able to clean the fore-part of his head let him do so."47 It has also been related that the whiteness48 appears on those parts of the body which are washed at the time of ablution49.
The person should begin with the washing of his right hand and say, "0 God! [On the day of judgment] hand me the book of my actions in my right hand and judge me with lenience." When he washes his left he should say, "I beseech Thee 0 God, hand me not the book of my action in my left or from behind my back." He then should proceed to wipe his head thoroughly by soaking his hands in the water, bringing the tips of their fingers, both the right and the left, together, placing them on the forepart of the head, running them over to the opposite side, and finally bringing them back again to the forepart. All this constitutes one wiping. He should go through it thrice and say, "Cover me with Thy mercy, 0 God, and shower upon me of Thy blessings. Give me to sit in the shadow of Thy throne on that day when there will be no shade except Thine own."
He then should wipe his ears, both outside and inside, with fresh water. To do this, he should put the tips of his forefingers into his ears and twist them round, passing his thumbs at the same time over their baek. He then should place the palms of his hands over the outer part of his ears, repeating the act thrice and saying, "Make me 0 God one of those who hear and pattern their work in accordance to the best of what they hear. 0 God, let me hear the crier of Paradise with the righteous."
He should then wipe his neck with fresh water, because the Apostle said, 'Wiping the neck safeguards against being shackled on the day of resurrection."50 As he wipes his neck he should say, "0 God, release my neck from [the yoke of] fire and save Thou me from the chains and shackles." He should then wash his right foot thrice and, with his left hand, pass his fingers between his toes from the bottom up, beginning with the little toe of the right foot and ending with the little toe of the left. [As he washes his right foot] he should say, "0 God, steady my foot on the narrow bridge on that day when feet slip down into the fires of Hell." And as he washes his left foot he should say, "I seek thy aid 0 God lest my foot should slip off the bridge on that day when the feet of the hypocrites slip." [In washing his feet] he should let the water reach half way up his legs. When he is through, he should turn his head up to heaven and say, "I testify that there is no god but Allah, that He hath no associate, and that Muhammad is His servant and apostle. Glory be to Thee 0 God, and the praise be Thine, for there is no god but Thee. I have done evil and sinned against my own soul. I beg Thy forgiveness 0 God, and I hearken back unto Thee. Forgive, therefore, my sin and be gracious unto me; Thou art the Forgiving, the Merciful. Give me to be penitent 0 God, and make me pure. Grant me to be one of Thy righteous servants and make me patient and grateful. Help me always to remember Thy name, and to praise Thee day and night." It is said that whoever repeats this [collect] after performing his ablutions will have the seal of approval affixed to his performance and will have a place prepared for him beneath the throne, wherefrom he will continue to praise God and glorify His Holy Name. His reward will be preserved for him until the day of resurrection.
Several things are undesirable during ablution. Of these is to wash [each member] more than thrice. Whoever goes beyond the three transgresses. Another undesirable thing is to be extravagant in the use of water. The Prophet performed his ablution, washing each member thrice, and said, "Whoever goes beyond three transgresses and does evil."51 And again, "There will rise among this people some who will be extravagant in their supplications and purity"52 It is also said, "A sure sign of weakness in man's learning is his fondness for water during the act of purification." Ibrahim ibn-Adham said, "Obsessions grow out of [fastidiousness in] purification."
Among the undesirable things also are speaking during ablution and splashing the face with water. Others also objected to the use of towels after ablution saying that the water used in the act is weighed [on the day of resurrection]. This was said by both sa'id ibn-al-Musayyab and al-Zuhri.53 But Mu'adh related that the Apostle himself wiped his face [after ablution] with the end of his garment.54 'A'ishah also related that he had a towel [which he used after ablution]55. The authenticity of this tradition has, however, been questioned.56
It is also undesirable to perform the act of ablution from water contained in brass vessles; or to use for that purpose water which has been heated in the sun. This latter thing is undesirable for medical reasons. The objection to the use of water contained in brass vessles was related on the authority of ibn-'Umar and abu-Hurayrah.57 A certain person said, "I brought out for Shu'bah58 water in brass vessel but he refused to perform his ablution therefrom." In this objection to brass vessels he followed the example of ibn-'Umar and abu-Hurayrah.
When the person completes his ablution and proceeds to pray he must, no doubt, be aware of his external purity, the purity which men behold and see. He should, however, be ashamed of communing with God without first purifying his heart, which God beholds and sees. He should know with certainty that the purity of the heart is accomplished through repentance, putting aside blameworthy traits, and laying hold on those which are praiseworthy. He who limits himself to external purity and cleanliness is like the person who, desiring to invite a king to his house, embarks on the task of plastering and whitewashing its outer gate, but neglects the interior, leaving it stuffed with all manner of dirt and filth. Such a man is best fitted for contempt and perdition. But God knoweth best.
(Note: The mentioned duaas are not sunnah, rather they are revealed from the Salaf, See Nawawi's Kiatb Al Azkar)
38. Cf. Ahmad ibn-Hanbal, Tahara: 169.
39. Ahmad ibn-Hanbal, Tahrarh: 167, 170.
40. Ibid., Taharah; 165.
41. Ibid., Taharah;159,160.
42. Ibid., Taharah: 156, 157, 158.
43. cf. abu-Dawud, Taharah: 25; Ahmad ibn-Hanbal, Taharah:167.
cf ibn-Majah, Taharah, 41.
45. Unidentified.
46. Al-Bukhari, Wudu:3.
47. Ibid.
48. Ar. Hilyah, which means literally ornament.
49. Muslims, Taharah:40.
50. Unidentified.
51. Abu Dawud, Taharah:52.
52. Ibid, 45
53. Probably abu-Salamah ibn-'Abd-al-Rahman. A.H. 94 A.D. 713, Tadhkirat-al-Huffaz, Vol.1, p.59.
54. Al-Tirmidhi, Taharah:20.
55. Ibid, Taharah:40.
56. Al-Tirmidhi himself, in narrating the tradition, casts doubt on its authenticity.
57. Cf. Ibn-Majah, Taharah:61, where the same thing is permissible.
58. Abu-Bistam Shu'bah ibn-al-Hajjaj al-'Ataki, A.H. 160-A.D. 776-7; see ibn-Sa'd, Vol. 7, Pt 2 p.38; Tadhkirat-al-Huffaz. Vol. I. pp. 181-85
When [the person] is through with abstersion, he should proceed to perform his ablution, for never has the Apostle of God been seen emerging after he had answered the call of nature without immediately performing the ablution. The person should commence with the use of the toothpick. Thus the Apostle said, "Your mouths are the pathways of the Qur'an. Render them, therefore clean with toothpicks."37 His purpose, when using the toothpick, should be the purification of his mouth for the reading of the Qur'an, and the invocation of God in prayer. The Prophet said, "One prayer after the use of the toothpick is better than seventy and five prayers without the use of the toothpick."38 And again,"Had it not been for my fear to overburden my people, I would have commanded them to use the toothpick before every parayer,39" And again "Why do you come before me with yellow teeth? Use toothpicks."40 He also was wont to use the toothpick several times every night. It was also related that ibn-Abbas once said, "The Apostle has so repeatedly commanded us to use the toothpick that we expected him soon to receive a revelation on its use."41 The Apostle also said, "Use ye the toothpick: it is a purifier for the mouth and well-pleasing unto God."42 `Ali said, "The toothpick develops and strengthens the memory and banishes sluggishness." Furthermore, it was customary for the Companions of the Prophet to go about with their toothpicks carried behind the ears.43
The manner of its use. For a toothpick men should use the arak (salvadora perisce) wood or other rough branches which remove the yellow deposits around the teeth. The toothpick should be used both horizontally and vertically, and if one should limit himself to one of the two motions, let him use it horizontally.
It is desirable to use the toothpick prior to every prayer and prior to every ablution whether it is followed with prayer or not. Equally desirable is its use when the taste of the mouth has become bad as a result of sleep, or long abstinence from food, or eating a thing of unpleasant smell.
After completing the cleansing of his mouth with the toothpick the person should then proceed with his ablution facing therein the qiblah, and saying, "In the name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate." The Prophet said, "There is no ablution to him who does not call upon the name of God,"44 i.e., no complete ablution. The person should then say, "[0 God!] I seek refuge in thee from the power of the devil. I seek refuge in thee 0 God lest they should come and surround me." He then should wash his hands three times before putting them into the vessel and should say, "0 God, I ask thee for luck and blessing, and seek refuge in thee against ill-luck and destruction." His purpose should be the removal of excrements or making prayer lawful. He should bear that purpose in mind until he had washed his face. If, however, he happens to forget the purpose of his ablution just before he washes his face, he will not be penalized for it. He then should take up a handful of water with his right, and rinse his mouth with it thrice and gargle, allowing the water to reach his throat, except when he is fasting, at which time he should take it easy [lest he swallow any of it].
Having done that he should say, "0 God, Help me to recite Thy book and to glorify Thy name." Thereupon he should take up another handful and inhale it thrice, forcing it with his breath up his nose and flushing thereby its cartilages, and then force the water out by exhaling. As he sniffs the water he should say, "0 God! Grant me [to enjoy] the perfumes of Paradise and be gracious unto me." As he exhales in order to force the water out of his nose he should say, "0 God! I seek refuge in Thee against the stench of Hell and evil of the world." This is said because inhaling constitutes drawing in and exhaling is removal and rejection.
He then should take another handful of water for his face and should wash it from the beginning of the flat part of the forehead to the extremity of the fore-part of the chin lengthwise, and from ear to ear laterally. The two temples which are on either side of the forehead are not included in the face but form a part of the head. The water is allowed to reach the edge of the bangs which women are wont to affect: It is that part which lies at the side of the face when the end of a thread is placed upon the top of the ear, and the other end is placed upon the corner of the forehead. The water, however, is allowed to reach the four parts of face where, the hair grows, namely, the eyebrows, the mustache, the side whiskers, and the eyelashes which are, for the most part sparse. The side whiskers are that part of the beard which grows parellel to and alongside the ears. Water should also be allowed to reach the base of sparse but not thick beards, i.e. the frontal part of the face. The rule which governs the hair between the lower lip and the chin is the same as that which governs the beard, whether thick or sparse. He should [wash his face in this prescribed manner] thrice and then pour water over the long part of his beard, and work his fingers in and clean the eye holes and [the inner corners of the eyes] where the dirt which they discharge collects and [the outer corners] where the kohl gathers, for it was related that the Prophet himself did that.45 When the person washes his eyes his wish should be that sin would depart therfrom. Similarly at the washing of every member of his body, he should wish for the departure of sin therefrom. As he washes his face, he should say, "0 God! Cleanse Thou my face with Thy light when Thou cleanseth the faces of Thy saints; and blacken not my face with Thy darkness when Thou rendereth the faces of Thy enemies black." When washing his face, he should also let water flow in the interstices of his beard, for, it is desirable.
He should then wash his arms up to the elbows three times, [When washing his hands] he should move the ring around his finger. He then should draw his wetten right hand over the fore-part of his head, [raising his head gear with the left], and should apply water to the upper part of the upper arm. For [the believers] will appear on the day of resurrection with whiteness on their foreheads, wrists, and ankles, from the effect of ablution.46 Similarly, a traditon declares that the Propeht said, " Whoever is able to clean the fore-part of his head let him do so."47 It has also been related that the whiteness48 appears on those parts of the body which are washed at the time of ablution49.
The person should begin with the washing of his right hand and say, "0 God! [On the day of judgment] hand me the book of my actions in my right hand and judge me with lenience." When he washes his left he should say, "I beseech Thee 0 God, hand me not the book of my action in my left or from behind my back." He then should proceed to wipe his head thoroughly by soaking his hands in the water, bringing the tips of their fingers, both the right and the left, together, placing them on the forepart of the head, running them over to the opposite side, and finally bringing them back again to the forepart. All this constitutes one wiping. He should go through it thrice and say, "Cover me with Thy mercy, 0 God, and shower upon me of Thy blessings. Give me to sit in the shadow of Thy throne on that day when there will be no shade except Thine own."
He then should wipe his ears, both outside and inside, with fresh water. To do this, he should put the tips of his forefingers into his ears and twist them round, passing his thumbs at the same time over their baek. He then should place the palms of his hands over the outer part of his ears, repeating the act thrice and saying, "Make me 0 God one of those who hear and pattern their work in accordance to the best of what they hear. 0 God, let me hear the crier of Paradise with the righteous."
He should then wipe his neck with fresh water, because the Apostle said, 'Wiping the neck safeguards against being shackled on the day of resurrection."50 As he wipes his neck he should say, "0 God, release my neck from [the yoke of] fire and save Thou me from the chains and shackles." He should then wash his right foot thrice and, with his left hand, pass his fingers between his toes from the bottom up, beginning with the little toe of the right foot and ending with the little toe of the left. [As he washes his right foot] he should say, "0 God, steady my foot on the narrow bridge on that day when feet slip down into the fires of Hell." And as he washes his left foot he should say, "I seek thy aid 0 God lest my foot should slip off the bridge on that day when the feet of the hypocrites slip." [In washing his feet] he should let the water reach half way up his legs. When he is through, he should turn his head up to heaven and say, "I testify that there is no god but Allah, that He hath no associate, and that Muhammad is His servant and apostle. Glory be to Thee 0 God, and the praise be Thine, for there is no god but Thee. I have done evil and sinned against my own soul. I beg Thy forgiveness 0 God, and I hearken back unto Thee. Forgive, therefore, my sin and be gracious unto me; Thou art the Forgiving, the Merciful. Give me to be penitent 0 God, and make me pure. Grant me to be one of Thy righteous servants and make me patient and grateful. Help me always to remember Thy name, and to praise Thee day and night." It is said that whoever repeats this [collect] after performing his ablutions will have the seal of approval affixed to his performance and will have a place prepared for him beneath the throne, wherefrom he will continue to praise God and glorify His Holy Name. His reward will be preserved for him until the day of resurrection.
Several things are undesirable during ablution. Of these is to wash [each member] more than thrice. Whoever goes beyond the three transgresses. Another undesirable thing is to be extravagant in the use of water. The Prophet performed his ablution, washing each member thrice, and said, "Whoever goes beyond three transgresses and does evil."51 And again, "There will rise among this people some who will be extravagant in their supplications and purity"52 It is also said, "A sure sign of weakness in man's learning is his fondness for water during the act of purification." Ibrahim ibn-Adham said, "Obsessions grow out of [fastidiousness in] purification."
Among the undesirable things also are speaking during ablution and splashing the face with water. Others also objected to the use of towels after ablution saying that the water used in the act is weighed [on the day of resurrection]. This was said by both sa'id ibn-al-Musayyab and al-Zuhri.53 But Mu'adh related that the Apostle himself wiped his face [after ablution] with the end of his garment.54 'A'ishah also related that he had a towel [which he used after ablution]55. The authenticity of this tradition has, however, been questioned.56
It is also undesirable to perform the act of ablution from water contained in brass vessles; or to use for that purpose water which has been heated in the sun. This latter thing is undesirable for medical reasons. The objection to the use of water contained in brass vessles was related on the authority of ibn-'Umar and abu-Hurayrah.57 A certain person said, "I brought out for Shu'bah58 water in brass vessel but he refused to perform his ablution therefrom." In this objection to brass vessels he followed the example of ibn-'Umar and abu-Hurayrah.
When the person completes his ablution and proceeds to pray he must, no doubt, be aware of his external purity, the purity which men behold and see. He should, however, be ashamed of communing with God without first purifying his heart, which God beholds and sees. He should know with certainty that the purity of the heart is accomplished through repentance, putting aside blameworthy traits, and laying hold on those which are praiseworthy. He who limits himself to external purity and cleanliness is like the person who, desiring to invite a king to his house, embarks on the task of plastering and whitewashing its outer gate, but neglects the interior, leaving it stuffed with all manner of dirt and filth. Such a man is best fitted for contempt and perdition. But God knoweth best.
(Note: The mentioned duaas are not sunnah, rather they are revealed from the Salaf, See Nawawi's Kiatb Al Azkar)
38. Cf. Ahmad ibn-Hanbal, Tahara: 169.
39. Ahmad ibn-Hanbal, Tahrarh: 167, 170.
40. Ibid., Taharah; 165.
41. Ibid., Taharah;159,160.
42. Ibid., Taharah: 156, 157, 158.
43. cf. abu-Dawud, Taharah: 25; Ahmad ibn-Hanbal, Taharah:167.
cf ibn-Majah, Taharah, 41.
45. Unidentified.
46. Al-Bukhari, Wudu:3.
47. Ibid.
48. Ar. Hilyah, which means literally ornament.
49. Muslims, Taharah:40.
50. Unidentified.
51. Abu Dawud, Taharah:52.
52. Ibid, 45
53. Probably abu-Salamah ibn-'Abd-al-Rahman. A.H. 94 A.D. 713, Tadhkirat-al-Huffaz, Vol.1, p.59.
54. Al-Tirmidhi, Taharah:20.
55. Ibid, Taharah:40.
56. Al-Tirmidhi himself, in narrating the tradition, casts doubt on its authenticity.
57. Cf. Ibn-Majah, Taharah:61, where the same thing is permissible.
58. Abu-Bistam Shu'bah ibn-al-Hajjaj al-'Ataki, A.H. 160-A.D. 776-7; see ibn-Sa'd, Vol. 7, Pt 2 p.38; Tadhkirat-al-Huffaz. Vol. I. pp. 181-85