How Muslims prepare for prayers. It takes time

e5.5 It is recommended to begin ablution by mentioning (n: in Arabic, like the other invocations in this volume (def:wl)) the name of Allah Most High (O: by saying "In the name of Allah," which is the minimum.

The optimum is to say, "In the name of Allah. Most Merciful and Compassionate," Before this, it is sunna to say, "I take refuge in Allah from the accursed Devil," and to add after the Basmala: "Praise to Allah for Islam and its blessings. Praise to Allah who made water purifying and Islam a light. My Lord, I take refuge in You from the whispering of devils and take refuge in You lest they come to me." It is sunna to say all the above to oneself.)

If one internationally or absentmindedly omits saying the name of Allah (n: at the first of ablution), then one pronounces it during it (O: by saying, "In the name of Allah, first to last").

e5.6 It is recommended to wash the hands three times.

(O: By saying "three times," the author indicates the sunna character of performing such acts thrice, and that it is an indepedent sunna (N: rewarded apart from the sunnas it is conjoined with.)

If one has doubts as to whether or not one's hands are free of filth, it is offensive to dip them into less than 216 liters of water without first washing them three times. (O: When sure they are pure, it is not offensive to immerse them. When sure they are impure, it is unlawful to dip them into this amount of water (N: since it spoils it by making it impure).)

e5.7 One next uses the toothstick (def:e3), and then rinses the mouth and nose out three times, with three handfuls of water. One takes in a mouthful from a handful of water and snuffs up some of the rest of the handful into the nostrils (n: swishing the water around the mouth, and expelling the water of the mouth and the nose simultaneously), then again rinses the mouth and then the nostrils from a second handful of water, followed by rinsing the mouth and then the nostrils from the third handful of water. One lets the water reach as much of the mouth and nostrils as possible, unless fasting, when one goes lightly.

e5.8 Then one washes the face three times, face meaning from the point where the hairline usually begins to the chin in height, and from ear to ear in width.

e5.9 It is obligatory to wash all facial hair-inner, outer, and the skin beneath, whether the hair is thick or thin or thin-such as eyebrows, mustache, and so forth; except for the beard, since:

(1) if it is thin its inner and outer hair and the skin beneath must be washed;

(2) but if thick, then the outer hair is enough, though it is recommended to saturate it by combing it from beneath with wet fingers.

It is obligatory to cause the water to flow over the outer(O: hair of the ) part of the beard that hangs below the chin (O: though not its inner hair).

It is obligatory to wash part of the head in every direction beyond the bounds of the face, to make sure everything has been completely covered.

It is sunna to use new water to saturate one's beard (O: if it is thick) by combing it from beneath with the fingers.

e5.10 Then one washes the hands up to and including the elbows three times.

(If the arm has been amputated between the hand and elbow, it is necessary to wash the remaining forearm and the elbow, If amputated at the elbow, then the end of the upper arm must be washed. If it has been amputated between the elbow and shoulder, then it is recommended to wash the rest of the upper arm.)

e5.11 Then one wipes the head with wet hands, beginning at the front of the head, sliding the paired hands back to the nape of the neck, and then returning them to where one began. (O: This is an explanation of the best way, for otherwise, fulfilling the obligation does not depend on starting at the front, but may be from any part of the head.) One does this three times.

If one is bald, or one's hair never grew, or is long, or braided, then it is not recommended to slide the hands back to the front.

Each of the following suffices as wiping the head:

(1) to place the hand on the head without moving it so that one wets any of what is referred to by "wiping the head," the minimum of which is part of a single hair, provided this part does not hang below the limits of the head;

(2) to drip water on the head without making it flow over it;

(3) or to wash the head (If it is difficult to remove one's turban, then after wiping the minimum of the head required, one may finish by wiping the turban.)

e5.12 One then wipes the ears inside and out with new water, three times, and then the ear canals with one's little fingers with more new water, three times (O: though this second sunna is not separately mentioned in the more well known books, which speak of the two sunnas together, making "wiping the ears" include the ear canals).

e5.13 Then one washes the feet up to and including the anklebones three times.

e5.14 If one does not know whether one washed a particular limb or the head three times (N: as is sunna), then one assumes one has washed it the least number that one is sure of, and washes as many additional times as it takes to be certain one has reached three.

e5.15 One begins with the when washing arms and legs, but not the hands, cheeks, and ears, which are washed right and left simultaneously.

e5.16 One washes more than is obligatory of the face by adding part of the head and neck, and likewise with the arms and legs by washing above the elbows and ankles, the maximum of which is the whole upper arm or lower leg.

e5.17 One washes the parts of the body successively and without pausing between them (O:such that in normal weather the last part would not dry before one began the next), though if one pauses between them, even for a long time, one's ablution is still valid without renewing the intention.

e5.18 After finishing, one says: "I testify that there is no god but Allah, alone, without partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. O Allah, make me one of the oft repentant, one of the purified, one of Your goodly slaves. O Allah, I declare Your exaltedness above every imperfection and Your Praise. I testify thereis no god but you. I ask Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance."

There are supplications said for each limb washed, but these are not authenticated as being of the sunna.

OTHER RECOMMENDED MEASURES

e5.19 Other recommended measures (adab) include:

(1) facing the direction of prayer;

(2) not to talk during ablution for other than a necessity;

(3) and to begin with the top of the face and not slap water upon it.

e5.20 If another person is pouring one's water (N: or if using a tap) one begins washing the arms from the elbows, and the feet from the anklebones. If pouring one's own water (N: from a jug, for example), one begins washing the arms from the fingers and the feet from the toes.

e5.21 One should take care that water reaches the inner corners of the eyes, and the heels (N: up to the level of the anklebones) and similar places it is feared one may neglect, especially during the winter.

e5.22 One moves one's ring when washing the hand to allow water to reach the skin beneath. (O: If the water cannot otherwise get under it, it is obligatory to move the ring.)

e5.23 One saturates between the toes using the little finger of the left hand. One begins with the little toe of the right foot, coming up through the toes from beneath, and finishes with the little toe of the left.

THINGS OFFENSIVE IN ABLUTION

e5.24 It is offensive:

(1) to have another person wash one's limbs, unless there is some excuse (O: such as old age or the like);

(2) to wash the left before the right;

(3) or to waste water.

e5.25 It is recommended:

(1) not to use less than 0.51 liters (mudd) of water for ablution;

(2) not to use less than 2.03 liters (sa') of water for the purificatory bath (ghusl);

(3) not to dry off the parts washed in ablution (N: unless there is an excuse such as illness or cold weather) or shake the water off one's hands;

(4) not to ask another to pour water for one's ablution;

(5) and not to wipe the neck.

OTHER PROVISIONS

e5.26 If dirt under the nails prevents the water (O: of ablution or the purificatory bath from reaching the skin beneath) then the ablution (O: or bath) is not valid.

(N: The same is true of waterproof glue, paint, nail polish, and so forth on the nails or skin: if it prevents water from reaching any part of the nails or skin, no matter how small, one's ablution or purificatory bath is not valid.)

e5.27 If one has doubts during the course of the ablution that one has washed a particular limb or the head, then it is obligatory to wash it again and everything that follows it in the ablution sequence.

But if these doubts arise after one has finished ablution, one need not repeat anything. (A: The same is true of the purificatory bath (ghusl).)

e5.28 It is recommended to renew the ablution (N: when there has been no intervening state of minor ritual impurity) when one has performed any prayer, obligatory or nonobligatory, will it.

e5.29 Ablution is recommended for someone in a state of major ritual impurity (janaba) who wishes to eat, drink, sleep or make love again. And Allah knows best.