Without a special ablution, it is impossible to perform a single prayer. After all, one can appear before Allah only when one is ritually cleansed. This procedure is important and raises many questions in women. Therefore, let's figure out how to properly perform a full and small ablution for women.
There are two types: small ablution and full ablution.
How to do a complete ablution
A full ablution in Islamic culture is called ghusl. For women, it is performed after sexual contact with a man, postpartum hemorrhage, the end of critical days, as well as before prayers on Fridays and for holiday prayers.
Let's write down how to do a full ablution for women according to the points:
- First you need to have an intention in your heart and say that you intend to perform a full ablution for the pleasure and blessings of Allah.
- Before undressing, say: "Bismillah" to begin your action with the name of the Gracious and Merciful.
- Wash your hands three times.
- Wash thoroughly, clean the genitals from traces of intimacy, menstruation, etc.
- Perform a minor ablution.
- Pour water over the whole body three times: start from the head, then go to the shoulders: first the right, then the left; wash the entire body and only at the very end wash the legs.
If a woman's hair is tied up during a full ablution, it is not necessary to loosen it on purpose. The main thing is that during the dousing, the roots of the hair get wet. It is also necessary to remember that a full ablution is considered completed if a Muslim woman washed her entire body, cleared her nose and rinsed her mouth.
How to do a small ablution
A small ablution is called wudu. When is ablution necessary for a woman? For example, after a full bath, you visited the restroom, fell asleep, fainted, you bled, pus began, you vomited, or alcohol intoxication or any other kind of clouding of mind occurred. Touching the genitals also obliges to perform wudu.
How can a woman properly perform a small ablution?
- It is necessary to start a small ablution with the words about the intention to perform the ritual for the sake of Allah's pleasure.
- Next, you need to say: “Bismillah” in order to proceed with a small ablution with the name of the compassionate protector.
- Wash your hands up to the wrists.
- Rinse your mouth three times.
- Clear your nose three times.
- Wash your face three times.
- Wash your hands again, but up to the elbows (also three times).
- Wipe the head and clean the auricles: wipe the inside with the index fingers, and the outer with the first fingers. All these manipulations are repeated only once.
- At the end of wudu, wash your feet three times. The first time you need to rinse between the fingers.
Wudu is an important but not difficult process before appearing before Allah Almighty. If you know all the nuances and perform them in the required sequence, this will ensure the ritual purity of a Muslim woman before
Ritual purity is one of the prerequisites for prayer. Without ablution, prayer is considered invalid. Every Muslim and Muslim woman should have information about these obligatory elements of ablution. There are two types - full and small ablution.
Complete ablution (ghusl)
Full ablution is called ghusl in another way. This is the process of pouring water over the entire surface of the body completely. A woman must perform a full bath after the cessation of menstruation and postpartum bleeding, as well as after intimacy. When accepting Islam, a full ablution is also performed.
How is a full ablution performed?
First, an intention (niyat) is performed, for example, with the following words: "I intend to make a full ablution for the pleasure of Allah Almighty."
Before undressing, it is necessary to say the words: "Bismillah" (With the name of Allah), because a naked person cannot say a prayer and talk.
First of all, you need to wash your hands.
Wash yourself, wash shameful places, remove everything impure from the body.
After that, first, a small ablution is performed, without washing only the feet (the order of the small ablution is described below).
Pour water over the body three times, starting from the head and moving to the right shoulder, then to the left, wash the whole body, last of all the legs.
If the hair is braided, a woman may not unravel it if nothing interferes with the access of water to the roots of the hair. Water should get to the roots of the hair, but not necessarily the hair.
A full ablution is considered valid if a person has rinsed his mouth, washed his nose and washed his whole body. More precisely, you need to perform 3 mandatory steps:
- rinse your mouth three times;
- rinse your nose three times;
- wash the entire body.
These actions are enough to be in a state of complete ablution.
How is a small ablution performed?
A small ablution is another name for wudu.
The procedure for performing a small ablution:
- Intention: "I intend to perform a small ablution for the pleasure of Allah Almighty."
- The pronunciation of the word: "Bismillah" (With the name of Allah).
- Washing the hands up to the wrists.
- Rinse your mouth three times.
- Washing the nose three times (drawing in water through the nose and blowing your nose).
- Washing the face three times.
- Washing hands up to the elbows, three times.
- Rubbing the head, wetting only once the hands, wiping the ears, without wetting the hands and neck again with the back of the hand. You should wipe the inside of the ears with the index fingers, the outer side with the big ones (all this is done only once).
- Washing feet three times. First, once, rinsing between the fingers.
- Any discharge from the genitals and anus (feces, urine, gases, etc.), discharge of blood, pus from the body, vomiting, loss of consciousness, sleep spoil the small wudu (full wudu is not spoiled).
If a person is not in a state of complete ablution, then a small ablution will be invalid. And after performing a full ablution, it is not required to take a small ablution again.
Wudu (small ablution)- this is washing and wiping certain parts of the body. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “When a person washes his hands while performing ablution, he is forgiven the sins committed with his hands, when he washes his face, the sins committed with the eyes are forgiven, when he rubs his head, then the sins committed with the ears are forgiven when he washes his feet, then the sins committed by the feet while walking are forgiven” (Muslim, At-Tirmidhi).
In the Holy Qur'an, Allah points out to us the way of performing a small ablution (wudu), which is carried out before prayer, described as follows:
“O you who believe! When you rise for prayer, then wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, wipe your heads and wash your feet up to the ankles.
Holy Koran. Sura 5 "Al-Maida" / "Meal", verse 6
Actions without which ablution is considered invalid
1. Face wash - 1 time
2. Washing hands, including elbows - 1 time
3. Rubbing ¼ of the head - 1 time
4. Washing the legs, including the ankles - 1 time
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said that the sins of the person who, preparing himself for prayer, with due attention to ablution, will be washed away along with unclean water, like drops falling from the tips of his nails.
How to perform wudu?
If possible, you should turn towards the Qibla, make the intention to perform a small ablution (wudu) for the sake of Allah and say: Bismillahi-r-Rahmani-r-Rahim“In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.” Then:
1. Wash your hands up to the wrist 3 times: first the right, then the left. If there is a ring, you need to move it so that water flows under it.
2. If possible, brush your teeth with a siwak or toothbrush
2. While drawing water with your right hand, rinse your mouth 3 times, then rinse your nose 3 times, blowing your nose with your left hand
3. Wash your face 3 times (the borders of the face from the beginning of the hairline on the forehead and temples to the chin (in women, including the lower part of the jaw) and from the right ear to the left);
4. Wash your hands up to and including your elbows 3 times. First the right hand, then the left
5. Wet your right palm and wipe your head with it once
6. Wet your hands and rub the inside with your index fingers and the outside of your ears with your thumbs, then rub your neck with the back of your hand.
7. Finally, wash the right and then the left legs 3 times up to and including the ankle, rinsing between the toes
After ablution, it is advisable, turning towards the Qibla, to say the shahada: Ashkhadu alla ilaha illa-Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammad-r-Rasulu-Allah“I testify that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His Messenger.”
It is also advisable to read DUA: اللهم اججلني من التوابين واججلني من المتطهرين من الله أكبر - Allahumma-j "al-ni min at-tawabina wa-j" al-ni min al-mutatahhirina!“O Allah, count me among those who repent and count me among those who purify!”
Undesirable actions (makruh) when performing wudu:
1. Excessive water consumption. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never used more than 1 liter of water for wudu (small ablution), and spent no more than 3 liters of water for ghusl (full ablution). And no one performed ablution better than him
Alhamdulillah, you converted to Islam (or started to follow the religion that your ancestors followed). And, of course, you have many questions, the first of which is how to perform ablution and prayer correctly? Sisters often write to us on the site and in the group with questions - how to perform ablution and prayer, whether such an action violates ablution (and the like).
Since for the validity of prayer it is necessary to be in a state of ritual purity (in Arabic taharat), in this article, with the permission of Allah, we will talk about ablution.
The concept of "taharat" (literally "purity") includes the performance of a full ablution (washing the whole body with water, in other words - bathing) and a small one - when you need to wash only certain parts of the body.
Complete ablution (ghusl)
When is a full ablution (ghusl in Arabic) necessary?
A woman must perform a full ablution after the end of menstruation (haid) and postpartum bleeding (nifas), as well as after marital intimacy.
A man also performs ghusl after marital relations and after ejaculation (pollution).
Also, a full ablution should be performed by a person who has just converted to Islam, since a sexually mature person at least once in his life had a situation where a full ablution was necessary. So if you have recently converted to Islam (or have just recently gathered to pray), you should perform a full wudu
According to Shariah, ablution consists of three mandatory parts (fard ghusl):
1. Washing the nose.
2. Rinse your mouth.
3. Washing the whole body with water.
When bathing, it is necessary to remove from the body everything that can prevent the penetration of water, for example, paint, wax, dough, nail polish.
It is necessary to wash such areas of the body where water may not reach during normal bathing - for example, skin folds inside the navel, auricle and skin behind the ear, skin under the eyebrows, holes for earrings in the ears (if a woman has pierced ears).
When performing a full ablution, it is also necessary to wash the skin on the head and hair. If a woman has long braids, she may not unravel them if they do not interfere with the ingress of water on the scalp (if they interfere, then she needs to unplait them).
Also, a woman needs to wash the outer part of the penis (what is available when she squats).
Since it is necessary to rinse the mouth to perform the ghusl, everything that can prevent the penetration of water to the surface must be removed from the teeth. However, this does not apply to dental fillings and crowns or dentures, they do not need to be removed! As for braces, orthopedic plates that are placed to correct teeth: if they are removable and easy to remove, they must be removed; if they are attached to the teeth in such a way that only a doctor can remove them, you do not need to touch them, bathing will be valid.
Full ablution has its own sunnats and adabs (actions that are considered optional, but desirable and increase the reward for worship). You can read about them in this article: "Fards, sunnats and adabs of ablution"
It is also important to remember what actions are forbidden to a person who does not have a full ablution(for example, a woman during menstruation):
1. You can not perform prayer, as well as perform sajda-tilava (prostration to the earth when reading certain verses of the Koran) and sajda-shukr (prostration of gratitude to Allah).
2. Touching the Koran or the verses of the Koran (if they are printed in a book of religious content). This does not apply to the text of the Quran printed on a computer or other electronic media. In this case, it will only be impossible to touch the text of the Koran displayed on the screen with your hands, but you can read it from your phone (not aloud).
3. Reading even one verse of the Qur'an aloud (however, you can read less than the verse - for example, say the phrases "Alhamdulillah" or "Bismillah", which are also part of the verses). Of course, this applies only to the Arabic original of the Qur'an, and not to its translations. However, you can recite the verses of the Qur'an to yourself, mentally.
An exception is made for the verses and suras of the Qur'an, which are duas (supplications) and are read to protect against any harm - such as suras Al-Fatiha, Al-Ihlyas, Al-Falyak and An-Nas and ayat Al-Kursi.
4. Visiting the mosque.
5. Detour during the Kaaba (tawaf) in the Hajj.
Note:
There is a difference between the state of defilement (junub) and the state of haida and nifas. In a state of defilement (for a woman - after marital relations), one cannot perform prayer, but one can fast (during Ramadan, for example). In the state of haida and nifaas, one cannot fast.
For a more detailed explanation of the issue, you can refer to this article: "Women's fiqh of ablution"
Frequently Asked Questions regarding ghusl:
- It should be noted that a full ablution (bathing) replaces a small ablution. That is, if, for example, your period has just ended and you have performed a ghusl, you will not need to additionally perform a small ablution before prayer (unless you have committed actions that violate wudu - you have not gone to the toilet, for example ).
- “If I took a bath, and then a situation occurred in which wudu’ was disturbed (for example, the release of gases), do I need to bathe again?”– No, since this action does not violate the complete ablution, you do not need to bathe again, it is enough to renew wudu.
- Is it possible to dye your hair, use various chemical products for curling or styling your hair - will there really be a full ablution in this case?-The decision here will depend on the mode of action of the paint or other substance. If it allows water to pass through, your ghusl is valid, if not, you will have to remove the dye from your hair before bathing. How exactly this or that paint works, we cannot say, you need to find out from their manufacturers. However, we know for sure: dyeing hair with henna does not prevent the penetration of water, so the ghusl will be valid.
Small ablution (wudu)
As for the small ablution (Wudu in Arabic), it will be needed in the following cases:
1. After visiting the toilet (for large or small need).
2. After the release of gases.
3. In case of sleep or fainting (with the exception of the case when a person fell asleep sitting, pressing his buttocks to the floor).
4. The release of blood, pus or other fluid from the human body. The exit is understood as the release of a substance beyond the boundaries of its source (for example, bleeding from the nose or the release of blood beyond the boundaries of a wound or cut). If blood only appears in the wound (as from a pin prick, for example), but does not flow out, wudu is not violated.
5. In the event that a person has vomited, provided that the vomiting completely fills the mouth.
6. Bleeding in the mouth (from the gums, for example), provided that there was more or as much blood as saliva. This is determined by the color of saliva - if it is yellow or orange, then there is little blood, if with a red tint or dark red, then there is more blood.
7. In case of intoxication or insanity.
What does NOT break ablution:
1. Separation from the human body of a piece of skin (corns, for example), which is not accompanied by bleeding.
2. Touching the genitals (one's own or another person - for example, a woman changes a baby's diaper, this does not violate ablution).
3. Touching a person of the opposite sex who is not a mahram does not violate wudu.
4. Expectoration of mucus, even if there is a lot of it.
According to Shariah, ablution includes four obligatory parts (voodoo fards):
1. Face wash. Important- pay attention to what is considered the boundaries of the face!
Face borders: in length - from the hairline to the tip of the chin, in width - from one earlobe to the other.
2. Washing hands up to and including the elbow joint.
3. Washing the feet up to and including the ankles.
Very important: the condition for the validity of ablution is the ingress of water on all areas of the skin within the boundaries of the organ that needs to be washed! Therefore, there should be no substances on the body that can prevent water from penetrating the skin - for example, dough, wax, glue, nail polish. If you have rings on your fingers, they must be moved so that water gets under them.
However, if you dye your hair or hands with henna, this does not interfere with ablution, since henna passes water.
4. Rubbing (masch) one quarter of the head with a damp hand.
It will be valid to wipe the hair on the head (and not on the forehead or on the neck). It will be invalid to wipe a braid braided around the head, or hair that falls from the head in a loose state.
What is forbidden to do without a little ablution:
1. Perform namaz;
2. Touch the Arabic text of the Holy Quran (but you can read the Quran on electronic media - phone, tablet, computer, without touching the screen with the displayed text);
3. Perform soot-tilava while reading the Holy Quran;
4. Make a detour around the Kaaba (tawaf).
A small ablution also has its own sunnats and adab. You can read about them here: "Ahkyams and sunnats of small ablution". Also, the order of small ablution is shown in some detail in the picture above.
Frequently Asked Questions regarding Wudu:
- Should contact lenses be removed from the eyes?– No, the eyes do not belong to the organs that need to be washed when washing the face, so you do not need to remove the lenses.
- Does ablution break the contact with clothes or body of substances that are considered impure (najas)? — The ingress of such substances (najas) on the body or clothes does not violate wudu. It is enough to wash this place three times with water (from a smooth surface - for example, leather clothes - just wipe off the dirt), and it is considered that you have removed the impurities.
Mash (rubbing) of leather socks and bandages
Wiping khuffs (leather socks):
According to Sharia, a person is allowed to wipe special leather socks (khuffs) instead of washing his feet. They must be worn after performing ablution - on clean feet. The next time a person’s ablution goes bad, he will not need to wash his feet, just run his wet hand once from the tip of the fingers to the shin on the surface of the sock, and the small ablution will be valid.
The validity of such wiping is one day and one night for a settled person and three days and three nights for a traveler. It is necessary to count the period of validity from the moment a person's ablution was spoiled for the first time (after he put on khuffs).
Attention! Wiping over ordinary (cotton, wool, synthetic) socks or stockings will not be valid. It is also not allowed to wipe a scarf or skullcap (instead of a hair mask), gloves (instead of washing hands), niqab (instead of washing your face).
Wiping the bandage
What to do if a bandage was applied to a person due to an injury or fracture (and getting water on the wound can damage health):
In this case, a person can simply wipe the bandage with a wet hand once (it is not necessary to wipe the entire bandage - it is enough to wipe most of it). If there is concern that washing the skin near the bandage may cause water to enter the wound and cause damage, one can also wipe (rather than wash) the skin near the bandage and the ablution will be valid.
You can read more about wiping socks and bandages in the article: “Actions that violate the validity of the mask on socks. Wiping the bandage.
Note: all the above rules and decisions regarding ritual purity refer to the opinion of the scholars of the Hanafi legal school (madhhab). The decisions of scholars of other madhhabs on the issues of ablution, in particular, the Shafi'i madhhab, will be somewhat different. Therefore, Muslims living in regions where the Shafi school is followed (Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia) should refer to the relevant sites and scholars.
Muslima (Anya) Kobulova
Based on materials from the Darul-Fikr website
Complete ablution (ghusl) is the washing of the whole body, done in such a way that not a single dry spot remains.
Ghusl must be performed in the following cases:
1. In the state of junub, which occurs in cases of sexual intercourse (even if only the genitals touched) and the discharge of sperm in men and similar fluid in women (even if there was no sexual intercourse), both in the waking state and in sleep
2. After the completion of menstruation and postpartum hemorrhage in women
It is advisable to perform a full ablution before Friday (jum'a) and holiday prayers-prayers.
What can not be done without a full bath (ghusl)?
Obligatory actions (fard) of complete ablution
In the Holy Quran, Allah points out to us the way of performing a full ablution (ghusl), which is carried out before prayer, described as follows:
“And if you are in sexual defilement, then purify yourself. If you are sick or on a journey, if any of you have come from the latrine, or if you have had intimacy with women and you have not found water, then go to clean land and wipe your faces and hands with it. Allah does not want to create difficulties for you, but wants to purify you and complete His mercy towards you - perhaps you will be grateful.
Holy Koran. Sura 5 "Al-Maida" / "Meal", verse 6
If at least one of the obligatory actions is not performed, the complete ablution is considered invalid.
1. Mouth rinse - 1 time
2. Washing the nose - 1 time
3. Washing the whole body so that not a single dry place remains on the body - 1 time
The fulfillment of these obligatory actions makes the ghusl valid, therefore, in difficult situations (lack of water, time, etc.), they can be limited. If a person rinses his mouth and nose, and then enters a body of water (pool, lake, sea, etc.) and wash his whole body, then he will perform a full ablution (ghusl).
Desirable actions of ablution
When you are ready to perform ghusl, confirm this intention to yourself. Then say: Bismillahi-r-Rahmani-r-Rahim“In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.” Thereafter:
1. Make wudu (small ablution), but without washing your feet, because it is better to wash them at the very end
2. Wash your genitals
3. Pour water over your head and wash it. Shampoo can be used if desired.
4. Wash the whole body, starting from the right side and ending with the left. At the same time, try to wipe the washed parts of the body with your hand. There should not be a single dry spot the size of even the tip of a needle.
It is advisable to wash each part of the body three times, but you can limit yourself to one time.
