BY OYEWUNMI KAFAYAT
Wudu (Ablution) is a form of cleansing performed before salat prayer as well as devotion on its own.
The term wudu is an Arabic word that means “beauty” or “cleanliness.” As a result, before beginning to pray, a person must first beautify his inner world and thoroughly cleanse his body.
Ablution (wudu) helps in the worshiper’s transition from everyday life to a state of devotion. It cleans and purifies the mind and heart.
Hadiths also emphasize the word “wudu.” The words “Taharah” and “Zakah” in the Qur’an are used to describe cleanliness.
Allah (SWT) said in Quran 5:6 “Oh you who believe! When you prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. If you are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes from an act of nature, or you have been in contact with women, and you find no water—then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub your faces and hands. Allah does not wish to place you in difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete His favor to you, that you may be grateful”
Humran, the freed slave of ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan reported on the authority of ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan that he heard Uthman b saying that Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said “He who performs ablution like this ablution of mine and then stood up (for prayer) and offered two rak’ahs of prayer without allowing his thoughts to be distracted, all his previous sins are expiated. Ibn Shihab said: Our scholars remarked: This is the most complete of the ablutions performed for prayer” Sahih Muslim
He also said Uthman reported that prophet Muhammed (S.A.W) said “If a Muslim performs ablution and does it well and offers prayer, all his (sins) daring the period from one prayer to another would be pardoned by Allah”. Sahih Muslim
Humran also reported on the authority of ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan that he heard Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W) said: He who performed ablution for prayer and performed it properly and then went (to observe) obligatory prayer and offered it along with people or with the congregation or in the mosque, Allah would pardon his sins. Sahih Muslim
‘Abdullah b. Zaid b. ‘Asim al-Mazzini reported: He saw Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W) perform the ablution. He rinsed his mouth then cleaned his nose, then washed his face three times, then washed his right hand thrice and then the other one, thrice. He then took fresh water and wiped his head and then washed his feet till he cleaned them. Sahih Muslim
Every action for a Muslim begins with intention, therefore for the sake of Allah, one consciously decides to wash oneself before praying. Begins silently with “Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem,” (In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful).
To begin with, ablution is an important Islamic practice that is performed to remove any dirt or impurities that keeps a person away from both material and spiritual filth. The mouth is the simplest area for bacteria to multiply. Cleaning the organs five times a day, starting with the mouth, hands, face, and feet demonstrates the importance of cleanliness in Islam. It is recommended that one finishes the ablution with the supplication: “Ashhadu anlaa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahu laa shareekalahu, washhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluhu” (I witness that none should be worshiped except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).
If one is still in a ritual condition of cleanliness from the previous prayer, Wudu does not need to be done before each prayer. If one “breaks Wudu,” the ablutions must be repeated before proceeding to the next prayer. Wudu is broken through a variety of acts such as natural discharge (urine, feces, gas, vomiting, etc.) is one of the behaviors that break Wudu. I’m dozing off. Being knocked out or falling asleep a wound is bleeding.
After sexual activity, childbirth, or menstruation, a more comprehensive ablution is required. Ghusl (ritual bath) entails the same stages as before, with the addition of rinsing both the left and right sides of the body.
For ablution, Muslims can use any clean restroom, sink, or other water sources. A separate room for ablution is often designated in mosques, including low faucets, benches, and floor drains to make it easier to reach the water, particularly while washing the feet.
If water is unavailable or ablution with water might be detrimental due to medical reasons, a more basic ablution with clean, dry sand may be performed. This is referred to as “Tayammum” (dry ablution) in the Quran verse above.
It is unnecessary to remove clean socks/shoes that cover most of the foot after Wudu to wash the feet again when renewing the Wudu. Instead, damp hands can be passed over the tops of socks/shoes. This can be done for up to three days or 24 hours.
Islam stressed cleanliness and sought to shield man from all types of dirt and pathogens, both physical and spiritual.
Making ablution makes you feel spiritually clean and comfortable, and it helps you worship with that feeling. This also assures that the spirit is pure. When servitude for Allah, which is the purpose of creation, begins with such a cleaning deed, the value of the pleasure and comfort it brings to man is immeasurable.
Ablution allows you to enter Allah’s presence after being cleansed physically and mentally. He leaves behind all tiredness’s and weights after such a cleanup.
Many worldly and otherworldly graces and charms are achieved by performing ablution.
The Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) said “When a Muslim washes his face while performing ablution, with drops of water, all of his sins committed with the organs of his face are washed away; all of his mistakes and sins that are committed with hands and feet are washed away when he washes his hands and feet, and by this way, he becomes completely clean. He even becomes purified of sins which are at the bottom of his eyelashes and nails. The doors of Paradise are opened for the person who performs ablution by fulfilling the manners and rules and says the following by facing the qiblah: “Ashadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh”, he enters Paradise through whichever door he wishes.” (Muslim, Taharah, 32, 33; Tirmidhi,
MAY ALMIGHTY ALLAH ACCEPT OUR PRAYERS AS AN ACT OF IBADAH
