Ablution: A means of attaining inner and outer purity

 

Ablution is an act that we perform daily and repeatedly.  Ablution is required for the five daily prayers.  So practice ablution only after prayer.  But sometimes this practice creates a kind of mechanism.  If not conscious, it destroys the vitality of the practice.  But to get the full benefit of any practice, it needs to be life- and life-giving.  No act of Shariah is short.  Even those actions that seem common on the outside, can go a long way towards the union and nearness of Allah Ta'ala if they are done with care.  That is why no action should be taken lightly.  There is also an indication in this regard from Hadith Sharif.  It has been said, (Tarjama) 'Do not consider any good deed small, even if it is meeting your brother with a smile.' Moreover, in many cases it is also the case that a deed is of great importance in the eyes of the Shari'ah, but it becomes obscure for various reasons.  Sometimes it is because the practice is easy, sometimes because it is repeated every day, sometimes because there is no discussion of importance, sometimes because of indifference to religious matters.  The acts that are obligatory for Muslims are not all the same.  There are some matters which are perpetual, i.e. essential every moment, some matters are essential from time to time, some provisions are once in a week, some are once in a year, and some are essential once in a lifetime.  Allah Ta'ala has placed many meanings behind these variations and the full knowledge of them lies with Allah Ta'ala, but some things can be understood by thinking about the nature of deeds, the qualifications and capabilities of the doer and the tastes and tendencies of Islamic Shari'ah.  With a little knowledge, we realize that the actions that are repeated are as necessary for the servant as they are easy to perform.  It is also very helpful in forming the believer's faith life.  The same can be said about ablution, the subject of the present article.The law of ablution is mentioned in the sixth verse of Surah Ma-Ida.  There are provisions for bathing and tayammum.  At the end of the verse, Allah Almighty says, (translation) 'Allah does not want to impose any kind of hardship on you;  Rather, He wants to purify you and complete His grace on you, so that you may give thanks.' From the hadith Sharif, it is understood that external purity can be achieved through ablution.  Just as ablution is the key to prayer, it is also a means of attaining the purity of honor.  Similarly, in the Hadith Sharif, it is promised that through ablution, Allah will forgive the sins of the servant and give brightness to the limbs on the Day of Resurrection.  The importance and benefits of ablution can be understood very easily from the above verses of the Quran and the various hadiths of the Holy Prophet.  Like many other rituals, ablution is a combination of knowledge and determination and words and deeds.  In other words, there are some things to be done by the body parts in it, i.e. in ablution, there are also some things to be done by the body and mind.  Some Duas that should be recited at the beginning and end of ablution are also mentioned in the Hadith Sharif.  Knowing about these aspects of ablution, it is understood that ablution is not only a means of external purification, but also a means of stimulating religious motivation.  There are many dhikr and dua to be recited in ablution in Sahih hadith.  Among them, I mention two short duas.  1.  There are two sentences in this dua 'Bismillah Walhamdulillah'.  A short sentence, but it captures some of the basic tenets of Islam.  Starting with 'Bismillah' meaning in the name of Allah.  The teaching of Hadith Sharif is that every important work should start with 'Bismillah'.  Because all good things are in the hands of Allah alone and He is the one who gives freedom from all bad things.  Therefore, just as we seek His help for success, it is also our duty to take refuge in Him to avoid failure.  The second sentence is 'Alhamdulillah' meaning all praise is due to Allah Ta'ala.  Our chin-e-power and working power is the gift of Allah.Allah Ta'ala also grants tawfiq of good deeds.  He has also indicated the identity, manners and methods of good deeds.  These are His favors to His servants.  Therefore, when there is an opportunity for good deeds, it is the duty of the believer to give thanks to Allah Ta'ala.  The last sentence of the previously mentioned verse of Surah Maida was, 'So that you may give thanks.' The Hadith says that 'Alhamdulillah' is the best of thanksgiving.' So by saying 'Bismillah walhamdulillah' at the beginning of ablution, the Qur'anic verse is acted upon.  2.  At the end of ablution, 'Kalimaye Shahadat' is supposed to be recited.  The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever after performing ablution properly says, 'Ashhadu Allah Illaha Illallahu Wahdahu La Shareeqa Lahu Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammadan Abduhu Wa Rasulullah', the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him." - Narrated by Sahih Muslim Jame Tirmidhi  There are two more sentences with this sentence.  That is, 'Allahummaj'alani minat tawabeen waj'alani minal mutatahhirin.'When a believer performs ablution with the ease of worship and pronounces Shahadat in the Kalima knowing that Allah is the Najir, then surely his faith is refreshed and hopefully the Kalima of polytheism and disobedience.  Allah Ta'ala will fully purify his honor.  Knowing this way, it is evident that Masnoon ablution contains some ingredients that can make the slave's body light.  Hazrat Uthman Ibn Affan RA was purified from sins.  Narrated from, the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Whoever performs ablution well, sins are removed from his body, even from under his nails. - Sahih Bukhari;  Sahih Muslim Hazrat Abu Huraira RA.  Narrated by: The Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, When a Muslim servant (or a believing servant) performs ablution, when he washes his face, with the water (or he said with the last drop of water), the sin comes out, towards which he  Looked through the eyes.When he washes both his hands, with the water (or say with the last drop of water) all the sins that he committed with his hands are washed away.  When he washes his feet, with the water (or with the last drop of water) all the sins towards which he was walking are washed away.  As a result, he is cleansed from sin.  Even before death, the servant can take this opportunity and cleanse himself of sins.  The greatest way is repentance.  By this Allah forgives all kinds of sins.  Likewise, various dangers, hardships and sufferings are also one of the means of forgiveness of the sins of the believing servant.  In this worldly life, everyone suffers some kind of pain and suffering, but the good fortune of the believer is that he is patient in the time of suffering.  Then Allah forgives all his sins.  Another way of forgiveness is good deeds.  Through this, Allah forgives all sins.  There is a hadith, a companion came to the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, and said, O Messenger of Allah, I have committed such and such a sin, what will happen to me now?  The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, "Pray with us." The Companions prayed.  Already this verse of the Qur'an was revealed, (Tarjama) you should pray in the two parts of the day and in the first part of the night.  Surely good deeds remove bad deeds.  This is admonition for those who receive admonition. It is a great grace of Allah that He forgives bad deeds in return for good deeds.  In this verse, the matter is stated in the form of principle, there are twenty details of it in Hadith Sharif.  The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has mentioned many acts by which sins are forgiven.  It is known through the two hadiths mentioned earlier that ablution is one of those good deeds.  It is worth noting that the above virtues can only be obtained when ablution is performed properly.  Needless to say, the ablution performed in the Masnoon manner with sincerity is the best performed ablution.  The organs of ablution will shine on the Day of Resurrection. The above features of ablution have been described in various hadiths.This will be the special identity of the Ummah Muhammadi on the Day of Judgment.  A little insight shows that there is a deep harmony between the organs being cleansed from sin and their shining on the Day of Resurrection.  Because, on that day, all veils of the invisible will be removed and all the actions and results of people will come to the fore.  Therefore, on that day, the brightness of those limbs will be revealed, which have been freed from the taint of sin in the world.  And by seeing this brightness, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) will recognize his Ummah.  In this context, there is a faith-stimulating incident in the book of hadith.  It is that one day the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went to the grave and looked at the believers buried there and said, "Assalamu Alaikum Dara Qaumim Mu'minin" means, O inhabitants of the land of the believers, peace be upon you!  If you notice, it will be understood that there are two types of Ummah in front of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam: One.  Those who have been past and two.  who are with him.  In this case, if he remembers the future Ummah, then there is nothing surprising.  The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, looked at the companions and said, 'I wish we could see our brothers!' The companions said, 'Messenger of God!  Aren't we your brothers?'' The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, 'If you are my Companions, our brothers are those who have not yet come (to the world).'  ?  The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked him without directly answering, Say, if someone has some horses with white markings on their foreheads and hands and feet, and they are left among many black horses, will he not be able to recognize his horses?  The Companions said, 'Messenger of God!  He can do it.'The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, "On the Day of Resurrection, their limbs will also shine because of ablution."  And I will finish before them near the house (cowsher).'  But if you understand it, you can understand a deeper meaning from here.  It is known from the Quran and Sahih Hadith that people will be divided into different categories on the Day of Judgment.  Each class of people will have special signs by which they can be identified.  However, this class-identity will not be based on caste, language or regionalism, but on the basis of each individual's actions and deeds.  Those who have done good deeds in the world will be known by good deeds and those who have done bad deeds will be known by the identity of bad deeds.  Thus Allah Ta'ala will honor the righteous believers and humiliate the disbelievers-polytheists.  The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam warned his Ummah about this honor and dishonor of the Day of Resurrection, so that they take comfort for that great day and pay attention and care to the good deeds due to which Allah will especially honor His servants.  This hadith about the benefits of ablution should also be understood in conjunction with the above principles.  In short, if we remember the importance, greatness and benefits of ablution described in the hadith Sharif, then we can hope that in addition to external purity, Allah Ta'ala will also grant us spiritual purity and the dignity of the Hereafter.  May Allah Ta'ala grant us tawfiq with his bounty and deeds.  amen