Purification (Taharah)

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Purity is half of faith” (Muslim), and “Allah does not accept prayer without purification” (Muslim). Allah says: “Indeed, Allah loves those who repent and loves those who purify themselves” (2:222). There are two kinds of impurity: a state of the body (a minor state that needs Wudu, a major state that needs Ghusl) and physical impurity on the body, clothes or place (najasah), which is removed by washing.

Water is the basic means of purification: rain, rivers, springs, wells and the sea. Of the sea the Prophet ﷺ said: “Its water is purifying and its dead are lawful” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi). Water stays pure unless its smell, taste or colour is changed by an impurity. Bottled and tap water are fine for Wudu.

Istinja means cleaning the private parts after urine or stool. It is done with water (best), or with clean tissue or stones, or both. Etiquette:

• Enter with the left foot and say the Dua below; when leaving, right foot first and say “Ghufranaka” (Your forgiveness).
• Clean with the left hand; do not touch the private parts or clean yourself with the right hand (Bukhari and Muslim).
• If using stones or tissue, use an odd number, at least three (Bukhari and Muslim).
• In the open, do not face the Qibla or turn your back to it (Bukhari and Muslim); scholars differ inside buildings.
• Avoid urine splashing on the body and clothes — the Prophet ﷺ warned about being careless with urine (Bukhari and Muslim).
• Never relieve yourself in paths, shade people use, or water sources.

Wudu (the minor purification) is done before prayer, touching the Quran (according to most scholars) and Tawaf. The obligatory parts, from Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:6), are washing the face, washing the arms to the elbows, wiping the head, and washing the feet to the ankles. The full Sunnah method:

• Make the intention in your heart to purify yourself for prayer.
• Say “Bismillah”.
• Wash both hands three times up to the wrists.
• Rinse the mouth and sniff water into the nose and blow it out, three times.
• Wash the face three times, from the hairline to the chin and ear to ear.
• Wash the right arm, then the left, up to and including the elbows, three times each.
• Wipe the head once with wet hands, from front to back and back again, then the ears.
• Wash the right foot, then the left, up to and including the ankles, three times each, running the fingers between the toes.
• Say the Dua below afterwards. Keep the order and do not delay between the parts.

Wudu stays valid until something breaks it. Agreed by the scholars:

• Anything that comes out of the front or back passage: urine, stool, passing wind, and similar.
• Deep sleep or loss of consciousness (fainting, intoxication). A light doze while sitting does not break it.
• Scholars differ on other matters, such as touching the private parts, eating camel meat, or touching a person of the opposite sex. If unsure, renew Wudu — it is safest and easy.
• Doubt alone does not break Wudu: if you are sure you were pure and only doubt, you stay pure.

Instead of washing the feet, one may wipe over the top of leather socks (khuffs) or thick socks that were put on while in a state of Wudu. The Prophet ﷺ set one day and night for a resident and three days and nights for a traveller (Muslim). The period starts from the first Wudu after wearing them. It ends when the time is over, or if the socks are removed, or if Ghusl becomes necessary.

Ghusl is the full-body purification. It is obligatory after:

• Marital relations (even without ejaculation).
• Ejaculation, with or without a dream, once the person notices the fluid.
• The end of menstrual bleeding, and the end of postnatal bleeding.
• Also obligatory: a new Muslim washes according to many scholars; and washing the body of a deceased Muslim (a communal duty).
• Recommended (Sunnah): before Friday prayer, before Eid prayer, before entering Ihram, and after washing the deceased.

The minimum is the intention and washing the whole body with water, including the mouth and nose, so that no part is left dry. The complete method, as described by the Prophet's ﷺ wives (Bukhari and Muslim):

• Make the intention, say “Bismillah”, and wash both hands.
• Wash the private parts and remove any impurity.
• Perform a complete Wudu (the feet may be washed at the end).
• Pour water over the head three times, making sure it reaches the roots of the hair.
• Wash the rest of the body, the right side first then the left, making sure water reaches every part, including the navel and skin folds.
• Women need not undo the braids if water reaches the roots of the hair, but must undo them after menstruation if water would not reach otherwise (according to most scholars).

When water cannot be found, or using it would harm the person (illness, extreme cold), Allah permits Tayammum with clean earth in place of both Wudu and Ghusl: “If you do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe your faces and hands with it” (5:6). It replaces the purification, it is not a lesser prayer. The method, from the Hadith of Ammar (Bukhari and Muslim):

• Make the intention to purify yourself for prayer, and say “Bismillah”.
• Strike the palms once on clean earth, sand, stone or a dusty wall.
• Wipe the face once with the palms.
• Wipe the backs of the hands up to the wrists.
• Tayammum is broken by whatever breaks Wudu, and by finding water (or being able to use it). Scholars differ on whether one Tayammum may cover several prayers.

Menstruation (Hayd) and postnatal bleeding (Nifas) are natural, and Islam gives clear, gentle rules. During them a woman does not pray or fast, and does not perform Tawaf; marital relations are not permitted. She makes up the missed fasts later but does not make up the prayers (Muslim). She may still make Dhikr, Dua and follow the Islamic classes; scholars differ about reciting the Quran and touching the Mushaf. When the bleeding stops she performs Ghusl and returns to prayer and fasting. Irregular bleeding outside the usual pattern (Istihada) does not stop prayer: she performs Wudu for each prayer time.

A person must pray with a clean body, clothes and place. Physical impurities such as urine, stool, flowing blood and vomit are removed by washing with water until no trace remains. A small unseen stain that one did not know about does not invalidate a prayer already prayed. Shoes and clothes that touch dry ground are generally clean; if impurity is certain, wash the spot.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Five things are from the Fitrah: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, clipping the nails, and plucking the underarm hair” (Bukhari and Muslim). Keep them regularly (not more than forty days is the advised limit), use the Miswak, keep the hair and beard neat, and always keep the mouth, hands, and clothes clean — a Muslim who is clean and fragrant is a Sunnah in itself.