Selections from Muḥammadan Traditions/Chapter 3
III
THE BOOK OF PURIFICATIONS
It is related from Abú Hurairah that, 'The Apostle of God said, "Shall I not point you to that by which God blots out sins and raises (your) rank?" They replied, "Yes, O Apostle of God." He said, "The completion of ablutions in a time of difficulty, and the going a long distance to the mosques, and the waiting for another prayer after the completion of one. This is a protection for you."'—Muslim.
It is related from ʿOthmán that, 'The Apostle of God said, "He who performs his ablutions and does them well, his sins go out from his body, so that they even go out from under his finger nails."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It is related from ʿOthmán that he performed his ablutions and poured water on his hands three times, then he washed his mouth, and then cleansed his nose. After that he washed his face three times, then he washed his right arm to his elbow three times, then he washed his left arm to his elbow three times. After that he wiped his hand over his head, then he washed his right foot three times, then the left three times. After that he said, 'I saw the Apostle of God perform his ablutions like these ablutions of mine.' Then he said, 'Whoever performs his ablutions like these ablutions of mine, and then prays two sets of prayers, whilst his mind speaks nothing the while, all his preceding sins will be forgiven him.'—Muslim, Al Bukádrí.
It is related from Jábir that, 'The Apostle of God said, "The key of paradise is prayer, and the key of prayer is purification."'—Aḥmad.
It is related from Shabib bin Abi Rauḥ from one of the companions of the Apostle of God that, 'The Apostle of God prayed the morning prayer and recited (the chapter) Rúm, when he become confused. Then when he had prayed, he said, "What is the matter with the people that they recite the prayers with us, but do not perform the ablutions properly! These people only confuse the Qurʾàn for us."'—An Nasái.
What Acts Necessitate Ablutions
It is related from Abú Hurairah that, 'The Apostle of God said, "Prayer will not be accepted from the one who is impure until he performs his ablutions."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It is related from Buraidah that, 'The Prophet prayed the prayers on the day of the conquest (of Mecca) with one ablution, and he wiped his hands over his shoes (instead of washing his feet). Then ʿOmar said to him, "Verily thou hast done a thing today which thou never didst before." He replied, "I did it intentionally, O ʿOmar."'—Muslim.
It is related from Suwaid bin Al-Naʿmán that, 'He went out with the Apostle of God in the year of (the conquest of) Khaibár until, when they came to Ṣahbái, which is near Khaibár, he prayed the afternoon prayer. Then he called for food, and nothing was brought but parched grain. Then he gave orders with regard to it, and it was moistened. Then the Apostle of God ate, and we ate. After that he rose up for the evening prayer, and he rinsed out his mouth and we rinsed out our mouths. Then he prayed, but he did not perform the ablutions.'—Al Bukhárí.
It is related from Umm Salamah, that she said, 'I placed near the Prophet a roasted shoulder of mutton, and he ate part of it. After that he rose up for prayers, but he did not perform the ablutions.'—Aḥmad.
Rules Regarding Natural Evacuations
(The traditions in this section are unfit for translation. We content ourselves with one only.)
It is related from Salmán that, 'One of the polytheists said, as he ridiculed the Prophet, "Verily I see that your companion (Muḥammad) gives you instruction even regarding the voiding of excrement."'—Muslim, Aḥmad.
On the Use of the Twig for Cleaning the Teeth
It is related from Abú Hurairah that, 'The Apostle of God said, "Were it not that it would inflict hardships on my followers, I would certainly order them to prolong the evening prayer, and to use a twig for cleaning the teeth with every prayer."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It is related from Shuraih bin Háni that he said, 'I asked ʿÁyesha what the Apostle of God began to do first when he entered his house. She replied, "(He began) with a twig for cleaning his teeth."'—Muslim.
It is related from ʿÁyesha that, 'The Apostle of God said, "That prayer for which a twig for cleaning the teeth has been used is seventy times more excellent than the prayer for which it has not been used."'—Al Baihaqi.
Laws Regarding Purification with Water
It is related from Abú Hurairah that, 'The Apostle of God said, "When any one of you awakes from his sleep and performs his ablutions, then let him cleanse his nose three times, because verily Satan takes up his abode in his nose."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It was said to ʿAbduʾlláh bin Zaid bin ʿÁsim, 'How did the Apostle of God perform his ablutions?' Then he called for water for ablutions, and poured it on his hands and washed his hands twice. Then he rinsed out his mouth and nose three times, then he washed his face three times, then he washed his hands twice to the elbows, then he wiped his head with his hands, beginning from the forehead to the back of the head and back again until they returned to the place whence they began. Then he washed his feet.—Málik, An Nasáʾi.
It is related from ʿAbduʾlláh bin ʿAbbás that he said, 'The Apostle of God only performed his ablutions once (for each member of the body). He did not do it more than this.'—Al Bukhárí.
It is related from ʿAbduʾlláh bin Zaid that, 'The Prophet performed each ablution twice.'—Al Bukhárí.
It is related from ʿAbduʾlláh bin ʿOmar that he said, 'We returned with the Apostle of God from Mecca to Madína, until when we came to some water by the roadside, a party hastened to afternoon prayers and they performed their ablutions. And they hurried over them; and we overtook them, and the soles of their feet shone, the water not having touched them. Then the Apostle of God said, "Woe to the soles of your feet! for they are in the fire. Complete your ablutions."'—Muslim.
It is related from ʿÁyesha that she said, 'The Prophet loved (to begin with) the right hand side, so far as it was possible, in all matters, whether in ablutions or combing his hair or in putting on his shoes.'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It is related from Saʿíd bin Zaid that, 'The Apostle of God said, "There can be no ablutions for him who does not mention the name of God."'—At Tirmidhí, Ibn Májah.
It is related from Laqít bin Ṣabirah that he said, 'I said, "O Apostle of God, inform me in what ablution consists." He replied, "Complete the ablutions, and draw your fingers between your toes, and inhale water through the nose, unless you are fasting."'—Abú Dáud, At Tirmidhí.
It is related from Al Mistaurid bin Shaddád that he said, 'I saw the Apostle of God, when he performed his ablutions, draw his little finger between his toes.' —Abú Dáud, At Tirmidhí, Ibn Májah.
It is related from Anas that, 'When the Apostle of God performed his ablutions he took a handful of water and placed it under his chin and therewith combed his beard, and said, "Thus hath my Lord commanded me."'—Abú Dáud.
On Bathing
(The traditions in this section are almost entirely devoted to sexual matters, and are quite unfit for translation).
On Intercourse with the Unclean
(Most of the traditions in this section are unfit for translation).
It is related from ʿAlí that, 'The Apostle of God said, "The angels will not enter that house in which there is a picture, or a dog, or an unclean person."'—Abú Dáud An Nasái.
It is related from ʿAbduʾlláh bin Abú Bakr bin Muḥammad bin ʿAmru bin Ḥazm that, 'In the letter which the Apostle of God wrote to ʿAmru bin Ḥazm (it was written that) "No one should touch the Qurʾán, except the pure."'—Malik.
Orders Concerning Different Waters
It is related from As Sáib bin Yazíd that he said, 'My aunt took me to the Prophet and said, "O Apostle of God, verily the son of my sister is suffering from pain." Then he stroked my head, and supplicated a blessing for me. After that he performed ablutions, and I drank from the water with which he had performed the ablutions, and then stood up behind his back. And I saw the seal of prophecy between his shoulders like the tassel of a bride's canopy.'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It is related from Abú Zaid from ʿAbduʾlláh bin Masʿúd that, 'The Apostle of God said to him on the night in which the genii (accepted Islám), "What is that in thy dish?" I replied, "The juice of dates." He said, "Dates are good, and water is pure."'—Abú Dáud. Aḥmad and At Tirmidhí add to this the words, 'Then he performed his ablutions with it (the date juice).' And Tirmidhí says that Abú Zaid is in error; and the truth is that received from ʿAlqamah from ʿAbduʾlláh bin Masʿúd who said, "I was not with the Apostle of God on the night when the genii (accepted Islám.)"'—Muslim.
It is related from ʿOmar binuʾl-Khaṭṭáb that he said, 'Do not bathe in water warmed by the sun, because it induces leprosy.'—Al Dáraqutni.
On the Cleansing of Impurities
It is related from Abú Hurairah that, 'The Apostle of God said, "When a dog drinks from a vessel of any one of you, then let him wash it seven times."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It is related from ʿAbduʾlláh bin ʿAbbás that, 'A sheep was given in alms to a freed woman of Al Maimúnah, and it died. And the Apostle of God passed by and said, "Have you not taken its skin and tanned it and made some profit by it?" They replied, "But it died!" He said, "Only the eating of it was unlawful (for you)."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It is related from Al Miqdám bin Maʿdíkarib that he said, 'The Apostle of God prohibited the wearing of skins of beasts of prey and the riding upon them.'—Abú Dáud, An Nasái.
On Touching the Boots
It is related from Shuraih bin Háni that he said, 'I asked ʿÁlí bin Abú Ṭálib about wiping the hands on the boots (in place of removing them and washing the feet before prayer). He replied, "The Apostle of God fixed three days and nights (as a limit) for travellers, and one day and one night for those residing in a fixed place."'—Muslim.
It is related from Al Mughírah bin Shuʿbáh that he said, 'I waited upon the Prophet in the battle of Tabúk, and he wiped his hands on the top and bottom of his shoes.'—Abú Daud, Al Tirmidhí, Ibn Májah.
It is related from Al Mughírah bin Shuʿbáh that he said, 'The Apostle of God wiped his hands on his shoes, so I said, "O Apostle of God, thou hast forgotten." He replied, "Rather thou hast forgotten. My Lord, the Exalted and Magnified, has commanded me to do this."'—Aḥmad, Abú Dáud.
On the Use of Earth for Purification
It is related from ʿImrán that he said, 'We were with the Prophet on a journey; and he prayed with the people. When he had finished his prayer, behold! a man sitting apart who had not prayed with the company. The Prophet said, "What prevented thee, O so and so, from praying with the company?" He replied, "I was impure and could get no water." He said, "Thou shouldst have used some earth, for verily that would have sufficed for thee."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It is related from Abú Dharr that, 'The Apostle of God said, "Verily clean earth is ablution for the Muslim, although he does not obtain water for ten years. But if he finds water, then let him touch his whole body with it; for verily that is better."'—Abú Dáud, Aḥmad, At Tirmidhí.
On Obligatory Washings
It is related from Ibn ʿOmar that, 'The Apostle of God said, "When any one of you comes to the Friday prayers, then let him wash himself all over."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It is related from Abú Hurairah that, 'The Apostle of God said, "He who washes a dead body must (afterwards) wash himself all over."'—Ibn Májah. Aḥmad and At Tirmidhí and Abú Dáud have added the words "And whoever lifts up (a dead body) let him perform ablutions."
It is related from ʿÁyesha that, 'The Apostle of God washed his whole body for four things: for personal impurity, for the Friday prayers, after being cupped, and after washing a corpse.'—Abú Dáud.
On the Menses.
(The traditions under this section are quite unfit for translation.)