PRAYING THE PROPHET’S WAY & CLEANLINESS IN ISLAM

PREPARATION It is necessary for a Muslim to always be clean and especially before praying. A Muslim should always clean him/her self after using the toilet (urinating or defecating) with water and tissue paper or using the left hand. A person’s body, clothes and the area of prayer should be clean of all impurities. Before performing prayer a person should be with “wudu” (ablution)

ISLAM ON PURITY AND CLEANLINESS Personality of a person is a whole sum up of a person’s attitude towards everything, how one talks, walks, eats and dresses etc. and no doubt the most over whelming part of personality is the looks you generate. A good and neat dress always imparts a positive impact on your viewer. That is why Islam has focused upon cleanliness very much. Cleanliness doesn’t means to wear a neat and clean dress. It includes clean body and cleanliness in thoughts also. The Messenger of Allah (salAllahualaihiwasallam) said: “Cleanliness is half of faith (Emaan).” [Sahih Muslim]

ISLAM ON PURITY AND CLEANLINESS In the above hadith the actual word used in Arabic is “tahara” which means “purity.” And by purity or tahara, we are headed in two directions: 1)     Inner tahara 2)     Outer tahara. Inner tahara can be achieved by upholding the five pillars of Islam, having clean and pure thinking process, avoiding sins, remembring Allah a lot by doing Du’aa and Dhikr and especially making sure the heart is pure of spiritual maladies such as anger, hatred, relying on other than Allah, fear of loss of provision, hatred toward death, immorality, pride, arrogance, riya, etc Outer tahara can be attained by proper bodily purification e.g. Cleaning oneself properly after using the toilet, making wudu (ablution), taking bath, cleaning teath, using fragrance or perfumes, keeping house and clothes clean etc.

HOW TO PERFORM WUDU Video of Steps of Wudu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KweAf1Z8sY Written Steps of Wudu with Pictures: http://www.wikihow.com/Perform-Wudu

Nullifiers of Wudu A person nullifies the wudu if the following things occur: Using the toilet (passing urine or defecating) Passing gas Touching the private parts without a barrier Sleeping If a person breaks his/her wudu while praying they have to break the prayer and repeat the wudu and then continue the prayer from where they left off.

HOW TO PERFORM PRAYER (SALAH) Video of Steps of SALAH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLWJtXtmnbM

IMPORTANCE OF SALAH It is one of the pillars of Islam It is the most important act of worship after Shahadah It is a gift from Allah to humankind It washes away your sins It is a light for the one who performs it Both in this life and the next It is the direct connection of a person with Allah It will be the first act to be questioned on the Day of Judgement It is the key to Paradise

Ghusl (Complete Purification, Ritual Bath) Ghusl is an Arabic term referring to the full body washing ablution mandatory before the performance of various religious rituals and prayers, for any adult Muslim after having entered into Islam, orgasmic discharge (e.g. semen) either due to wet dream or any other way, sexual intercourse, completion of the menstrual cycle.

WHEN DOES THE RITUAL BATH BECOME REQUIRED? Without bathing, certain acts of worship cannot be performed.  Negligence in these cases is sinful. The following situations require a Muslim to bathe and perform the ritual bath.  1.       The emission of semen or orgasmic fluid. If the discharge of semen or orgasmic fluid is accompanied by feelings of desire, the ritual bath is required.  The ritual bath is not required if they are emitted unintentionally with no feelings of desire. The ritual bath must be performed if the emission of sperm or orgasmic fluid: (a)  is due to stimulation while awake (like sexual intercourse and masturbation) resulting in ejaculation of semen or orgasmic fluid. (b)  happens while one is asleep (like wet-dreams). In other words, if one does not feel that they experienced a nocturnal emission but happens to find him or herself wet upon awakening, they must perform the ritual bath.

2. Menstruation and post-natal bleeding. A woman must perform the ritual bath after her period ends.  She should also perform the ritual bath after post-natal bleeding following delivery.  3. On entering Islam. Some scholars maintain that the ritual bath (ghusl) is required of a new Muslim on entering Islam, in order to purify oneself from the major state of impurity. Thus one should perform it to be on the safe side.

4.       Death. The body of a deceased Muslim of either gender must be given the ritual bath (ghusl), unless he or she died of wounds suffered in Jihad (struggle or war in Allah’s cause)

How to perform a Complete Bath (Ghusl) The Intention (Niyyah). One must intend (in his heart) that he is performing ghusl to purify himself from a state of major impurity, without uttering such intention verbally. Say ‘Bismillah’ (‘I begin with the name of Allah’). Wash the hands and then the private parts. Next, perform wudhu as he would for the prayer. He may delay washing his feet until the end of his ghusl. He should pour [at least] three handfuls of water on his head, running his fingers through his hair and beard so that water reaches the roots of his hair and scalp. Then pour water over the rest of the body, beginning with the right side. He should make sure that he washes his armpits, ears, and navel. He should then wash his feet if he has not already done so while making wudhu [at the beginning of the ghusl].