Most Read in the Category of Taharah - Cleanliness

1 – Any najasah, liquid or solid matter coming out of the penis and anus like urine, feces, sperm, madi, blood, etc.

2 – Breaking wind from the anus (farting).

3 – Blood, pus, yellow liquid, etc flowing from any part of the body... If the blood that comes out of the body does not flow or does not spread, it does not invalidate wudu. The pus and yellow liquid coming out of a wound is regarded the same. That kind of liquid that does not spread around by itself will not invalidate wudu even if it is wiped. Letting blood through cupping and using leeches invalidate wudu.

As for the leakage other than blood, pus and yellow liquid, they will invalidate wudu if they leak due to an illness. For instance, the wudu of a person is invalidated if his eyes are watered due to an illness. The leakage that does not happen due to an illness does not invalidate wudu. For instance, tears that flow due to crying or laughing a lot or running of the nose due to cold weather will not invalidate wudu.

Pure water coming out of the pimples on the body is like blood and invalidates wudu according to a view. According to another view, it does not. The second view is a great ease for those who have scabies and pockmarks. It is reported from Imam Hulwani that there is no objection to acting in accordance with the second view when there is a real necessity. The wetness caused by eczema and the rashes between the fingers do not invalidate wudu.

* According to Shafiis, leakage of blood, pus, yellow liquid that does not come from the genital organs and anus does not invalidate wudu.

4 – To vomit mouthful. It does not matter whether the thing that is vomited is food, water or bile. If the total amount of what is vomited amounts a mouthful, it invalidates wudu even if it is vomited in small amounts.

5 – If blood equaling to saliva or more than saliva comes out of the mouth, wudu is invalidated. It can be understood from the color whether blood is equal to, more or less than saliva. If the color is yellow, it means saliva is more. If it is light red, it means they are equal. If it is dark red, it means blood is more. If saliva is more than blood, wudu is not invalidated. If traces of blood are seen when one bites a quince, an apple, etc, wudu is not invalidated.

6 – Sleeping, which makes a person lose control over himself, invalidates wudu it does not matter whether a person sleeps by lying down, facing down, leaning on his elbow. Napping does not invalidate wudu if the person hears what the people around are talking.

When a person sleeps leaning on something, if he sleeps so deeply as to fall when the thing that he leans on is moved away, his wudu is invalidated.

7– To faint for a short or long time.

8 – To laugh during the prayer. Smiling and laughing are two different things. When someone laughs, it is heard by others. Therefore, it invalidates wudu if someone laughs while praying. When wudu is invalidated, the prayer is invalidated, too. Smiling does not invalidate the prayer or wudu since it is silent. However, if a person laughs so silently and if he himself hears it only, his prayer is invalidated but his wudu is not.

* According to Shafiis, even the laughter in the prayer does not invalidate wudu.

9 – Sexual intercourse or extreme touching. According to Hanafis, if the skins of a man and a woman touches each other, their wudus are not invalidated; however, if a woman and a man touches each other while they are naked or if they touch each other with lust without a garment that will prevent them from feeling the heat of their bodies, or if they caress and hug each other like that, their wudus are invalidated. Most of the Hanafi scholars decide that the contact is extreme when the sexual organ of the man becomes erect; however, Imam Muhammad holds the view that unless a wetness like madi (pre-coital fluid) comes out, wudu is not invalidated. According to Shafiis, wudu is invalidated when the skin of a woman and a man touches each other. According to Malikis and Hanbalis, wudu is invalidated if sexual pleasure is felt when the skins touch each other.

10 – If a person who has made tayammum sees water, his wudu is invalidated.

11 – When the time for a prayer ends, wudu of an excused person is invalidated.

12 – Getting drunk by taking alcohol or drugs invalidates wudu. It is definitely haram to take intoxicating drinks but the amount that does not make a person drunk does not invalidate wudu.

There are four fards of wudu:

1 – To wash the face once...

2 – To wash the hands up the elbows, including the elbows...

3 – To wash the feet including the heels...

4 – To rub one-fourth of the head with wet hand...

It is fard to wash the arm, face and the feet at least once during wudu. If they are washed three times, then the sunnah is also fulfilled.

All of the Sunni scholars agree on those four fards of wudu. However, the other three madhhabs except Hanafi madhhab have added some other conditions. For instance, intention is fard before beginning to make wudu for the three madhhabs; to utter basmala is fard according to Hanbalis; to perform the fards in the order that is mentioned in the verse (tartib) is fard according to Shafiis and Hanbalis; to perform them without any interruption (muwalat) is fard according to Malikis and Hanbalis.

There are three fards of ghusl:

1 – To rinse the mouth with water,

2 – To sniff water into the nose and blow it out,

3 – To wash the whole body.

It is fard to wash the mouth, the nose and the whole body at least once. A person who washes them three times is regarded to have fulfilled the fard and gains the reward of fulfilling the sunnah.

* The dirt under the nail, the dirt of fleas and flies, paints like henna and ink that do not prevent water from touching the skin do not prevent ghusl.

* It is necessary to wash inside the earring holes if they are not closed. If the earrings are on the ear, it is enough to move them forward and backward.

* The inside of the navel has to be washed, too.

* It is not obligatory to wet the whole hair if it is long or in plaits. The woman does not have to unplait her hair. It is enough to wet the hair roots. If the hair rots are wetted, ghusl becomes valid even if the whole hair is not wetted.

The same thing is not valid for men. Men have to wash the whole hair even if it is very long or in plaits because hair is not regarded as ornament for men. Men do not have to lengthen their hair.

* Even if the beard is bushy, the water has to reach the skin. However, while making wudu, it is not necessary to wash the roots of the beard hairs if it is bushy; it is enough to wet the beard only.

* The same thing is valid for the eyebrow and mustache. It is necessary to wash the hairs together with the skin.

Malikis and Shafiis do not regard the inside of the mouth and the nose as the outer part of the body; they regard them as internal organs. Therefore, it is not fard but sunnah to wash them during wudu and ghusl.

Hanbalis regard the inside of the mouth and the nose as part of the face. It is fard for them to wash them both during wudu and ghusl.

The main sunnahs of wudu are as follows:

1 – While beginning wudu, to wash the hands up to the wrists if they are clean… If the hands are not clean, it is fard to wash them because the hands are the cleaning instruments. They have to be washed first so as not to make other organs dirty.

2 – To start wudu by uttering “Audhu - Basmala”... It is sunnah to utter basmala at the beginning of wudu, while washing the hands. If it is forgotten and uttered later, that sunnah is not regarded to have been fulfilled because, wudu is not like eating. Wudu is a single whole deed. In eating, each morsel is a separate deed. If basmala is forgotten to be uttered at the beginning of a meal and uttered later, sunnah will be fulfilled.

It is stated in a hadith that the wudu not started with basmala will not be a complete and proper wudu. 

In another hadith the following is stated, “Every part of a person who starts wudu with basmala becomes clean. Only the wudu organs of a person who does not start wudu with basmala become clean.”

* According to Hanbalis, it is wajib to utter basmala at the beginning of wudu. If it is skipped deliberately, wudu is invalidated. If it is skipped unintentionally, wudu is not invalidated but its reward decreases.

Basmala is “the beginning of every good deed.” It is necessary to utter that sacred word at the beginning of every good and legitimate deed, not only at the beginning of worshipping like wudu and prayer. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in a hadith, “All of the acts that are not started with the name of Allah will be far away from goodness and abundance and will be incomplete and ineffective.” 

3 – To intend (Niyyah).

The intention must take place while washing the hands or face. What is meant by intention is to be aware in one’s heart that he is making wudu. Intention will be all right even if it is not pronounced if the wish to make wudu is present in one’s heart. 

* According to Malikis and Shafiis, it is fard to intend at the beginning of wudu. Intention is necessary while washing the face according to Shafiis. According to Hanbalis, intention is one of the conditions of the validity of wudu. Wudu is not valid without intention.

4 – To use a miswak, that is, to clean the teeth at the beginning of wudu...

If a person does not have any teeth or if a person cannot use a miswak or toothbrush due to a disorder in his gingiva or if a person does not have a miswak or a tooth brush with him when he makes wudu, he is to wash his teeth and gingiva by rubbing them with his thumb and index finger.

According to the statement of the Messenger of Allah, a prayer performed after cleaning the teeth with miswak is seventy times more virtuous than a prayer performed without cleaning the teeth.

For women, chewing gum replaces using miswak when they are not fasting.

5 – Making mazmaza (rinsing out the mouth) and istinshaq (snuffing water into nostrils and blowing it out)...

Mazmaza means to put water into the mouth, rinsing out the mouth.

Istinshaq means to snuff water into nostrils making the water reach the soft parts.

It is not necessary to snuff water by inhaling. Pouring water into nostrils is enough. Mazmaza and istinshaq are sunnah al-muakkada. First, mazmaza is made; then istinshaq is made. Both of them are carried out three times. New water has to be used for each mazmaza and istinshaq. If one of the acts is abandoned, this sunnah is not regarded to have been fulfilled.

Rinsing out the mouth and snuffing water into nostrils, which are sunnah in wudu, are fard in ghusl.

6 – To exaggerate while making mazmaza and istinshaq...

That is, to take the water in the mouth down to the throat and the water in the nostrils up to the hard part of the nose. Exaggeration is not in question for a person who is fasting because the water might go down from the throat.

7 – To make wudu in the necessary order...

That is, to wash the face and then the arms; to wipe the head with a wet hand and then to wash the feet. If the order above is not observed, wudu is valid but it means to abandon the sunnah.

According to Shafiis and Hanbalis, it is fard to make wudu in the necessary order.

8 – To start washing on the right... This sunnah is for the double organs.

9 – To wash three times... That is, to wash each organ three times with three separate waters. The first washing is fard; the others are sunnah. 

10 – To start washing the hands from the tips of the fingers and the feet from the tips of the toes...

11 – To rub between the fingers and the toes while washing the hands and  the feet.

12 – After washing the face three times, to wash among the hairs of the beard with a handful of water by putting the fingers among the hairs of the beard beginning from the bottom of the beard upward.

13 – To wipe the whole head with wet hands. It is called full masah. Both hands are wetted. Then the little, ring and middle fingers of both hands are connected; they are put on the front part of the head with fingertips touching each other. Then, they are moved beginning from the front part of the head to the neck by wiping the head. Then, the palms of the hands are put on both sides of the head and moved beginning from the neck to the front part of the head by wiping the head. Thus, full masah is carried out.  

14 – To wipe the ears...

Separate water is not necessary for the ears. The wetness of the hand that has been used to wipe the head can be used to wipe the ears too. The outer and the back part of the ears are wiped by the thumbs and the inner side by the index fingers. The little fingers are put into the ear and moved.

* According to Hanbalis, it is fard to wipe the inner parts of the ears because they regard the ears as the part of the head.

* According to Shafiis,  it is sunnah to wipe the head three times.

15 – To wipe the back part of the neck by the back of the hands... The front part of the neck is not wiped. The back part of the neck is wiped by the wetness at the back of the hand without wetting the hand again.

16 – To rub the organs of wudu as water is poured on them...

17 – To wash the organs of wudu without interruption. That is, to wash one organ without waiting for another organ to dry. (It is called “wila” or “muwalat”.)

* According to Malikis, muwalat is among the fards of wudu.

1 – If blood comes out from the private parts or somewhere else and it remains where it is without diffusing, it does not invalidate wudu. It does not matter whether that blood is wiped with the hand or cotton.

2 – Blood clot, flesh or skin falling off the wound without any flow.

3 – Touching the private parts. It does not matter whether they are the private parts of women or men. Only touching them does not invalidate wudu.

* According to Shafiis, if a man or woman holds the front or back private part of himself/herself or somebody else with the palm of the hand, his/her wudu is invalidated. 

4 – Touching any part of a woman except her private parts does not invalidate the wudu of a man. However, if wetness called madi comes out as a result of touching due to excitement, wudu is invalidated.

* According to Shafiis, if a man touches a non-mahram woman, his wudu is invalidated. If he touches a mahram woman, his wudu is not invalidated. 

5 – Vomiting less than a mouthful.

6 – Spitting out phlegm... According to Imam A’zam and Imam Muhammad, the amount of phlegm does not matter.

7 – Sleeping while sitting without losing the control of oneself. Like sitting on the bottom firmly and sleeping...

8 – Crying does not invalidate wudu; laughing does not invalidate it, either, except while performing prayers.

9 – The blood sucked by insects like fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and flies as much as they are full.

10 – Smiling while performing prayers.

11 – Trimming the mustache, having a hair-cut, trimming nails.

12- If a person knows definitely that he has made wudu but hesitates if he has broken it or not, his wudu is invalid according to Malikis but valid according to the other three madhhabs. 

It is better to be cautious about the issues that are controversial whether the wudu is invalidated or not. It is an appropriate act for imams to be careful about the issues that invalidate wudu according to other madhhabs though it is not obligatory.

Islam gives great importance to cleanliness and has made it the indispensable condition and key to some kinds of worshipping.

The Prophet states the following in a hadith:

“The key to the prayer (salah) is cleanliness, its beginning is takbir (saying Allahu Akbar)  and its ending is salam (salutation).” (Abu Dawud, Taharah, 31: Tirmidhi, Taharah, 39

Cleanliness is the precondition of some sorts of worshipping; it is also the indispensable condition of health and hygiene. Besides, it makes the sustenance increase. The following is stated in a hadith:

“Keep cleaning so that your sustenance will increase...”.

Some hadiths and verses showing how much importance Islam gives to cleanliness are as follows:

“Islam is clean. Therefore, you should keep yourselves clean, too. Only the clean people can enter Paradise.”  (Hadith)

“Cleanliness is the half of belief.” (Hadith)

“Cleanliness is from belief (its perfection and light).”  (Hadith)

“For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean...” (al-Baqara, 222).

“Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete His favor to you, that ye may be grateful.” (al-Maida, 6).

“He caused rain to descend on you from heaven, to clean you therewith...” (al-Anfal, 11).

It will be wrong to reduce cleanliness to body cleanliness only. The cleanliness of the heart, honesty and high ethics are as important as body cleanliness. As a matter of fact, the worshipping of a person whose intention is not clean will not be sincere; therefore, it will not be accepted by Allah.

Therefore, the cleanliness of the heart and the cleanliness of the body should come together in a Muslim; it should be known that if both of them are clean, a person will become a mature Muslim.

The cleanliness of the heart and the body is an important essential of Islam. As a matter of fact, the Prophet pointed to those two issues with the following hadith:

“Islam was built on the foundation of cleanliness.”

Another hadith that reminds us the principle of cleanliness is as follows: “Allah is clean; He loves clean people.”

It is fard for every sane person who has reached the age of puberty to make ghusl when a state that necessitates ghusl takes place. Along with spiritual and otherworldly benefits, there are many material advantages and good sides of ghusl. Therefore, Islam gives great importance to ghusl.

When man fulfills this religious duty, he both attracts the love and consent of Allah and gains health and welfare materially.

Ghusl is also penance for minor sins. The Prophet said to Anas bin Malik,

"O Anas! Exaggerate when you make ghusl. Thus, you will leave the bathroom in a state of having been purified form your sins and faults." Hazrat Anas said,

"O Messenger of Allah! How shall I exaggerate?" The Prophet replied,

"Wet the hair roots and eliminate the dirt from the skin."

Since the state of janabah prevents a person from worshipping and it is a state of spiritual impurity, it makes a believer uneasy, restless and depressed. It is reported in some narrations that the earth feels disgusted by the people who walk on it while they are junub and complains to Allah about them. There are also narrations stating that angels of mercy will not go near junub people. Therefore, the righteous people and the people who have taqwa have always hurried to get rid of the state of janabah and avoided spending the whole night in the state of janabah. The following is stated in a hadith: “If a person goes to bed in a state of purity (without needing ghusl and on wudu) and his hands, feet and mouth free of dirt, give him glad tidings that he will gain the degree of martyrdom if he dies that night.” It is the taqwa aspect of the issue.

It does not mean that a person who is junub brings bad luck and he is dirty and impure materially. It cannot be said that one must not meet and speak to a junub person. What matters is to make ghusl before the time of prayer ends if that person has not performed that prayer. A person who needs ghusl can delay making ghusl if he does not miss the prayer and can do anything except the things that are haram for a junub person. That is the fatwa aspect of the issue.

Once Abu Hurayra, who was in a state of janabah, met the Messenger of Allah but he immediately went away because he felt embarrassed to be near him like that and returned after making ghusl. When the Messenger of Allah asked him where he had gone, he explained the situation. Then, the Messenger of Allah said to Abu Hurayra,  

"Subhanallah, can a believer be najis (impure)?"

As it can be understood from this hadith, a junub person is not in a state that nobody can meet and talk to or who is in impurity and inauspiciousness. What matters is to make ghusl before the time of prayer ends if that person has not performed that prayer A person can delay making ghusl if he does not miss the prayer and can do anything except the things that are haram for a junub person. That is the fatwa aspect of the issue.

Then, the people that the earth feels disgusted by and the angels of mercy do not approach are the people who ignore the state of janabah and who always walk around while they are junub.

The positive effect making ghusl has on the health of man is explained as follows:

Ejaculation (orgasm) is a physiological event that mobilizes the whole nervous system and that shakes the whole organism. During sexual intercourse, a great amount of cell destruction takes place. The number of breaths increases since all of the respiratory and circulatory organs are involved. Blood circulation accelerates. The effort exerted during it is equal to the one exerted while running one thousand and five hundred meters. Or, in other words, it is as tiring as running up to the seventh floor of a building.

After the sexual intercourse, the body feels terribly tired and exhausted. It feels as if it has carried a heavy load. The body, which undergoes great cell destruction and a shock, feels relaxed and easy after making ghusl. The body feels robust and energetic again.  

Therefore, ghusl is a perfect cleaning that gives man material and spiritual ease and calm.

Lexically taharah means cleaning.

As a religious term, it means being cleaned from material dirt called najasah and from impurity called hadath. 

1 – Everything that breaks wudu or necessitates ghusl breaks tayammum, too. For instance, if the nose of a person who is on tayammum bleeds, his tayammum is broken.

2 – If the state of excuse that makes tayammum valid disappears, tayammum is broken. For instance, if water is found or the barrier or excuse to use the water disappears, tayammum is broken.

Three situations are in question when water is found or when the barrier or excuse to use the water disappears:

a) If water is found or the state of excuse disappears before a person starts to perform the prayer, tayammum is broken at once. He has to make wudu for the prayer.

b) If water is found or the state of excuse disappears while a person is performing the prayer, both tayammum and the prayer are invalidated. The person has to make wudu and perform the prayer again. 

c) If water is found or the state of excuse disappears after the prayer is performed, tayammum is broken but the prayer does not have to be performed again.

All kinds of worshipping can be performed by ghusl, which is also called full ablution. In wudu, only certain organs are washed but in ghusl, the whole organs are washed and the body is cleaned more in wudu. All kinds of prayers and worshipping can be performed after making ghusl until wudu is broken. When wudu is broken, the validity of ghusl for performing prayers ends; thus, it becomes necessary to make wudu for worshipping. 

* Does any flow of liquid like urine, blood, etc that invalidates wudu come out of the body of a person who has to make ghusl while making wudu invalidate ghusl?

The flow of liquid during ghusl does not invalidate ghusl but it invalidates the quality of ghusl for wudu. That is, it is valid and it ends the state of janabah but one cannot perform prayers with it. It becomes necessary to make wudu in order to perform prayers with it. Ghusl is valid.

In other words, everything that invalidates ghusl invalidates wudu, too. However, not everything that invalidates wudu invalidates ghusl. Therefore, any flow of liquid coming from the urinary tract, a wound, etc or blood coming from the teeth, etc while making ghusl do not invalidate ghusl. The ghusl made together with that kind of flow is valid but it is not valid as wudu for performing prayers. 

* Does a person who realizes after he makes ghusl that he has forgotten to wash his mouth, nose or any other organ have to make ghusl again?

No. He has to wash only the place that he has not washed. 

* In some houses, the toilet and the bathroom are in the same place. Is it permissible to make ghusl in such bathrooms?

It is permissible to make ghusl in places where there is a toil or closet. 

* What should a person who has to make ghusl do if he wants to eat or drink something before ghusl?

A person who has to make ghusl should delay eating or drinking after ghusl if possible. However, if he needs to eat, he should wash parts of his body that will touch the food, that is, his hands and mouth, and then he should eat and drink.

Accordingly, a person who cannot find enough time to make ghusl before eating sahur (meal eaten before dawn on the day of fasting) should wash his hands and mouth before eating. Then, he can make ghusl. He does not have to do without eating sahur because he has to make ghusl. 

* Is it appropriate to remove the hair on the body when one is junub?

The hair on the body should be removed or shaved when one is clean. That is the appropriate way.

However, if a person removes the hair on his body when he is junub and makes ghusl after that, his ghusl will be valid. 

• How many kinds of ghusl are there?

There are 3 kinds of ghusl: 

I. Fard ghusls:

It is fard to make ghusl after the state of janabah, menstruation and puerperium. 

II. Sunnah ghusls:

1 – It is sunnah to make ghusl for the Friday prayer.

As it is stated by the Prophet, Friday is the Master of the Days, that is, the most honorable and virtuous day. It is also a feast day for Muslims. The Messenger of Allah advised his ummah insistently to make ghusl on Friday to apply perfume and then to go to mosque.

Making ghusl on Thursday or Friday morning will be regarded as fulfilling the sunnah. The scholars regarded the ghusl for Friday prayer as sunnah al-muakkada taking into consideration the plenitude of the hadiths regarding the issue and the insistent advice of the Prophet on it. The bodily cleaning like having a hair cut, removing the hair on the body, trimming the nails is advised to be done on Friday.  

3 – It is also sunnah to make ghusl for eid prayers.

3 – It is sunnah to make ghusl while entering ihram for hajj and umrah. This ghusl is for spiritual cleaning rather than material cleaning; therefore, women who are in menstruation or puerperium can make this ghusl. If there is no water, tayammum is not made instead of this ghusl.

4 – It is sunnah for hajjis to make ghusl for wuquf (standing) in Arafat on the day of Arafa. 

III. Mandub or mustahab (recommended) ghusls:

1 – It is mandub for a person who becomes a Muslim but who is not in the state of janabah, menstruation or puerperium to make ghusl.

2 – It is mandub for a girl or boy who has reached the age of 15 but has not physically reached puberty to make ghusl.

3 – To make ghusl for a person who faints after recovering… This ghusl is made to thank Allah for recovery.

4 – To make ghusl after donating blood or being cupped.

5 – To make ghusl before washing a dead person.

6 – To make ghusl in order to worship on holy nights like Laylat al-Barat and Laylat al-Qadr.

7 – To make ghusl for wuquf at Muzdalifa and staying in Mina for hajjis.

8 – To make ghusl in order to enter Makkah or Madinah to show respect to those holy places.

9 – To make ghusl during the solar and lunar eclipse for the prayers of kusuf and khusuf.

10 – To make ghusl for the rain prayer.

11 – It is mandub for a person who has returned from a journey or a person who has changed his underwear.

12 – To make ghusl for the prayer of khawf (fear) performed during disasters and misfortunes.

13 – It is mandub for a person who wants to repent from his sins to make ghusl.

14 – A woman who starts to have menstruation just after being junub can make ghusl if she wishes. She can delay making ghusl to the end of the period of menstruation if she wishes.

15 – It is mandub for a man who has a sexual intercourse with his wife to make wudu or ghusl when he wants to have a second sexual intercourse.

16 – It is mandub for a junub person to hurry in order to make ghusl without delaying. A junub person can delay making ghusl just before the end of the time limit for a prayer but he is recommended to make ghusl without delaying much.

Sunnah and mustahab ghusls are made only for body cleaning or showing respect; therefore, it is not fard to wash the mouth and the nose. 

* According to Shafiis, all of the ghusls other than fard ghusls are sunnah.

The following conditions are necessary for the tayammum to be sound and valid in the sight of Allah:

1 – Intention. Tayammum is not valid without intention. Tayammum made without intending to be freed from impurity is not valid. However, intention is not fard but sunnah while making ghusl and wudu.

2 – Lack of water or impossibility to use it despite its presence.

3 – Not having thick material like wax, oil paint, nail polish that cover the skin on the face, hands and arms. Tayammum is not valid if they are not removed.

4 – Not having a state that invalidates wudu while making tayammum. For instance, wudu made while the nose is bleeding is not valid; tayammum is not valid while the nose is bleeding, either.

5 – The soil to be used for tayammum must be clean. The material to be used for tayammum  does not have to be pure soil. Tayammum can be made by using materials that are made of soil and are regarded as soil like such as sand, gypsum, tile, brick, mineral salt, emerald and ruby.

6 – Tayammum is made by touching the soil firmly with the hands twice. After the first touch, the face is wiped and after the second one, the arms are wiped. 

7 – The organs have to be wiped by the whole hand or at least three fingers in tayammum. tayammum made by wiping two fingers is not valid.

8 – The entire face and arms have to be wiped by covering them. For instance, the hairless part between the beard and the ear, the part between the eye and the eyebrow, the whole nose, have to wiped; the rings have to be moved if there are any, and the parts between the fingers have to be wiped, too.

According to another view, if four-thirds of the tayammum organs are wiped, it will be enough.

Istibra is made after urinating in order to stop the leakage of urine that harms the soundness of wudu. The wudu of a person who makes wudu after urinating without making istibra can be invalidated without being aware of it; and the prayer performed with that wudu becomes invalidated. Therefore, it is necessary to be very careful about istibra.

In a hadith, the following is stated:

“Avoid the urine because most of the grave torture is due to urine.” (Bukhari, "Wudu", 55; Ibn Majah, "Taharah", 26); Muslims are asked to be very careful about cleaning (istibra) after urinating.

Istibra is not necessary for women. It is necessary to wait for a while after urinating before wudu for them.

Istinja and istibra are useful in terms of health, too.

Main sunnahs of ghusl are as follows:

1 – To start ghusl with basmala.

2 – To intend for ghusl by the heart and uttering the intention by the tongue.

* Intention is fard according to Malikis and Shafiis. According to Hanbalis, intention is a condition for validity of ghusl.

3 – To start ghusl by using a miswak, that is, by cleaning the teeth as in wudu.

4 – To utter basmala and the intention before starting ghusl.

5 – To wash the hands first and the private parts after that. If there is any sperm or similar impurity on the body or the private parts, to eliminate them at first. 

6 – To make wudu in accordance with its order and rules. If the used water accumulates under the feet, to delay washing the feet to the end of ghusl. 

7 – After making wudu, to pour water on the head three times; after that, to pour water on the right shoulder three times and then on the left shoulder three times. When the water is poured for the first time to rub that organ thoroughly.

* According to Imam Malik and Abu Yusuf, it is fard to rub the body while making ghusl.

If a person washes his mouth and nose and then jumps into a river, big pool or sea with all of his body, he is regarded to have made ghusl.

There are basically two kinds of taharah, that is, cleanliness. 

1 – Taharah from Najasah.

2 – Taharah from Hadath.

When states peculiar to women are mentioned, three states which consist of menstruation, puerperium and excuses are meant. Let us deal with them one by one:

THE STATE OF MENSTRUATION (MONTHLY PERIOD)

• What is menstruation?

Menstruation is blood coming regularly from the uterus of a woman apart from an illness or giving birth every month between puberty and menopause. It is also called period, monthly bleeding, menses, catamenia, etc.

Menstruation is a natural state peculiar to women. The dirty and poisonous matters that accumulate in the body are thrown out through menstrual bleeding; the body is relieved and becomes healthy. Therefore, there is no need to fear from, and to disgust at the state of menstruation. It should be seen and regarded as something normal and as a will of Allah. As a matter of fact, the following narration confirms it:

While Hazrat Aisha was on hajj with the Prophet, she started to menstruate; she started to cry because she taught she would have to stop hajj. The Prophet asked her:

– What is the matter? Are you in menstruation? Then, he stated the following:

– It is the preordainment of Allah for women. Do everything that hajjis do except circumambulating the Kaaba; you can circumambulate the Kaaba after your menstruation period ends.”

• When does it start, until what age does it last?

Menstruation starts at the age of 9 the earliest. Young girls reach puberty when it starts.

It goes on with certain periods each month until the age of 55 the latest. It ends after that age.

The bleedings that take place before the age of 5 and after the age of 55 are not regarded as menstruation. They are regarded to originate from a disease. 

According to Malikis, the blood coming from a girl who is younger than 9 originates from an illness; it is not menstruation. The blood coming from a girl aged between nine and twelve is shown to specialists. If they say it is definitely menstruation or if they cannot decide, it is regarded as menstruation. If it is definitely decided that it is not menstruation, it is regarded as blood originating from an illness. The blood coming from a girl or woman between the age of thirteen and fifty is definitely regarded as menstruation. The blood coming from a woman between the ages of fifty and seventy is shown to specialists and is decided based on their views. The blood coming after the age of seventy is definitely due to an illness.

According to Shafiis, there is no time limit for the end of menstruation. Menstruation can go on as long as a woman lives. The climate of the region affects it because the period of menstruation varies based on the hot or cold climate. However, in general, menstruation stops at the age of sixty-two.

According to Hanbalis, the age of menopause is fifty. The blood coming after this age is not the blood of menstruation even if it is strong; it is regarded as blood originating from an illness.

• How is it understood?

Menstrual fluid can be red, black, yellow, blurry green and ginger. If one of these colors is seen on the pad or cotton, the menstruation period is regarded to have started. When the menstruation ends, the fluid becomes white; it is the natural fluid of the vagina.

The blood coming out when a woman is pregnant is not regarded as menstrual blood.

• How long does it last?

The state of menstruation lasts at least 3 and at most 10 days. The flow that lasts fewer than 3 days (72 hours) and more than 10 days (240) hours is not regarded as menstruation. It is regarded to be originating from an illness. 

The flow does not have to be continuous during the menstruation period. It may sometimes stop. If a woman menstruates for three days, if the flow stops for three days and if it flows again for three more days, the menstruation period of that woman is regarded as 9 days. The two days that pass without any flow are also regarded among menstruation days.

• How many days are there between two menstruation periods?

The clean period between two menstruation periods is called the period or “the state of tuhur (cleanness)”. This period cannot be fewer than 15 days, but it can be more than 15 days. Accordingly, the flow that takes place before 15 days is not regarded as menstruation. 

According to Malikis and Hanbalis, the clean days within the menstruation period is called “yawm an-naqa”. The woman is regarded to be clean in those days. She is regarded like the other women who are not in the menstruation period and she has to worship like them. The minimum number of the days of cleanness is eight, ten or seventeen days. According to Hanbalis, it is thirteen days.  

• Is the number of the days of menstruation certain every month?

The menstruation days of some women are certain. For instance, they menstruate 5, 7, or 9 days every month.

Others do not have fixed days; they change every month. For instance, they may menstruate for 5 days in a month and 6 days in another. It is necessary to act cautiously in this case. That is, such a woman should make ghusl on the 6^th day, and perform fasting if it is Ramadan because the blood coming on the 6^th day might originate from an illness. However, she cannot have a sexual intercourse with her husband before the 6^th day ends because she might be in the period of menstruation.

• How is it understood that the period of the days of menstruation has changed?

For a period of menstruation to have been regarded as changed it is necessary to undergo two periods of menstruation different from the usual one two times on end. For instance, if a woman who always menstruates for 5 days every month menstruates 4 or 6 days two months on end, her menstruation period is regarded to have changed to 4 or 6 days. Thus, the change of the period of the menstruation is possible when two different periods take place on end.   

The bleeding that lasts more than the usual period of menstruation but does not exceed 10 days is regarded as menstruation, too. In this case, the period of menstruation is regarded to have changed. For instance, if a woman who menstruates 7 days every month starts to menstruate 10 days, she is regarded to be in the menstruation period for 10 days. However, in a bleeding period that lasts more than 10 days, the bleeding days that are more than the usual number are regarded as the state of illness not as menstruation.  

• What should a girl who has reached the age of puberty do when she experiences the first bleeding?

A girl who has reached the age of puberty has to stop performing prayers and fasting as soon as she starts to menstruate. Such a girl is called a “mubtadia”. If the period of bleeding lasts fewer than three days, it is understood that she did not menstruate. She needs to perform the worshipping that she has abandoned.  

According to Imam A’zam, it is not permissible to abandon performing prayers and fasting unless the bleeding lasts for three days and it becomes certain that she is menstruating.

* It is not permissible for a woman to lie to her husband and tell him that she is not menstruating although she is, or to tell him that she is menstruating although she is not. 

* * *

PUERPERIUM (POSTNATAL PERIOD: POSTPARTUM PERIOD)

• What is puerperal bleeding?

Puerperal bleeding is the blood that comes from a woman after birth. The state is called puerperium.

• How many days does it last?

It is not certain how long puerperium lasts. It may even last only one day. The maximum limit is 40 days. It does not last longer than 40 days. The blood that continues to flow after 40 days is regarded as bleeding due to an illness.

Some women have puerperal bleeding for about 15-20 or 25 days. Then, the bleeding stops. Thus, the puerperium ends for them. They can make ghusl, and start to perform prayers and fasting.

According to Imam Malik, the maximum limit for puerperium is seventy days and according to Imam Shafii, it is 60 days. The usual limit is 40 days.

• Is a woman who has a miscarriage regarded to be in puerperium?

If the organs like the hands, feet, fingers of the fetus have become apparent, puerperium is valid. However, if the organs have not become apparent, puerperium is not in question.

• Is the temporary cleanness, that is, temporary stop of the bleeding, within the period of puerperium regarded as part of the puerperium?

Yes, it is. For instance if bleeding continues for 10 days and stops for 5 days, and if it starts again and lasts for 10 days, that whole period of 25 days is regarded as puerperium.

When the baby comes out of the uterus during birth, it is regarded to have been born. The state of puerperium starts.

According to Malikis, if the period of cleanness lasts for half a month, it is regarded as a period of cleanness. The blood coming after that period is regarded as menstruation. If the clean days last less than half a month, all of the days are regarded as menstruation.

    According to Shafiis, if the clean days last at least fifteen days, it is regarded as a state of cleanness. However, if this cleanness lasts for fewer than fifteen days, the whole period is regarded as menstruation. 

    According to Hanbalis, those days of cleanness are definitely regarded as a state of cleanness. It becomes wajib for that woman to perform worshipping like the other women who are clean.

* * *

BLOOD OF ILLNESS (ISTIHADA)

The blood that comes at a time other than the periods of menstruation and puerperium is called the blood of istihadha, that is, illness.

The blood of istihadha is different from the blood of menstruation and puerperium. This blood is thin and odorless since it comes from blood vessels. It is like the blood coming from the nose and other organs. It is the blood of excuse and illness.

JUDGMENTS ABOUT THE STATES PECULIAR TO WOMEN

I – Judgments regarding menstruation and puerperium:

There are 8 judgments regarding menstruation and puerperium:

1 – A woman in the state of menstruation and puerperium are not responsible for performing prayers. It is forbidden for women to perform prayers when they are in the state of menstruation and puerperium. They do not have to perform those prayers when they are clean. Allah removed such a responsibility due to His grace and generosity. 

The same thing is valid for the state of puerperium. It is obvious that it will be difficult for a woman who abandoned prayers for 20, 30 or even 40 days to perform those prayers later.

Islam, which is a religion sent as mercy to the realms, does not hold women responsible for the prayers that they do not perform during the state of menstruation and puerperium. 

* It is haram for women who are in the state of menstruation and puerperium to perform prayers but it is permissible for them to glorify Allah, to mention His names and attributes and to pray to Him. A woman who is in the state of menstruation and puerperium is encouraged make wudu when it is time for prayer and to sit facing the qiblah for a period of time as long as a prayer takes and glorify Allah, say salawat and prayers if it possible and if she has enough time. Thus, she will not forget her Lord and will not miss the pleasure of worshipping; she will also show how enthusiastic she is about worshipping Allah if she could.

2 – It is forbidden for women who are in the state of menstruation and puerperium to perform fasting just like prayers. However, unlike prayers, they have to perform fasting after they are cleaned because fasting is not performed during the whole year unlike prayers but only one month; therefore, a few days of fasting will not be very difficult for women to perform after they are cleaned. Thus, women are not asked to perform the prayers that they miss during the state of menstruation and puerperium but they are asked to perform fasting that they miss.  

Hazrat Aisha states the following regarding the issue:

“When we were in the state of menstruation and puerperium, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) ordered us to perform fasting that we missed later. He did not order us to perform the prayers that we missed.”

3 – It is haram for a woman who is in the state of menstruation and puerperium to read the Quran. The Messenger of Allah said, “A woman who is in the state of menstruation and puerperium cannot read the Quran.” It is permissible for women who are in the state of menstruation and puerperium to read various prayers like the qunut prayer glorify Allah and say salawat for the Prophet. Women who are in the state of menstruation and puerperium cannot read the Quran but they can listen to it. 

4 – It is haram for women who are in the state of menstruation and puerperium to touch the Quran. Let alone the whole Quran, it is even haram to touch one verse or one word of a verse.

A woman who teaches the Quran must leave it to somebody else to teach the Quran if she starts to menstruate; if there is nobody else to do it, it becomes permissible for her to go on teaching the Quran according to Hanafi scholars Karhi and Tahawi. Imam Karhi says it is permissible for a woman teacher to continue teaching the Quran in the form of separate words when she is in menstruation and Tahawi says in the form of half verses.

Based on some narrations reported from the scholars of the Companions and those who followed them, Maliki scholars state that a woman can read the Quran when she is in menstruation but that she cannot read the Quran when the bleeding of menstruation ends unless she makes ghusl. Ibn Hazm does not regard it necessary. Malikis and some Islamic scholars including Ibn Hazm found it necessary to make a positive discrimination in favor of women in menstruation because the state of menstruation is involuntary whereas the state of janabah is voluntary; especially Malikis acted upon the need of permission for teaching and learning the Quran for women.  

5 – It is haram for women in the state of menstruation and puerperium (or janabah) to enter mosques unless it is obligatory. If it is necessary, they can enter mosques.

6 – It is also haram for a woman who is in the state of menstruation and puerperium and for a woman or man who is junub to circumambulate the Kaaba, the qiblah of believers. According to Hanafis, circumambulation in the state of menstruation is valid but it is necessary to slaughter an animal as punishment.  

7 – It is haram for a woman who is in the state of menstruation and puerperium to have a sexual intercourse with her husband. Such an intercourse is regarded as one of the major sins. 

The following is stated in the Quran:

“They ask thee concerning women's courses. Say: They are a hurt and a pollution; so keep away from women in their courses, and do not approach them until they are clean.” (al-Baqara, 222).

The following hadith reported by Hazrat Anas explains the meaning of the order ‘do not approach them’:

“Jews did not eat or drink together with women when they were in menstruation. Our Prophet said,

“– Do whatever you do with them except sexual intercourse...”

It is not religiously and medically permissible to have sexual intercourse with a woman who is in the state of menstruation and puerperium. The woman is regarded as ill in those states. She needs elaborate care and cleaning then. She should avoid being tired and she should rest as much as possible. Besides, the strong smell a menstruating woman emits can cause her husband to feel disgusted. Therefore, the sexual intercourse during this period can cause the husband to feel disgusted against her and can also some gynecological diseases.

It is haram for a man to approach his wife when she is in menstruation; it is also haram for a woman to give consent to it.

If a husband and wife have a sexual intercourse, both of them have to repent. In addition, it is necessary for them to give one or half a dinar of gold or the equivalent to the poor. [One dinar is a gold coin equal to one mithqal (4 gr.)>.

It is not necessary to sleep in a separate bed away from the woman. Such an attitude exists in the belief of Jews. Jews did not sleep in the same bed as menstruating women and they did not even eat together with them. They even used different towels. Islam abolished this unjust custom, which disdained women; Islam does not even regard it makruh to sleep in the same bed as a menstruating woman, to eat the food that she has cooked and to use the same towel.

Hazrat Aisha stated the following: “When I was in menstruation, the Prophet put his blessed head on my lap and recited the Quran.”

Another narration is as follows: “When I was in menstruation, I combed the hair of the Messenger of Allah.”

It is understood from those hadiths that women in menstruation are not najis (materially dirty). Those who are in puerperium are not najis, either. Those states are spiritual obstacles that prevent them from performing some religious duties.

* * *

Is it permissible to have a sexual intercourse with a woman whose menstrual or puerperal bleeding has stopped before she makes ghusl?

When the maximum limits (10 days for menstruation, 40 days) end, it becomes halal to have a sexual intercourse with a woman. It is not necessary to wait for ghusl. However, she is recommended to have an intercourse after making ghusl. If the period of menstruation ends before 10 days and the period of puerperium before 40 days, instant sexual intercourse is not permissible. In this case, either the woman has to make ghusl or she has to wait for a period of time for prayer to pass after the bleeding stops. Sexual intercourse becomes permissible after those conditions are met.   

8 – The husband can touch only the parts of the body of a woman who is in menstruation over the navel and below the knees.

It is obvious that women are materially and spiritually sensitive in the period of menstruation and that they should be treated thoughtfully. Women should pay more importance to their body cleaning and hygienic rules, have a shower or bath more often and take necessary measures so as not to disturb the people around. 

II – Judgments regarding the state of illness (istihadha):

The blood of istihadha does not prevent performing prayers or fasting. It does not prevent sexual intercourse, either. However, the women in the state of istihadha are regarded as excused. They perform worshipping in accordance with the judgments regarding the excused people. 

Once, a woman came to the Prophet and asked him,

“I always have bleeding; shall I abandon performing prayers?”

The Prophet answered,

“No, it is because of an illness in the blood vessels; it is not menstruation. When your period of menstruation starts, stop performing prayers; when the period of menstruation is over, make ghusl; if the bleeding continues, make wudu for each prayer and perform your prayer. Do like this until the next period of menstruation starts.” This narration shows clearly that the state of istihadha is subject to the same judgments as the state of excuse.

It is mustahab (recommended) for Muslims to have a bath for material cleaning at least once a week apart from wudu and ghusl, which are fard. The following is stated in a hadith:

“It is the right of Allah on each Muslim to have a bath once in seven days.”

This cleaning is recommended to be done on Friday; thus, a Muslim will join the congregation for the Friday prayer spotlessly clean, freed from dirt and bad smell.

There are many hadiths reported from the Messenger of Allah about the body cleaning on Friday.

There are some organs and sensitive parts in the human body that need special care in terms of cleanliness. They are as follows:

a. Hair: The hair is one of the most important places to be paid attention in the body cleaning. The hair must be washed frequently. The Messenger of Allah took care of his hair and cleaned them thoroughly. He sometimes put oil in his hair and combed it. He did not like unkempt dirty hair.   

One day, a scruffy man with unkempt hair came to the presence of him. When he saw the man like that, he said,

“Did this man not have enough water to wash his hair and enough oil to straighten it? What a mess it is!”

b. Mustache: The Messenger of Allah advised his Companions to trim their mustache, especially the parts that hung down on the lips.

Trimming the mustache will prevent the food from touching the mustache while eating and prevent the unpleasant view.

Traditionally, it is not appropriate to cut the mustache too much and to make it very thin.

It is better to trim the ends of the mustache extending on both sides. That trimming should not be too much and should not pass the end of the mouth.

It is not a sunnah to have a shaggy mustache. What is sunnah is to trim the mustache in a way that will not be rough. It is more appropriate to the sunnah to trim the mustache so that the skin under it will be seen. Large and shaggy mustache is only allowed during wars in order to seem dreadful and to intimidate the enemy.

c. Cleaning the Armpits and the Groins: It is mustahab to pluck or shave the hair in the armpits and in the groin once in 10-15 days, if not possible, at least once in 40 days. This cleaning existed in the sunnah of all of the prophets. It is makruh to do it when one is in the state of janabah. It is appropriate to do it before ghusl is fard for a person. Every part that leaves the body should leave when the body is clean. 

It is necessary to keep the materials and equipment used for cleaning the body in a separate place, in special containers so that they will not be infected. During the cleaning, there may be cuts and bleedings. Microbes in the unclean materials and equipment may infect the body through the blood; a major disorder may take place due to a minor neglect. . 

d. Cleaning the Nails: It is recommended to trim the nails before they become long so that the ugly appearance and the accumulation of dirt under the nails will be prevented. If possible, nails should be trimmed once a week. One should trim his nails when he is clean; one should avoid trimming nails when he is in the state of janabah. 

The nails that have been trimmed and the hair that has been shaved should not be thrown away haphazardly; they should be buried in the ground if it is possible. If not, they should be wrapped in something and thrown into the bin. 

e. Cleaning the Mouth: The cleaning of the mouth has a separate and important place in the body cleaning. The mouth and the organs in it like the tongue and the teeth should be spotlessly clean. In terms of health, it is important that we do not put everything into our mouth and we often rinse our mouth to keep it clean. 

The first thing that comes to mind in the cleaning of the mouth is the cleaning of the teeth because teeth have an important role in both eating and speaking.

The most important issue regarding the health of the teeth is to keep the teeth clean and to avoid very hot, very cold and very hard food and drinks because they damage and scratch the teeth and cause decays by cracking the dentine. It has been proved by medicine that a tooth may cause important disorders in many parts of the body, primarily in the liver, heart, stomach, digestive system, urinary bladder and joints.

The Messenger of Allah acted very sensitively and cautiously about the cleaning and care of the teeth. He often warned his ummah about the cleaning of the teeth. Some of those warnings are as follows:

“If it were not difficult for my ummah, I would order them to clean their mouth and teeth whenever they made wudu.”

“Miswak (organic toothbrush from a tree) cleans the mouth and makes one reach the consent of Allah.”

“Four things are among the sunnahs of prophets: to be circumcised, to use miswak, to wear nice scents and to marry...”

“Do not come to my presence with yellow teeth. Use miswak.” (Bazzar)

The Messenger of Allah cleaned his teeth using miswak. Miswak is a kind of toothbrush produced from the branches of a tree called arak (salvadora persica) in Saudi Arabia. It has been understood as a result of the medical analyses that it has many benefits and that it is the best material for the health of the teeth. The toothbrushes used today can be used instead of miswak. However, the nylon brushes should be preferred not the bristle ones produced from animals. Animal bristles have tiny channels in them and it has been determined that microbes settle in those channels. Besides, it should not be forgotten that some bristles are produced from pigs. Nylon toothbrushes do not have the risk of being produced from pigs and they are more appropriate for health. 

One of the issues that puts a person in difficult situations in the society is the bad breath. The role of uncared and decayed tooth in bad breath is great. If the cleaning and the health of the teeth are given enough care, the problem of bad breath will be eliminated.  

The cleaning of the mouth should not be considered in the form of material cleaning only. A believer should give importance to the spiritual cleaning of his mouth, tongue and teeth along with their material cleaning. Instead of the words that cause sins like telling lies, cursing, uttering bad language, gossiping, slandering, sacred words dhikr, tasbih (glorifying Allah), takbir and nice words, avoiding putting haram food into the mouth are more important issues than the material cleaning of the mouth.  

f. Cleaning the nose: The nose has important effects on our life and health in that it is the organ of both smelling and breathing. The harmful particles and microbes in the air are filtrated through the tiny channels, hairs and mucus in the nose and the clean air is sent to the lungs. Therefore, our nose gets dirty frequently. For this reason, it must be cleaned very often. If the matter in the nose does not flow out, it causes sinusitis.

The orders of the Messenger of Allah about cleaning the nose are as follows:

“When one of you starts to make wudu, he should take water into his nose and blow his nose.”

“When one of you wakes up, he should take water into his nose and blow his nose three times...”

It should not be forgotten that one should try to clean his nose quietly, without making much noise and producing disgusting sounds. It is not appropriate to throw up mucus or phlegm on the roads and places where people can see. Islam is a religion of cleanliness but also a religion of kindness.

It is violation of etiquette and an ugly bad habit to pick one’s nose or to pluck the hair in your nose in the presence of other people. It is also harmful in terms of medicine. The inside of the nose is covered with delicate membranes and capillaries. It is dangerous to pick your nose unnecessarily and to pluck hair.

The right hand is put on the khuff on the right foot and the left hand is put on the khuff on the right foot; the fingers of the hands face the khuffs. The hands are moved toward the legs beginning from the tips of the khuffs.

• What does wiping over the khuffs mean?

While making wudu, wetting the khuffs worn over the feet in accordance with the rules instead of washing the feet is called wiping over the khuffs.

Wiping over the khuffs is ease and permission given by our religion to every Muslim, whether a man or a woman.

Wiping over the khuffs is in question only in wudu. It is not permissible to put on khuffs and wipe over them while making ghusl.

Wiping over the khuffs is sunnah al-muakkada. It is certain that the Messenger of Allah sometimes put on khuffs and wiped over them by sound hadiths that are close to the degree of tawatur.

• What are the conditions that are necessary for wiping over the khuffs to be valid?

The following conditions are necessary for wiping over the khuffs to be valid:

1 – The khuffs must have the quality of not letting water in when they are wetted.

2 – The khuffs must be thick and firm to stand upright without laces. They must be durable enough for a long travel (on foot) of 12 thousand steps (8-9 km).

Boots and shoes that cover the feet and the heels, thick socks that are durable enough for a walk of 8-9 km, and woolen socks covering the heels are regarded as khuffs. They can be wiped over.

It is not enough to wipe over the boots and shoes that are always in contact with the ground; it is necessary to clean the dirt under or over them.

3 – The khuffs must cover the shoes from all sides including the heels.

Wiping over the khuffs that are shorter than the heels is not permissible.

It is sufficient for the khuffs to cover the heels by buttoning or tying after putting them on. Khuffs with zips are similar. The feet must be covered including the heels when they are put on and buttoned or tied. There must not be any holes or gaps in the khuffs.

4 – There must not be any holes, rents or rips that are big enough for three fingers to put in, in the part below the heel.

If the holes and rips in the khuff are in separate places, the total amount is considered. If all of them are equal to or more than three fingers, masah over that khuff is not valid.

The total amount of the rents and rips in one khuff is taken into account; the rents and rips in two khuffs are not added to each other; they are added separately. Therefore, if there are two rents in one khuff and one or two in the other, those rents do not invalidate wiping.

According to Malikis, if there is not a rip as big as to show one third of the foot in a khuff, it does not invalidate masah. According to Shafiis and  Hanbalis, if the amount of the foot that is fard to wash in wudu is seen through a rip, masah becomes invalidated. It does not matter whether the amount to be washed is covered by a sock or something else.

5 – If the front parts of one foot or both feet are amputated (about 3 fingers) it is not permissible to put on a khuff and wipe over such a foot.

6 – The khuffs must be put on when one is on wudu. In order to wipe over the khuffs, first wudu is made and then the khuffs are put on before wudu is broken.

According to Malikis, it is necessary to wipe over all of the khuffs. It is not sufficient to wipe over less. According to Hanbalis, it is enough to wipe over the most part of the khuff. According to Shafiis, it is enough to wipe over the khuffs about one finger.

• What are the sunnahs of masah?

There are two sunnahs of masah:

1 – The amount wiped by the hand should be at least three fingers. The place to wipe over is the top and front part of it. It is enough to wipe about at least three fingers of that part.

2 – Masah should be done by using at least three fingers of the hand. It is not permissible to wipe over with one finger three times. However, if new water is poured on the hand each time and if different parts of the khuff are wetted, then it is permissible to wipe with one finger.

The two things mentioned above are sunnah for masah. It is possible to pour water on the khuffs or to wet them by using something like sponge. However, in that case, a sunnah is regarded to have been abandoned and a makruh is committed.

Apart from the two issues mentioned above, the following issues are also sunnah:

* The fingers of the hand should be separate not conjoined while wiping.

* The fingers of the hand should be used while wiping.

* Wiping should be done by starting from the tips of the khuffs upwards.

• How is masah applied over the khuffs?

After wudu is made, the khuffs are put on before wudu is broken. If the khuffs have buttons or zippers, the zippers are zipped and the buttons are done up to cover the heels.

When wudu is broken, a new wudu is made and when it is time to wash the feet, both palms of the hands are filled with water and then the water is poured down. Then the wet hands (at least three fingers) are wiped over the khuffs beginning from the tips of the khuffs up to the legs.

The right hand is put on the khuff on the right foot and the left hand is put on the khuff on the right foot; the fingers of the hands face the khuffs. The hands are moved toward the legs beginning from the tips of the khuffs.

Thus, masah becomes complete. The fingers are kept separate while moving toward the legs.

It is not appropriate to wash the khuffs with water. It is makruh.

• How long is the period of permissible masah?

Masah over the khuffs is valid only for a certain period.

This period is one day and one night, that is, 24 hours, for residents (muqim) in a place. It is three days and three nights, that is, 72 hours for those who are traveling or are on a journey.

According to Malikis, there is no limit for the period of masah. It is possible to wipe over the khuffs unless it becomes necessary to make ghusl. However, it is mandub to take off the khuffs every Friday and wash the feet. According to Shafiis and Hanbalis, the period of masah for a traveler on a permissible journey (in which there is no intention of committing a haram) is three days and three nights, that is, 72 hours. If one sets off with the intention of committing a haram, it is one day and one night, that is, 24 hours.

• When does the period of masah start?

The period of masah starts when wudu is broken for the first time after the khuffs are put on. For instance, if a person makes wudu at 1 o’clock and his wudu is broken at 5 o’clock, the period of masah starts at 5 o’clock, when his wudu is broken. If he is a resident, his period of masah ends 24 four hours later; if he is a traveler, it ends 72 hours later.

• What are the things that invalidate masah?

Anything that invalidates wudu invalidates masah, too. However, if the period of masah has not expired, the khuffs are wiped over instead of washing the feet.

Masah is completely broken in the following three situations; masah cannot be performed while making wudu; it becomes necessary to wash the feet.

1 – When the period of masah expires.

We have stated above that masah period is 24 hours for residents and 72 hours for travelers. Masah cannot be applied on khuffs after this period expires. If the period of masah ends when one is on wudu, it is enough to take off the khuffs and wash the feet for wudu to be valid. In this case, a person can put on the khuffs again and apply masah again.

2 – When the khuffs come out or when they are taken off.

If one of the khuffs comes out spontaneously or a person takes it off, masah becomes invalidated. In that case, if a person is on wudu, it is enough for him to wash his feet only.

3 – When a state like janabah, menstruation, puerperium that necessitate ghusl arises.

In those states, masah becomes invalid.

If a person fears that his feet will freeze due to cold, he does not take of his khuffs and continues to have wudu even if the period of masah expires. In that case, the period is not taken into consideration but the state of freezing weather is.

As a matter of fact, the reason for ghusl, which is a means of virtual-religious cleanliness, is virtual impurity. Therefore, the state of janabah, menstruation and puerperium are three main states that necessitate ghusl, which is regarded as the state of virtual impurity. However, the fact that those three states are called major najasah in the religious literature does not mean that the people in those states are religiously dirty. A believer cannot be regarded dirty religiously. The verse stating that polytheists are dirty (at-Tawba) is understood as indicating their virtual impurity. Therefore, it means to have the spiritual preparation that is necessary for certain kinds of worshipping or deeds that are closely related with worshipping. Therefore, it is not a sin for a junub person to continue fasting or to delay making ghusl until the time of prayer; it is regarded fard for such a person to make ghusl before the time for the prayer ends. In other words, ghusl is a way of virtual cleaning that ends virtual impurity and makes a person ready and suitable for certain kinds of worshipping. 

There are three states that necessitate ghusl:

1 – The state of janabah. It takes place due to two reasons:

a. Ejaculation with lust when a person is awake or asleep without having a sexual arousal or intercourse, having sexual satisfaction.

Most of the scholars except Shafiis, regard lust necessary for the ejaculation; so, they do not regard it as the state of janabah when sperm comes out due to lifting something heavy, falling, an illness, etc.

If a person who does not remember having a wet dream wakes up and sees a smear of sperm on his clothes, he has to make ghusl. However, a person who remembers having a wet dream but does not see anything on his clothes does not have to make ghusl.

b. Having a sexual intercourse... Ejaculation (orgasm) is not a necessary condition; having a sexual intercourse necessitates ghusl.

2 – The second state necessitating ghusl is the period of menstruation for women. When the menstruation ends, it becomes fard for a woman to make ghusl.

3 – The third state necessitating ghusl is the state of puerperium; that is, the state after giving a birth. When the period of puerperium ends, it becomes fard for a woman to make ghusl. 

While making ghusl, the impurities on the front and back private parts are cleaned at first. Then, the mouth is rinsed with water three times; after that, water is sniffed into and blown out of the nose three times. After that, the whole body is washed and wet with the water poured onto the head, right shoulder and left shoulder. When there is no dry place left on the body, ghusl is fulfilled.  

The ghusl explained above is made when there is not enough time and place, by fulfilling the fards of ghusl only.

If there is enough time and place, ghusl is made as follows: To start ghusl with basmala and intention; to wash the hand and the private parts; to eliminate any impurity that may be on any part of the body; then to make wudu but to delay washing the feet to the end of the ghusl if the water accumulates under the feet; after wudu, to pour water onto the head three times, then onto the right shoulder three times and onto the left shoulder three times; to rub the body thoroughly each time; to wash each organ three times; not to waste water; to make ghusl by covering the private parts; not to speak while making ghusl; to get dressed immediately after making ghusl are among the main sunnahs and mustahabs of ghusl. The nice acts that are regarded as mustahab acts of wudu are valid for ghusl, too.

There are three kinds of wudu:

1 – Wudus that are fard,

2 – Wudus that are wajib,

3 – Wudus that are mandub (recommended). 

• Wudus that are fard:

It is fard for a person who is not on wudu to make wudu in order to perform a prayer. It does not matter whether the prayer to be performed is nafilah (supererogatory) or janazah (dead person) prayer.

It is also necessary to be on wudu for the prostration of recital (sajdah tilawah) and in order to touch the Quran. 

• Wudus that are wajib:

It is wajib to make wudu in order to circumambulate the Kaaba. If the Kaaba is circumambulated without wudu, it is valid. However, it becomes obligatory to sacrifice an animal or give sadaqah based on the type of the circumambulation.

It is also wajib to touch tafsir books as a necessity of showing respect to the Quran. 

• Wudus that are mandub:

It si mandub to make wudu apart from the states mentioned above. Some of them are as follows:

* It is mandub to make wudu in order to touch the religious books like fiqh, hadith and aqaid. To make wudu in order to read those books is for showing respect to religious books.

The scholars of Salaf paid great attention to it. 

* To make wudu before going to bed...

* To make wudu after waking up...

* To make wudu in order to be on wudu at all times.

* To make wudu although one is on wudu.

* To make wudu after sins like unintentional backbiting, telling lies, bearing tales and cursing.

* To make wudu after laughing loudly.

* To make wudu in order to eliminate one’s fury.

The Prophet stated the following regarding the issue:

“Fury is of the devil. The devil was created out of fire. Only water can extinguish fire. Then, if one of you gets furious, he should make wudu at once.”

* To make wudu in order to read the Quran by heart.

* To make wudu  in order to read and narrate hadiths.

* To make wudu in order to learn or teach one of the religious sciences.

* To make wudu in order to make wuquf on Arafat and sa’y between Safa and Marwa.

* To make wudu in order to get rid of controversial issues among the madhhabs regarding wudu.

* To make wudu in order to wash the janazah (dead body) and to follow it.

* * *

Imam Hulwani says, “We reached this rank and position in science due to the respect we have shown to science. I have not touched even a piece of paper without wudu.”

Imam Sarakhsi says, “One night, I had diarrhea. I made wudu seventeen times that night in order to continue my studies.”

• What does having an excuse for wudu mean?

A continuous state that invalidates wudu is called an excuse. For instance, being unable to control one’s urine, passing wind continuously, frequent nose bleeding, pus continuously flowing out of a wound are states that make one excused for wudu.

A person who has something like that preventing him from retaining wudu is called an excused person. 

• What is the condition for being regarded excused for wudu?

A person can be regarded as excused if the state that invalidates wudu continues during the whole time of a prayer; that is, it must not stop even for a short time that is enough to make wudu and perform the prayer. (It is the condition for the state of being excused to start.) After that, it must take place at least once in each time of prayer. (It is the condition for the state of being excused to continue.)

Let us explain it with an example:

If the nose of a person starts to bleed at the beginning time for the noon prayer and if it continues to flow without interruption until the time for the noon prayer ends, the condition for the state of being excused starts for that person. If he experiences at least one bleeding in each prayer time after that, he is regarded to be excused because the state of being excused is repeated in each time of prayer; so, it becomes clear that the excuse continues, which means the realization of the second condition of being excused. 

If the excuse does not appear during the time limits of a prayer, the state of being excused ends. Such a person is not regarded to be excused any more.

• What are the Judgments for those are Excused for Wudu?

Our religion makes it very easy for those who are excused for wudu. Their wudu is not regarded to be invalidated as long as the state that invalidates wudu continues. They perform their prayers in that state. They are not held responsible for cleaning the place again polluted by flows like the blood, pus and urine because they become dirty again immediately after they are cleaned. For instance, a person who cannot control his urine does not have to wash the place polluted by the urine, and the flow of urine does not invalidate his wudu. He can perform his prayers although the urine pollutes his clothes. Our religion makes it so easy for the excused people to be regarded on wudu; however, those people should be very careful about the following issue:

A person who has been determined that he is excused has to make wudu for each prayer time; he can perform with that wudu as many supererogatory or missed prayers as he wants between the time limits of that fard prayer. He can also perform witr and janazah prayers with it.  

The wudu that an excused person makes is valid only between the beginning time and the end of that prayer time. When the time for a prayer ends and the time for the next prayer starts, the wudu of the excused person is invalidated. He has to make wudu again for the new prayer time that starts. For instance, if an excused person makes wudu for the morning prayer, his wudu is valid until the time for the morning prayer ends. When that time ends, that is, when the sun rises, his wudu becomes invalid. He cannot perform any prayers with that wudu. 

Another issue that the excused people should pay attention to is the fact that they cannot lead prayers in front of the people who are not excused. Therefore, it is not appropriate to force the excused people to lead prayers.

Since the wudu that excused people make for the morning prayer becomes invalid when the sun rises, they have to make wudu again for the eid and duha prayers.

The urine, blood, etc that pollute the clothes of an excused person do not invalidate his prayer as long as his excused states continues. The state of menstruation and puerperium for women have different fiqh decrees; the bleedings other than menstruation and puerperium and the continuous bleedings are regarded as excuses. 

According to Imam Shafii, an excused person has to make wudu for each prayer to be performed.

Hadath is a state of dirtiness, impurity that prevents a person from performing some kinds of worshipping. For instance, not having wudu, janabah (the state when a person has to make ghusl), being in the menstruation period, being in the period of puerperium... Tahara from hadath is realized by making wudu or ghusl depending on the type of hadath.

Lexically, ghusl (or ghasl) means "to wash something with water"; as a religious term, it means "to wash the whole body with clean water”. In fiqh, wudu (ablution) means minor cleaning, the states that necessitate wudu are called hadath al-asghar (minor impurity), ghusl means major cleaning, and the states that necessitate ghusl are called hadath al-akbar (major impurity). Ghusl is also called full ablution.

The following is stated in the Quran: "If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body" (al-Maida 5/6), informing us that ghusl is necessary in order to be freed from the state of janabah; besides, it is stated that menstruation is a period of excuse for women and men are forbidden to have sexual intercourse with their wives until they are clean (al-Baqara 2/22). The words and applications of the Prophet explain that it is necessary to make ghusl when a person is in the state of janabah and when the period of menstruation and puerperium end for women. 

Ghusl is a means of virtual and religious cleanliness like wudu. It both ensures material cleanliness and definitely contains many medical advantages. The importance of ghusl in terms of human health has been stated by both Eastern and Western scientists; ghusl has been the distinctive feature the Islamic nations and the symbol of the importance Islamic civilization gives to bodily cleanliness and health. Through ghusl, the material dirt and smears that can be left on the body by the state of janabah, menstruation and puerperium are cleaned thoroughly. Besides, ghusl contains many benefits in terms of bodily and spiritual health like eliminating the fatigue and languor in the body caused by the state of janabah, establishing a new balance in the body, regulating the blood circulation, and preparing a person for worshipping by eliminating him from dirtiness. In addition, a believer who fulfills this order of Allah with the belief that it has many known and unknown wisdoms and benefits obtains the joy and rewards of obeying Allah unquestioningly.

The main sunnahs of tayammum are as follows:

1 – To start with basmala. (According to Hanbalis, it is wajib to utter basmala; if it is not uttered, tayammum will not be valid.)

2 – To put the hands with fingers wide open on the soil or a material made of soil, and to move the hands forward.

3 – To move the hands backward after moving them forward.

4 – To shake off the dust after removing the hands from the soil.

5 – To do the acts in order: that is, to wipe the face first and to wipe the arms after it.

6 –Not to do anything else between the two wiping; not interrupting the wiping.

• What is wudu?

It is a special kind of cleaning carried out by water; it includes washing the face, arms and the feet, and to anoint the head.

Wudu has many material and spiritual benefits. Cleanliness becomes a habit for a Muslim who makes wudu at least five times a day, which protects him from diseases and purifies him from microbes. It is the material benefit of wudu. It also has many spiritual benefits.

Our Prophet said to Anas, “My son! Make a complete wudu so that the Honorable Recorders (Kiraman Katibin) will like you and your life will be longer.

Besides, wudu enlightens the face and delights the heart. It is a means of forgiveness for the minor sins. The Messenger of Allah said the following regarding the issue:

“All of the previous minor sins of a person who makes wudu as he is ordered, and who performs prayers as he is ordered will be forgiven.”

Wudu is the spiritual weapon of the believer. Everybody protects themselves from bad feelings and desires through it. It makes a person free from the effects of the delusions and bad thoughts that attack his mind. He should be careful to have wudu all the time.

People who have wudu usually become free from the evil of the bad and evil beings thanks to their wudu; and they are kept far away from their evil.

It is stated in a hadith that it is possible for a person who dies when he has wudu to reach the rank of martyrs.

It is stated in hadiths that Muslims’ wudu organs will be very beautiful, bright and white, their faces will be luminous. It is something that was not given to other ummahs.

Wudu was made fard by the 6^th verse of the chapter al-Maida: “When ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles.”

It is written in al-Mabsut, a fiqh book, that Imam Muhammad did not regard it objectionable to put on gold teeth or to plate the teeth with gold. 

Imam Azam regards gold teeth as makruh but putting on silver teeth or plating the teeth with silver as permissible. The reason why Imam Azam regards gold teeth as makruh is the fact that gold is a means of ornament and it is nor permissible for men. Then, if gold teeth are put on due to a medical necessity, there is no objection to it. As a matter of fact, it is known today that gold teeth are better than silver for dental health and that they do not cause stink.

The fake teeth that can be removed have to be removed while making ghusl. It is also better for cleanliness.

After mentioning the fards, sunnahs and adabs of wudu, now let us explain how to make wudu in compliance with its order and rules:

* After intending to make wudu, one utters audhu – basmala and washes his hands up to his wrists. If there is a ring on one of the fingers, it is moved so that water will penetrate under it.

* The right hand is filled with water and the mouth is rinsed out with this water. If the teeth have not been cleaned with siwak or brush, the teeth can be rubbed with the fingers while rinsing the mouth.

* Then, some water is put in the right hand and inhaled into the nose; then, the nose is blown with the left hand without disturbing the people around.

* The two hands are filled with water and the whole face is washed three times.

* The right arm and then the left arm are washed three times including the elbows.

* The hands are wetted and the head is wiped with the right palm.

* The ears and the neck are wiped with the wetness remaining in the hands or by wetting the hands again.

* First the right foot and then the left foot are washed including the heels three times. Water is poured between the fingers, too.

It is rewarding to say the wudu prayers while making wudu. and after wudu. 

• Wudu Prayers (Dua)

While starting to make wudu, first the intention and then audhu – basmala are uttered. Then, the following prayers are said while washing the organs:

Alhamdu lillahi’lladhi ja’ala’l-maa tahuran wa’l-Islama nuran.

Praise be to Allah, who made water a cleaning matter and made Islam a light.

* While rinsing out the mouth:

Allahumma ainni ala tilawati’l-Qur’an wa dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ibadatik.

O Allah! Help me in reading the Quran, mentioning your name and thanking you, and beautifying my worshipping!.. 

* While inhaling water into the nose:

Allahumma arihni raihata’l-Jannati wa la turihni raihata’n-nar.

O Allah! Make me smell the scent of Paradise; do not make me smell the stink of Hellfire! 

* While washing the face:

Allahumma bayyid wajhi yawma tabyaddu wujuhun wa taswaddu wujuh.

O Allah! Make my face white on the day when faces will be white and black! 

* While washing the right arm:

Allahumma a’tini kitabi biyamini wa hasibni hisaban yasira.

O Allah! Give me my book in the right hand and make my accounting easy! 

* While washing the left arm:

Allahumma la tu’tini kitabi biyasari wa la min warai zahri.

O Allah! Do not give me my book in the left hand and from behind. 

* While wiping the head:

Allahumma azillani tahta zilli arshika yawma la zilla illa zillu arshik.

O Allah! Shade me under your arsh (throne) on the day when there is no shade except the shade of your arsh. 

* While wiping the ears:

Allahumma’j’alni mina’lladhina yastamiuna’l-qawla fayattabiuna ahsanah.

O Allah! Make me one of those who listen to the word and act in accordance with it in the best way.

* While wiping the neck:

Allahumma a’tiq raqabati mina’n-nar.

O Allah! Free my neck from Hellfire! 

* While washing the feet:

Allahumma thabbit qadamayya ala’s-sirati yawma tazillu fihi’l-aqdam

O Allah! Establish our feet firmly on the Sirat Bridge on the day when feet will shake!..

1 – To hold and read a religious book.

2 – To eat and drink without washing his hands and mouth.

There are two kinds of hadath:

(a) Minor hadath: It is the state of hadath that is eliminated by making wudu. Wudu is invalidated when when blood flows from an organ like the mouth and nose, etc; and the state of minor hadath occurs. Wudu is enough to end the state of minor hadath. 

(b) Major hadath: It is the state of hadath that occurs due to janabah, menstruation and puerperium; it can be eliminated only by ghusl.

The acts that are makruh for wudu are makruh for ghusl, too.

While making ghusl, it is permissible to wet one organ with the water used for another organ because in ghusl the whole body is regarded as one organ. It is not permissible in wudu.

• What is Istinja?

Lexically, istinja means desiring to be cleaned from dirt. As a religious term, it means to clean the private parts after having a bowel movement or urinating. This cleaning is sunnah al-muakkada. 

The following narration from Ibn Abbas and Abu Hurayra is remarkable in that it shows the importance and value of cleanliness in the presence of Allah:

“When the verse, “In it are men who love to be purified” (at-Tawbah, 108) was sent about the people of Quba, the Messenger of Allah asked them:

– Why does Allah praise you?

They answered:

– When we finish having a bowel movement or urinating, we clean ourselves with water; we make istinja.”

• What is Istibra?

To wait for the leakage of urine to stop completely after urinating for men is called istibra. It is wajib to do it.

The leakage of urine happens in every person. However, it stops more quickly in some people; in others, it goes on a bit longer. Everybody must try to stop that leakage before they make wudu by taking his own situation into consideration.

Everything that is considered as contrary to the sunnahs and recommended acts of wudu is regarded as makruh. The most important makruh acts are as follows:

1 – To waste water; to use more water than what is necessary.

2 – To cut down on water; that is, to wash the organ with so little water as to hardly wet it as if wiping. 

3 – To wash the organs by splashing water on them.

4 – To utter unnecessary words while making wudu.

5 – To ask for help from others when it is not necessary.

* * *

Once the Messenger of Allah was drawing water from a well for wudu. Hazrat Umar saw him and ran toward him to help. However, the Messenger of Allah made him stop. He said,

“Stop O Umar! I do not want the help of anyone for prayer.

However, it is permissible to accept the help of others when there is necessity or when someone tries to help of his own accord.

* * *

On the Day of Judgment, those who performed prayers in the world will be ordered to be taken to Paradise in accordance with their degrees. The faces of those in the first degree will shine like stars. The angels will welcome them and ask them: "Who are you?" They will say, "We are from the ummah of Hazrat Muhammad; we used to perform prayers in the world." The angels will ask, "What were your deeds in the world?" They will say, "Whenever we heard the adhan, we rose to our feet to make wudu. Nothing could prevent us from making wudu." Then, the angels will say, "You deserve the state you are in." Then, another group will come. The beauty and brightness of their faces are superior to the first group. Their faces shine like the moon. The angels will ask them: "Who are you?" They will say, "We used to perform prayers." The angels will ask, "What were your prayers like?" They will say, "We used to make wudu before the time for the prayer started." Then, the angels will say, "You deserve the state you are in." Then, the third group will come. Their state is superior to the previous two groups. The angels will say to them, "Your rank is higher and your faces are brighter than those of the previous groups; who are you? They will say, "We used to perform prayers in the world." The angels will ask, "What were your prayers like?" They will say, "We used to listen to the adhan in the mosque. (We would make wudu before the adhan, go to the mosque, sit in the mosque and wait for the adhan there. Then, the angels will say, "You deserve the state you are in."

It is definitely not permissible to use golden and silver plates to eat, drink or make wudu. However, women can use them as ornaments. Men are allowed to wear only silver rings. There is no objection to using things made of materials other than gold and silver.

If the thing is not pure gold or silver and if it consists of some other materials, the material which is in majority is taken into consideration. If gold or silver is in majority, that plate or cup cannot be used. Accordingly, it is obvious that it is permissible to use plates or cups that were dipped in aqua regia because the amount of gold or silver in those plates is less than the other materials.

It is necessary to know the rules of going to toilet and having a bowel movement or urinating.

* When entering the toilet, it is necessary to leave the pages containing some parts or verses of the Quran outside or to have them in the pocket as wrapped in cloth or nylon. If a person is wearing a ring with the name of Allah written on it, it is enough to turn the ring so that the name will face the palm.

* It is recommended (mustahab) to say bismillah and read the following prayer before entering the toilet:

“Allahumma inni audhu bika mina’l-khubthi wa’l-khabaith...” (O Allah! I seek Your protection against filth and impurities).

* It is necessary to enter the toilet with the left foot and exit with the right foot.

* One should not face the qiblah in the toilet and should not turn his back directly to the qiblah. It is makruh (abominable) to do it. However, if the toilets in the homes were built as facing the qiblah, then there is no objection to it because it is an obligation.

According to Shafiis and Malikis, there is no drawback to turning to the qiblah in the toilets in the closed buildings. Turning or not turning to the qiblah is in question in the open areas in the countryside.

* One must not talk in the toilet unless it is obligatory. One must not answer the greeting of another person while he is in the toilet.

* It is one of the manners of the toilet not to spit or not to blow your nose, causing an unpleasant view in the toilet.

* It is one of the manners of the toilet not to urinate while standing unless there is an obligation. According to what Hazrat Umar narrates, once the Messenger of Allah saw him urinating while standing and said to him, “O Umar, do not urinate while standing.” Hazrat Umar never urinated while standing after that. However, when there is an obligation and when it is possible to be protected from being soiled, it is permissible to urinate while standing. Some of the Companions saw the Messenger of Allah urinating while standing. This situation was interpreted as obligation and protection from being soiled.

Urinating while sitting is better in terms of cleanliness, too. The urinary bladder is emptied better this way. And the leakage lessens.

* It is one of the manners of toilet to say the following when you come out of the toilet:

“Alhamdu lillahi’lladhi adhhaba anni’l-aza wa afani (Praise be to Allah, who relieved me from the suffering and gave me health).

Lexically, masah means to move the hand over something. It also means to wipe.

As a religious term, it means to touch an organ or something on it with something clean and wet. The object to be touched can be the head, khuf (thin-soled boots) or the bandage on a wound. It is necessary for the wetness not to be used at another place before. For instance, the wetness in the hands after washing the arms cannot be used for the masah of the head because that wetness has been used for the arms before. The hand must be wetted again and then rubbed on the head.

Tayammum is wajib for Muslims who are sane and have reached puberty just like wudu. Tayammum can be made due to two reasons:

1 – Lack of water actually.

2 – Lack of water virtually. 

• What does lack of water actually mean?

It means not having any or enough water with or around somebody who will worship. Such a person has to look for water around in order to make tayammum.

* If the person who lacks water is in a city or a place like a city has to look for water because he is likely to find water if he looks for it in such a place. 

* Having no water for wudu and ghusl, the existence of water in a very distant place that cannot be reached easily either on foot or by a vehicle, the existence of a danger on the way to the water, lack of security of life and property on the way to the water, lack of tools to draw water are examples of lack of water actually. The person is to decide himself; if he thinks that he has a legitimate and justifiable excuse, he can benefit from this convenience of the religion. 

• What does lack of water virtually mean?

In the following cases, although water exists, it is regarded as if there is no water:

1 – If there is enough water for cleaning but if it is medically harmful to use it due to an excuse or illness, or cold weather or cold water, it becomes wajib to make tayammum.

2 – If the water that is available is to be used for a more urgent need like drinking or cooking other than cleaning, tayammum is made instead of wudu or ghusl.

3 – If a person cannot afford to buy water or if the price of water is much more expensive than its usual price, tayammum can be made. The person is to decide himself; if he thinks that he has a legitimate and justifiable excuse, he can benefit from this convenience of the religion.

The following three conditions are necessary for wudu to be valid:

1. The clean water has to spread over the skin and none of the places that are fard to be washed in wudu has to be left dry. The Prophet said the following for the people who left their heels dry while making wudu, “Woe is to those heels in Hell...”.

2. When the states that invalidate wudu end; that is, when the period of menstruation and puerperium end for women. The leakage of urine and blood from a person are among the states that prevent wudu. A person cannot make wudu before the leakage of urine and blood stop. If that state is an excuse for a person, it has a different judgment. One must not make wudu immediately after urination before the leakage of urine stops completely. Even the smallest leakage after wudu will invalidate wudu.

3. Things like wax, tallow, dough, glue that prevent water from reaching the skin must be removed by rubbing or scraping.

It is seen in fiqh books that the things that are not regarded as clean but regarded as najis (dirty) are examined in two parts:

1 – Heavy Najasah (Najasah Ghalizah),

2 – Light Najasah (Najasah Khafifah)...

This differentiation does not depend on whether the dirt is little or much but whether it invalidates the prayer or not. 

Whether the dirt is little or much does not matter; they both pollute things. For instance, if a small amount of najasah, whether ghalizah or khafifah, falls into the water, it makes the water dirty. From then on, making wudu out of that water will not be valid.  

Various ways and methods are used to clean dirty things based on their nature. The main ways of cleaning are as follows: 

• Cleaning Through Washing with Water:

* Material dirt can be cleaned with absolute (mutlaq) water like rain, stream and sea water; it can also be cleaned with some kinds of qualified (muqayyad) water like sap, rose water, vegetable and fruit juice. If there is no other water, used water can be used for making wudu and ghusl. 

• Cleaning Through Boiling in Water:

* Chickens and similar animals that have been slaughtered in accordance with religious rules but that are put into boiling water in order to remove their feathers without removing their intestines become dirty if the dirt inside comes out and smears the flesh. Therefore, after slaughtering such an animal, the flowing blood on it and the inner parts should be removed and washed; and then it should be put into hot water. However, if the animal is put in water that is not hot enough for the dirt in it to penetrate into the flesh, it is not regarded as dirty. 

• Cleaning Through Scraping or Rubbing:

* If the sperm that has smeared on the underwear or garment is dry, it can be cleaned by only rubbing without washing. The trace left on the garment after rubbing does not invalidate worshipping. If the sperm that has smeared the garment is wet, it will be regarded clean only after it is washed.

The sperm that has stuck on the body is not cleaned by rubbing; the body will be regarded clean only after it is washed.

* If some dirt falls onto frozen fat, the oil is regarded clean after the part on which the dirt fell is scraped and removed.  

• Cleaning by Drying and the Disappearing of the Trace of the Dirt:

* When the ground and things that are fixed on the ground like trees, grass, etc are dirtied, they are regarded clean when the dirt on them dries. That drying can be through the sun, fire or wind. Praying can be performed on such a place but tayammum cannot be carried out by them because they are clean but they cannot be used to clean things.  

* Dirty water is regarded clean after sufficient water is poured onto it to remove the dirt or by laying enough clean soil on it to eliminate the smell of the dirt.  

• Cleaning Through the Flowing of the water or Disappearing of the Water:

* A small puddle (for instance the basin of a bath) into which some dirt has fallen is regarded clean when clean water is poured into it and the dirty water overflows; in this case, the puddle is regarded like running water. 

* A polluted well becomes clean if its water disappears spontaneously or if the well is emptied by drawing its water with buckets, etc. 

• Cleaning Through Changing State:

* A dirty matter becomes clean if its nature changes. For instance, if wine is transformed into vinegar through a chemical added into it, it becomes clean because its nature changes.

* Dirt olive oil becomes clean when it is transformed into soap. However, dirty milk does not become clean when it is transformed into cheese or yogurt because its nature has not changed. 

• Cleaning Through Cutting and Tanning:

* The skins of the animals that can or cannot be eaten except the pig are regarded clean unless some dirt like blood, etc smears on them. Prayers can be performed on such a skin.

* The skins of all of the animals except the pig are regarded clean when they are slaughtered or when they are tanned. The skin of an animal that died spontaneously without being slaughtered can be used after it is cleaned through tanning. 

According to what is reported from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): One of the goats of Sawda bint Zama, one of the wives of the Messenger of Allah, died spontaneously. She said to the Messenger of Allah:

“O Messenger of Allah! My goat died”. The Messenger of Allah said to her:

“Why did you not take its skin?”

Sawda said:

“What shall I do with the skin of a dead animal?” Thereupon, the Prophet said:

“Allah states: ‘If you tan the skin of a dead animal, it becomes halal for you and you can use it.”

Hazrat Sawda sent someone to flay the animal and then she tanned it on her own..

She used that skin as a lysterbag until it was torn.

* Tanning can be applied in two ways:

1. Real Tanning: Tanning through chemicals and medicine like alum, salt, etc.

2. Virtual Tanning: Tanning the skins and hides by sprinkling soil onto them or drying them by laying them under the sun air or wind.

The skin is regarded clean after tanned by either method. Prayers can be performed on it.

We can list the items that are regarded as najasah ghalizah as follows:  

1 – Anything that comes out of a human’s body and that necessitates wudu or ghusl: urine, feces, sperm, madi, wadi, blood, purulence, mouthful puke, menstrual blood, puerperal blood and istihadha blood...

According to Shafii and Hanbali madhhabs, the sperm is clean and it does not make the place that it smears dirty.

2 – The urine, saliva and feces of the animals whose flesh are not eaten… However, the feces of the animals like kite, eagle and sparrow hawk although their flesh is not eaten are regarded as najasah khafifah.

Only the saliva of the cat among the animals whose flesh are not eaten and its leftover are regarded as clean. Since the cat is usually together with human beings, and it always touches the things in the house and it licks man’s hand, etc, Allah has not regarded its saliva and mouth as dirty so as not to make life difficult for man. Thus, He made it easy for us. As a matter of fact, the Messenger of Allah said: “The cat is not dirty. It walks around you a lot.”

3 – The flowing blood of all animals...

4 – The feces of animal fowls like the chicken, goose, duck and turkey, whose flesh is eaten...

The feces of birds like the sparrow and pigeon that drop feces while they are in the air are regarded clean.

5 – The carcass or carrion called “mayta”, that is, the dead bodies of animals that live on land and that were not slaughtered by the name of Allah and their raw hide...

If an animal has been slaughtered in a way that is not in accordance with the Shariah, it is also regarded as mayta and dirty; its flesh cannot be eaten; for instance, when a person does not utter basmala deliberately while slaughtering the animal. However, if he forgets to utter basmala, there is no problem.

6 – Wine is also regarded as najasah ghalizah. All fiqh scholars agree on it. There are three different views about the alcoholic drinks other than wine regarding their state of najasah. Some scholars regard them as najasah ghalizah and some as najasah khafifah; yet, according to some others, they are clean due to the matter they contain. 

It should be paid attention that the disagreement about the alcoholic drinks other than wine is about whether their matter is clean or not. All of the scholars agree on the fact that they are haram (forbidden) to drink.

The most important mustahab of ghusl is to cover one’s private parts.

All of the prophets agree that modesty is the greatest virtue of man. A person who is modest does not let others look at his/her private parts. His/her good manners and modesty will prevent it. A companion, who serves a good examples to people said, “I will consent to falling down from the sky and breaking into pieces but I will definitely not consent to opening my private parts and showing them to others.”

Therefore, Muslims should always try to cover their private parts while making ghusl whether in a private place or in a public place.

However, in the private bathrooms in homes or in the private room of public baths, a person can leave the whole body open in order to shave the pubic hair and to clean his/her private parts for a short time. It is not objectionable since nobody can see him/her there. However, it should not be a habit and the private parts should be covered after the private parts are cleaned; one should not let his/her feeling of modesty be harmed. 

It is mustahab to perform a two-rak’ah prayer after ghusl just like wudu. Previous religious people never neglected this prayer. That prayer can be a supererogatory prayer to praise and thank Allah or a fard prayer that was missed.

Since all kinds of worshipping are done in order to gain the consent of Allah and to show our servitude and loyalty to Him in the best way, it is better to fulfill the sunnahs and mustahabs as much as possible just as we fulfill the fards.

There are two fards of tayammum:

1 – Intention.

2 – Touching the clean soil firmly with the hands twice and wiping the whole face and arms. After the first touch, the face is wiped and after the second one, the arms are wiped.

It is regarded permissible to eat and drink water from the plates or cups of polytheists and People of the Book if it is not obvious that or if we do not know that there was something that Islam prohibited in those plates or cups. It is not permissible to eat from them if it is known that they were contaminated with najasah.

The Messenger of Allah drank water from the waterskin of a polytheist woman. He also ate food from the plates of the People of the Book.

* If one or more wudu organs of a person are missing, he becomes exempt from washing them. However, if an organ is partly present, it is necessary to wash that part. For instance, if the hand of a man has been amputated, he must wash his arm including the elbow. If a man’s arm has been amputated, the obligation to wash his arm is annulled. 

* If a person knows definitely that he has made wudu but has doubts that his wudu is invalidated, he is regarded to have wudu because definite knowledge is not eliminated by doubt. If the opposite is in question, that is, if a person knows that his wudu was invalidated but has doubts that he has made wudu again, he is regarded not to have wudu.

* After making wudu, if a person doubts whether he has washed some organs or not, he has to wash those organs and complete the wudu if he is not a habitually apprehensive person. If he is an apprehensive person, his doubt is not taken into consideration; his ablution is regarded to be complete.

* The paint left on the nails of painters due to the obligation does not invalidate their wudu. However, paints that form a thin layer on the nails without any obligation and prevent water from penetrating under harm the soundness of wudu.

* If fingers stick each other so as not to let water pass between temporarily, or if the nail has lengthened and covered the finger tip by turning reversely, or if there is something like wax, dough, glue, oil paint that prevents water from reaching the skin on the organs that need to be washed, it is necessary to remove them.

* The dirt under the nail, and the dirt of the body, the dirt of the fleas and flies are not regarded to prevent wudu.

* If the ring on the finger is tight, it is necessary to move it and let water penetrate under.

* If the hairs on the body are shaved after wudu or ghusl, it is not necessary to wash or rub them again.

* Wudu or ghusl is not invalidated if the nails and the mustache are trimmed, and the skin is peeled after wudu or ghusl.

The religion of Islam regards performing prayers as one of the fundamental obligation of the religion; it gives special importance to eliminate all kinds of difficulties and provide ease. One example of it is the ease of wiping over the khuffs (leather socks) and bandage while making wudu; thus, it enables people to perform worshipping when they face difficulties.

Masah means to move the hands over something and to wipe that thing with the hand. In fiqh, masah is an act of virtual cleaning; it is a symbolic cleaning made by wiping the wet hand over an organ, khuffs or a bandage during wudu, and by wiping the face and the arms with soil during tayammum. To wipe over the head, neck and the ears are primary acts of wudu; wiping over khuffs and a bandage is an act that replaces the primary act.

After the khuffs are worn for a while when one is on wudu, it is necessary to start it again when wudu is broken. After that period ends, the feet have to be washed with water and wudu has to be made; then khuffs can be put on again. On the other hand, the wudu of a person who has made wudu by washing his feet is not invalidated by taking off and putting on the khuffs as long as his wudu continues. A person who has made wudu by wiping over the khuffs can complete his wudu only by washing his feet when he takes of his khuffs.

The religious duties that are haram for junub men and women , and for women who are in menstruation and puerperium are as follows:

1 – To perform prayers. A junub person can perform fasting but a woman who is in menstruation or puerperium cannot.

2 – To read the Quran. It is haram to read even one verse from the Quran whether by heart or by looking at it. However, it is regarded permissible to read the verses of prayer (dua) and verses that praise Allah with the intention of dua and praise and but not with the intention of reading the Quran. For instance, it is haram for a junub person to read the chapter al-Fatiha that contains dua and praising Allah with the intention of reading the Quran; however, it is permissible to read it with the intention of dua and praising. It is permissible to utter kalima ash-shahadah, subhanallah and Allahuakbar.    

3 – It is not permissible even to touch the Quran let alone reading the Quran. Even if what is touched is only one verse or half a verse. However, if the Quran is covered in something, it is permissible to touch it like that.

4 – To circumambulate the Kaaba.

5 – To enter a mosque or to pass through a mosque unless there is an obligation.

6 – It is haram to hold a gold or silver coin, a necklace or plate on which verses of the Quran are inscribed or written.

Acording to Imam Malik, a junub person cannt read the Quran but a woman who is in menstruation period can because a junub person can make ghusl at once.  However, if she is in menstruation, she is regarded as excused since she cannot make ghusl before the menstruation period ends.

Material dirt or filth is called “najasah”. Unclean, dirty matter is called “najis”. Taharah from najasah means cleaning the dirty matter regarded as najis on the body or the clothes.

Some of the dirty matter is essentially dirty. Some of them are essentially clean but they become dirty due to being polluted afterwards. An example for the former is urine; and an example for the latter is a clothing item polluted by urine. Urine is essentially dirty. The clothing item was clean but it became najis because it was polluted by urine.

The amount that is fard to be rubbed with wet hand is one-fourth of the head. The Messenger of Allah rubbed the part over the forehead, that is, the front part of the head. Therefore, it is sunnah to rub the front part of the head. However, any part of the head can be rubbed unless it is at least one fourth of the head and unless the part below the ears are rubbed. The place for masah is the part over the ears. If one fourth part of the head is rubbed at any part of the head, masah is regarded to be performed. 

According to Malikis and Hanbalis, it is fard to rub the whole head. According to Shafiis, to rub at least one inch of the head is enough.

It is necessary for people with thin beards to wash the skin under the beard. People with thick beards do not have to wash the skin under the beard. It is enough for them to wet the beards. 

It is necessary for women to wait for the menstrual and puerperal bleeding and for men to wait for the sperm to stop completely.

It is necessary for a man to sleep for a while or to walk a few steps or urinate even if a little amount in order to make the sperm flow stop fully. If a man makes ghusl without doing any of them and sperm comes out after making ghusl, his ghusl is not regarded valid. He has to make ghusl again.

The second condition for ghusl to be valid is to wash the whole body. The recommendation mentioned in some books that not even a place as little as pinhead can be left dry should not be understood literally but as washing the whole body thoroughly with water.   

Dental filling and plating, and materials like paint and similar things on the skin that prevent water from touching the skin and that are hard to remove do not prevent ghusl. Therefore, if the material dirt on the body is cleaned by using soap, the remaining materials like paint, dough, etc that prevent water from touching the skin and that are hard to remove do not invalidate ghusl. The dental filling and plating are regarded like that, too. 

There are various ways to stop the leakage of urine: The last drops of urine in the urinary tract  can be taken out before making wudu by walking a bit, coughing, or moving the feet, etc. Everybody can apply one of those methods based on their own situation. What matters is to stop the leakage.

There is no religious drawback to going to a public bath for ghusl or in order to clean the dirt on one’s body thoroughly if certain rules are observed.

The Companions went to the public baths in Damascus and made ghusl there; some of them said, “Public baths are nice. They clean the body from the impurities and remind people the Hellfire due to its heat.”

Others said, “Public baths are bad because they cause mahram parts of the body to open and harm the feeling of modesty.”

The first statement expresses the advantages and the second one the disadvantages of public baths.

It is deduced from the following narration that it is permissible to make the rubber rub one’s body and give massage.

During a journey, the Prophet lay face down and made one of his black slaves rub his back. When he was asked what happened, he said, “I fell of the camel; therefore, I am having my back rubbed.”

There is no drawback to going to public baths if one is careful and observes the rules.

A person who goes to a public bath has to be careful about the following issues:

1 – Not to open his mahram parts and not to show them to anybody.

2 – Not to let anyone touch his parts of the body between his navel and the knees. That is, not to let a rubber to rub those parts. He can have the other parts rubbed. 

3 – It is wajib not to show his mahram parts and not to look at other people’s mahram parts. If mahram parts of a person are opened, it is necessary to remind him about it if possible; otherwise, one must not look at that side. 

* * *

If those three rules are observed, it is permissible to go to public baths. Otherwise, it is more appropriate to clean oneself and make ghusl in one’s own house.

There is no drawback to going to public baths that have separate rooms for everybody; it is better to prefer those kinds of public baths because it is easier to ensure tasattur in those baths.

The other manners of going to public baths are as follows:

1 – To have a nice intention; that is, not to have a worldly aim like to be cleaned bright and beautiful but to perform prayers as a clean person and to have a lofty aim like to be clean in the presence of Allah.

2 – To enter the public bath with the left foot.

3 – To utter the prayer, “Allahumma inni audhu bika mina’l-khubthi wa’l-khabaith” (O Allah! I seek your refuge from all sorts of harmful and vicious things) while entering the bath.

4 – It is more appropriate to prefer times when there are fewer people in the bath because some of the people in the public bath may not be religious, understanding and cultivated people. They may open their mahram parts without feeling modest. For this reason, it is better to prefer times when there are fewer people.

5 – Not to waste water.

6 – To connect a relationship between the heat in the public bath and the Hell fire and try to draw lessons.

7 – It is not appropriate to say ‘salamun alaykum’ while entering the public bath. Instead an expression like, ‘may it be healthy’ can be used. Shaking hands is also appropriate.

Not to talk much. The Quran is not read aloud. It is appropriate to say basmala silently. It is not recommended to go to a public bath just before the evening or between the evening and night prayers. 

1 – The urine and feces of horses and domestic or wild animals like sheep and deer whose flesh can be eaten... The feces of mule and donkey are controversial. There are some scholars who regard them as najasah ghalizah and others who regard them as najasah khafifah.

2 – The feces of the wild birds like hawks, kites and eagles that shit while flying... We had mentioned that the feces of the animals like pigeons and sparrows whose flesh can be eaten were clean.

We know that it is fard to wash inside the mouth and the nose for Hanafis. Accordingly, is it obligatory for a Hanafi person to remove the filling or the plate he has in his mouth and let water go underneath while making wudu, or is his ghusl valid when the water touches the plate or the filling?

The following fatwa regarding the issue is present in the fatwa book called “İlâveli Mecmua-i Cedîde” (New Periodical with Supplements), prepared by a committee of scholars headed by Nuri Efendi, head of Fatwa Committee published by Ali Murtaza, an editor of the Fatwa House:

“Zayd has to make ghusl but his teeth have cavities, which are filled with gold or silver; it is difficult to remove them; is his ghusl valid if he makes ghusl but if water does not enter the cavities of his teeth due to a necessity but touches the top part of the filling and is he regarded to have been cleaned?

The answer: Yes, it is valid.”

According to this fatwa, it is permissible to fill and cover the teeth if there is a necessity. Only the outer parts of those teeth are washed while making ghusl. It is not necessary to remove the filling and the plate and wash the inside of the tooth.

Uryanizade, one of the Sheikh-al-Islams gave fatwa that it was permissible to fill in the teeth. 

Dental health has an important place in the life of man. It has been discovered by medicine that dental illnesses bring about many other diseases. 

If dental filling and plating that are applied due to a necessity of the treatment are regarded as something that invalidates ghusl, many dental illness and disorders will be common in the Islamic world. The health of Muslims will be risked. Since dental filling and plating have become indispensable in dental treatment, it also has become a general problem, making an objectionable issue permissible. Therefore, filled and plated teeth do not prevent ghusl.   

However, those who are overwhelmed by delusions and those who want to act in accordance with taqwa can make intention as Shafiis. As it is known, it is not fard but sunnah to wash the inside of the mouth and the nose for Shafiis.

When it is impossible for water to enter inside the filled and plated teeth, it is no longer obligatory to wash them because they are not applied for decoration or as ornaments but they are methods of treatment that are necessary. Similarly, it is not obligatory to wash under the bandage on a wound...

According to the statements of doctors, not making istibra can harm people due to the smearing of urine; it may cause malodor and infection.

Thanks to the cleaning with water (istinja), we ensure the elimination of dirt in the private parts. There are millions of microbes in the excrement; if we do not clean the anus with water, those microbes cause infection and many disorders, and especially septicemia in people with hemorrhoids as a result of the infection. Cleaning with water helps to get rid of the worms like oxyuris that cause itching in the anus, to contract the large intestine that has expanded while defecating, the blood that has rushed to the large intestine due to strain to withdraw, the veins of the sexual organs to strengthen and to regulate the blood circulation. After being cleaned with water, it is necessary to be dried with a clean piece of cloth.

After being cleaned with water, it is necessary to wash the hands with soap thoroughly so that there will be no microbes left on the fingers and under the nails.    (Nu'man Kurtulmuş, Âmentü Şerhi.)

* Ghusl is necessary for the ejaculation when sperm comes out suddenly and with lust. The sperm that leaves its place with lust but comes out after lust has soothed necessitates ghusl according to Imam Azam and Imam Muhammad but it does not necessitate ghusl according to Abu Yusuf.  

* For ghusl, full intercourse is not necessary; if the tip of the penis enters the vagina, ghusl becomes obligatory no matter if sperm comes out or not.

* To put the finger into the front or back private part does not necessitate ghusl.

* If sperm comes out when a person holds someone, pats or looks at her, ghusl becomes necessary. It is valid both for man and woman.

* If a person who wakes up sees wetness on the sheet, his underwear or his thighs has to make ghusl if he remembers ejaculating in dream. If he does not remember ejaculating, he does not have to make ghusl according to Abu Yusuf because that wetness can be madi. Besides, even if it is sperm, it is not known whether it has come out with lust or not. Imam Azam and Imam Muhammad do not think that ghusl is necessary if it is known for sure that the wetness is madi. However, if one hesitates whether it is sperm or madi or if it is more likely that it is sperm, then, they say, ghusl is necessary in case it is sperm as a guarantee.

(Sperm: mani: the prostate fluid that contains sperm... Madi: the prostate secretion that comes out without lust)

* If a person has a wet dream but if sperm has not come out, he does not have to make ghusl.

* If the sperm of the husband of a woman comes out of her after she makes ghusl, she does not have to make ghusl again.

* If sperm comes out without lust due to reasons like being beaten or lifting heavy things, ghusl is not necessary. However, Imam Shafii holds the view that ghusl is necessary.

* If a non-Muslim becomes a Muslim when he/she is junub or in the period of menstruation or puerperium, it is necessary for him/her to make ghusl. However, when he/she becomes a Muslim when he/she is not in one of those states, it becomes mandub (recommended) not fard for him/her to make ghusl. 

A person who wants to make tayammum intends through his heart and tongue first, puts his hands with fingers wide open on the clean soil or a material made of soil, and then moves his hands forward. Then, he moves them backward. Then he shakes off the dust by clapping his hands. After that, he wipes the whole of his face by his two hands. Thus, the first touching is fulfilled. 

Then, he touches the soil firmly with both of his hands, moves them first forward and then backward, and shakes off the dust. After that, he separates the thumb and the index finger of his left hand from the other three fingers; he wipes the outer side of his right hand up to the elbow. He wipes the inner side of his right hand and arm with the thumb and the index finger. Thus, the wiping of the right hand is completed.

The left hand is wiped similarly, and tayammum is completed.

As it is seen, while making tayammum, first the intention is uttered; then the hands touch the soil firmly twice; after the first touching, the face is wiped and after the second touching, the hands (first the right then the left hand) are wiped.

It is not necessary to wash inside the eyes. Therefore, it is not necessary for those who wear lenses to remove their lenses for making wudu. It is enough to wet the top parts of the eyebrows and mustache. It is not necessary to wet the skin under them.

However, it is necessary to wet the skin under the mustache and eyebrows while making ghusl.

• What is tayammum?

Tayammum lexically means intention, having a goal.

As a religious term, it means to wipe the arms and the face with clean soil in a special way.

Tayammum is a kind of convenience peculiar to this ummah. Believers can be freed from hadath (impurity) through tayammum when there is no water around or it is impossible to use the water. Thus, they do not miss worshipping Allah due to something that they cannot do anything about.  

The Messenger of Allah states that tayammum is a special grant of Allah to this ummah as follows:

“I was given five things that had not been given to anybody before me. One of them is the fact that the earth (soil) was given to me as a mosque and cleaner. Therefore, when the time for a prayer starts, perform praying wherever you are.”

(The previous ummahs could worship only in buildings like churches and synagogues that were allocated for worshipping.)

As it is understood from the words of the Prophet, soil was rendered both a clean place for worshipping (unless there is something dirty on it that prevents praying) and a means of cleaning to replace water when there is no water available.

Tayammum was made legitimate on the fifth or sixth year of Hijrah, during the military expedition against Bani Mustaliq by the sixth verse of the chapter al-Maida. 

The following is stated at the end of the verse that informs about the decree of tayammum:

“Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete His favor to you, that ye may be grateful.”

It is understood from this statement that tayammum is a means of convenience and mercy for believers and that it prevents believers from lacking spiritual cleaning.  

The criterion for najasah khafifah is covering one-fourth of the garment or the organ. If the amount of dirt is less than one-fourth, it does not invalidate prayer. If it is more than one-fourth, it invalidates prayer; it becomes fard to wash it. 

However, even if it is less than the amount that invalidates prayer, it is better for taqwa to clean all kinds of najasah whether ghalizah or khafifah.

When our Prophet said, “cleanliness is from belief”, he indicated that those who give importance to cleanliness have a strong belief.

Therefore, we should try to clean the dirty places as much as possible whether the najasah is ghalizah or khafifah; the amount does not invalidate the prayer but we still want to worship with a clean body and clean clothes. Besides, it is written in some fiqh books that it is wajib to clean the najasah although its amount is not so much as to invalidate the prayer.

We all know that cleanliness is one of the most important precautions to prevent diseases. It is necessary to teach people the rules of cleanliness at a very young age. Most of the animals have information about cleanliness although their parents do not teach them.  

Allah sent all of the living beings to the world with information about cleanliness. There are almost no animals that are not interested in cleanliness. That order has been valid since the world was established. For instance, the badger, which lives in its palace under the ground, is regarded as dirty by people, but, in reality, it is one of the cleanest animals. It always keeps its fur clean; it uses a place that it often changes as a toilet. It sometimes cleans its home, carrying the dirty straws and rubbish out of its home and piling them in a distant place.

Elephants roll in mud to clean their skins. Their trunk functions like showers in the mud. They spray the water on their bodies like a hose. Sometimes, their bodies are covered in mud but the mud dries and falls of taking away all the dirt. The lion, the tiger and all of the big predators are as clean as domestic cats. Most of the small furry animals spend most of their times cleaning themselves. For instance, when rats are not asleep, they regularly clean their skins with their teeth and feet.

Seals and rhinoceroses prefer massaging. They rub against stones and polish their bodies. The weasel makes a hollow in the trunk of the old trees and rolls in it until the last dust particle on its skin falls off.

All of the animals that have teeth give importance to the care of their teeth. The wolf has yellow teeth but it is the natural color of its teeth. You can never find any food residue on and between its teeth, which are always kept clean.

Wolves, which give great importance to cleanliness, clean their skin from fleas and louse using dust. Almost all birds wash themselves in water. There is a small fat gland around the tail of the most of the birds. After they wash and clean themselves, they lubricate and soften their feathers thanks to it. 

The nests of the birds are very clean, too. There are almost no birds that dirty their nests. The birds collect the dirt of the young birds with their beaks and instead of throwing them out of the nest, they fly away for a few meters and drop it down. That is, the birds pay attention to the cleanliness of their nests and around their nests. 

There will be disease in places that lack cleanliness. Therefore, people are taught the necessity of cleanliness beginning at a very young age. Although the animals are not usually taught anything about cleanliness by their parents, they are very sensitive about cleanliness.

That is, the animals are created with the necessary information for the continuation of their lives. Our Lord, who encompasses the whole universe with His mercy, programs the animals with the laws of life and about their relations with the universe when He sends them to the world.

The interesting methods of cleanliness seen in those numerous animals are like bright seals of the name al-Quddus of our Creator, who always sees and supervises the universe. (Zafer Magazine)

* Young girls usually start to menstruate between the ages of 12 and 15. 

* The most important duty for a learned and sensible mother who has a daughter approaching the age of 12 is to enlighten her daughter regarding the issue.

* The first thing that comes to mind about menstruation is cleanliness because the health, peace and joy of a woman depend on the degree of material cleanliness on the days of menstruation, hence on the regularity of the beginning and the end of the periods of menstruation, the normal amount of bleeding and painless menstruation, that is, having a normal menstruation. 

* Every young girl should have a shower or a bath every other day when she is not in menstruation, and every day when she is in menstruation with slightly warm water. While having a bath or shower, she should wash and rub the pubic region, the chests and the armpits with soapy flannel.

* A woman should use slightly warm water, not hot or cold water, while cleaning herself on the days of menstruation. If she washes her pubic region with cold water, she might cause that region get cold and microbes to reproduce; cold water also causes the bleeding to stop before its usual time and suddenly in some women and girls with sensitive body structures. As for hot water, it increases the bleeding. 

* Menstrual cleanliness is not necessary only for women. Unmarried young girls should also do this cleaning similarly.

* Women and young girls should avoid tiring work on menstruation days. If they have pains, or if the bleeding is more or less than usual, they should see a doctor. 

They should avoid having cold showers, catching a cold and exposing their feet to cold, taking long walks, riding a horse or a bike, using a treadle sewing machine, lifting heavy objects and sleeplessness.

They should avoid eating food that emits stinky smell.

We may base our deeds on taqwa and act in accordance with taqwa in our personal lives and individual preferences. However, we cannot force others to do so. We find it sufficient for others to act in accordance with fatwa. 

* * *

While Imam A’zam was going to mosque one day, a small amount of blurred water from the puddle next to the road splattered on him. He rushed to the fountain, cleaned the mud thoroughly and then went to the mosque.   

Those who saw that he rushed with excitement in order to wash the muddy water asked him:

– O Imam, you had said the najsah that splattered on the clothes would not invalidate the prayer unless it covered an area as large as the palm of the hand. However, let alone najasah, you did not go to the mosque before washing the muddy water on your clothes, which is regarded as clean religiously. Why?

Imam A’zam answered as follows:

– What you say is right. I tell others to act in accordance with fatwa but I always prefer acting in accordance with taqwa. In terms of fatwa, najasah ghalizah that splatters on the clothes does not invalidate the prayer unless it covers an area as large as the palm of the hand. However, since I act in accordance with taqwa, I want to perform prayers with spotlessly clean clothes although what splatters on my clothes is not najasah but muddy water, which is regarded as clean religiously. That is what I prefer individually.” (Ahmed Şahin, Hayatın Gerçekleri ve Biz’den)

Cleaning after having a bowel movement or urinating can be made with water or with small stones when there is no water.  

When there is no water, istinja can be made with worthless pieces of cloth and cotton, paper that is not water absorbing and not used for writing (toilet paper).

In fact, it is better to make istinja with water and than to dry using something that is water absorbing.

* Many people can make tayammum from the same clean soil. When a person touches the soil, it is not regarded to have been used.

* More than one fard and supererogatory prayer can be performed with one tayammum. According to Imam Shafii, only one fard but more than one supererogatory prayer can be performed with one tayammum. It is recommended to make a new tayammum for each fard prayer to be free from controversy.

* If a person has wounds on half or more of his wudu organs, he makes tayammum.

* If a person is imprisoned or put into a cell where there is no water or clean soil, he delays his prayer and performs it later according to Imam Azam and Imam Muhammad. According to Abu Yusuf, he performs the prayer without reading anything. In other words, he imitates the prayer. He performs it again when he leaves the prison.

* If hajjis cannot find any water and if they have zamzam water that they are carrying as present, they make ghusl with zamzam. They cannot make tayammum.

* If a person has to make ghusl but finds water only enough for wudu, he makes tayammum. He does not have to use that water.

* Tayammum can be made before the time for a prayer starts but it is more appropriate to delay tayammum if the person hopes to find water before the recommended time for the prayer passes.

According to the other three madhhabs other than Hanafis, tayammum cannot be made before the time for a prayer starts.

The amount of najasah that invalidates prayer depends on whether the najasah is something wet or dry as follows:

If the najasah ghalizah is a dry, it should be lighter than three grams. If it is more than three grams, it invalidates the prayer.

If it is wet, it should not cover an area greater than the palm of a hand. The najasah that has wetted an area greater than the palm of a hand invalidates the prayer. It is fard to clean that najasah in order to be able to perform a prayer.

Najasah ghalizah less than the amount mentioned above does invalidate the prayer. However, it is sunnah to clean that najasah – if possible.

A group of Companions came together and went to visit the Messenger of Allah. When they reached the house of the Prophet next to the mosque, they asked for permission to enter the house.

The Messenger of Allah was having a rest at that time. When he was informed that he had visitors, he got dressed and went toward the door to welcome his visitors. There was an earthenware jar full of water next to the door. Before opening the door, the Messenger of Allah leaned over the jar, looked at his reflection in the water and tidied his hair and the turban on his head.

Aisha, his wife, found it very strange that the Messenger of Allah tidied himself and combed his hair and beard.

– Do you also adorn yourself out and fell the need to show off? Aisha could not help asking him.

The Messenger of Allah answered the question of Aisha as follows:

– Yes, O Aisha! A Muslim should avoid meeting his brothers with an ugly appearance and he should tidy himself up before meeting them. Allah is beautiful and He likes materially and spiritually clean and beautiful people. He wants a Muslim to look nice in the presence of other Muslims.”

That is, it is not a sign of being a Muslim to wear dirty and shabby clothes and not to take care of one’s clothes and appearance. It is not a sign of modesty and virtue to wear shabby clothes and to be untidy, as some people think. The sunnah of the Messenger of Allah is to appear before people by wearing clean, decent and proper clothes. Therefore, we must take care of our clothes and appearance and tidy ourselves up before meeting our friends and brothers in religion.  

According to those scholars who regard alcoholic drinks other than wine as clean, alcoholic matter like eau de cologne, (raw) spirit, and tincture of iodine are clean, too. It is permissible to use them, that is, to spread them on your body or clothes, to pour them on you, to have them in small bottles on you are permissible. They do not invalidate the prayer. 

According to the two decisions made by the Consultation Board of the Presidency of Religious Affairs in1943 and in1948, although it is haram to drink things like (raw) spirit and eau de cologne, it is not haram to use them. They do not make the place where they are poured dirty.

Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır states the following on page 762 of the first volume of his interpretation:

“Raw spirit, beer and similar alcoholic drinks that are not produced from wine cannot be drunk, but, it cannot be claimed that they will invalidate the prayer when they are spread on the body or the clothes. Thus, Abu Hanifa believes that the matter and drops of alcoholic drinks other than wine are not najis.”

According to those who regard alcoholic drinks other than wine as najis (dirty), eau de cologne and (raw) spirit are najis, too. Therefore, the places that are wetted by eau de cologne and (raw) spirit are regarded najis. If a place as large as the palm of a hand is wetted by them, one cannot perform a prayer unless those parts are washed. It is not enough for a place wetted by eau de cologne to be clean when the eau de cologne is volatilized by the wind or heat. That part must be washed, just like the place wetted by urine. Even if the place wetted by urine dries, that place is not regarded clean unless it is washed.  

It is the best way to avoid things like eau de cologne, which are disputable in terms of cleanliness. However, when it is difficult to avoid them, it will be appropriate to think that there are some scholars who say to use spirit and eau de cologne is not haram but permissible and to act accordingly.

During the time when Sultan Mustafa III had the Laleli Mosque built, people talked about a saint called Laleli (having a tulip) Baba (father); they said each word of his contained deep meanings, secrets and wisdom.

The Sultan wondered about the man who always wore a tulip on his chest and went to visit him. People never had any doubt about his sainthood; the saint started to answer the questions of the Sultan; when the Sultan asked him what the greatest bounty in the world was, he answered:

– The greatest bounty in the world is to be able to urinate and have a bowel movement after eating and drinking.

The Sultan did not like the answer. He felt disturbed by the answer that had a vulgar meaning and left the place. 

After eating and drinking in the palace that night, the Sultan could not urinate or have a bowel movement; he could not sleep and walked about till morning.

At dawn, he made wudu, performed the morning prayer and went straight to the house of Laleli Baba.

He told, so to speak by begging, Laleli Baba that he could not sleep last night that he looked forward to the dawn and that he wanted his prayer in order to get rid of the trouble.

Laleli Baba said:

– Although we use so many bounties of Allah, we do not appreciate them because we take them for granted. I think now you have found out that it is the greatest bounty to be able to urinate and have a bowel movement after eating and drinking. He adds:

– If you donate that mosque that you have built to me, and hand over your authority as the Sultan to me, I will pray for your recovery...

The Sultan donated the mosque immediately and said that the name of the mosque is the Laleli Mosque from that point onwards. However, he did not want to hand over the sultanate at first; but his pains were increasing; so, finally he said he would abdicate and begged Laleli Baba to pray for his recovery.

Laleli Baba said:

– What a strange sultanate is it that it can be abdicated in return for urinating and having a bowel movement! 

After the prayer of Laleli Baba, the Sultan got rid of the trouble. The mosque that he built was named the Laleli Mosque since he donated it to Laleli Baba after this incident.

* All of the earth (mines, waters, grass, trees, flowers, fruit, etc) the external parts of the bodies of all of the living beings are regarded clean unless something regarded as najasah ghalizah or khafifah smears on them.

Only the pig is an exception. Its flesh, external part of its body, that is, its hair and skin are all dirty. If the clothes or the hand touches it, the part that touches it becomes dirty. It becomes obligatory to wash that part. 

Some scholars say it is permissible to use the hair of pig in making paintbrushes and in sewing shoes due to a necessity. That is, the paint applied by a paintbrush made of the hair of pig and the shoes sewn by thread made of the hair of pig are not regarded as dirty. 

Shafiis regard the external part of the body of the dog as dirty just like the pig.

*  The blood of the flea, lice and bedbug is clean too.

* The fish and other animals that live in water and die in water are clean. Their blood is clean, too. If it smears the clothes, the clothes are regarded clean. 

* Small sprinkles of urine as small as a pinpoint or the eye of a needle do not cause najasah on the body or clothes. It is permissible to perform prayers with clothes sprinkled with urine like that.

However, if those sprinkles of urine fall into a small amount of water, that water becomes dirty.

*  The smoke from najasah does not make a garment dirty when it touches the garment.

* The mud of the streets is regarded clean whether it is hard or soft whether it contains manure or not. Therefore, the clothes do not become dirty when mud smears on them.

* The water used in wudu or ghusl – they are called ma al-musta’mal (used water) in fiqh – is clean. Dirt can be cleaned with this water. However, wudu or ghusl cannot be made with that used water.  

* If someone lies in a dirty bed or on dirty ground, his clothes are not regarded to be dirtied.

* Wet laundry or things laid on a dirty but dry place are not regarded dirty unless traces of dirt are seen on them.

* It is makruh to urinate against the wind and into the lakes or rivers. It is also regarded makruh to have a bowel movement or urinate under the fruit trees, in shady places where people sit to have a rest, crop fields, into the ant and insect nests and on the roads. To contaminate the roads where people walk, shady places where people sit to have a rest, picnic areas were severely prohibited by a hadith and it was stated that it would cause people to damn and curse due to the troubles that they suffered.

Another thing to avoid is leaving the toilet without cleaning it after having a bowel movement. It will also cause people trouble and hatred. It is included in the scope of the prohibition in the hadith.

* The left hand is used for the cleaning after urinating or having a bowel movement. 

* The water must not be splashed severely and one must try not to soil his clothes with urine.

* It is not appropriate to urinate in the same place where one has a bath or a shower. It may cause delusion. However, if the urine flows away and does not remain in the place where one has a bath, it is regarded permissible by some scholars. However, it is better to avoid it.

God Almighty imposed a general cleanliness law and ordered all of the beings to obey that law. When we look around us, we see that this law is dominant on everything, from atoms to the sun, from the particles to the stars.

The red blood cells eliminate the harmful microbes and other things that enter the body, obeying that order; the breath that we always inhale and exhale cleans the blood, showing that it surrenders to the same law. The eyelids wipe the eyes. The flies clean their wings, showing that they obey that order; the big clouds in the sky and the air obey it, too. The air blows the rubbish consisting of dust and dirt that lands on the earth and cleans it. The cloud sprinkles water like a wet sponge on the ground and makes the dust settle. Then, it moves away by collecting the rubbish so as not to make the sky dirty. It leaves the beautiful face of the sky in a clean, wiped and shiny state.

They are all examples showing how regularly the law of cleanliness that Allah has imposed on the universe works.

This general cleanliness in the universe is the manifestation of the name al-QUDDUS (the Pure One) of God Almighty.

All beings, from atoms to stars, obey this law of cleanliness in the universe, which is based on al-Quddus, one of the names of Allah, and pay great attention to their cleanliness; so, it cannot be thought that human beings are exempt from this universal and divine law.

As a matter of fact, God Almighty also addressed man, who is the most honorable and superior creature, regarding the order of the cleanliness that He imposed on the universe and made him responsible for material and immaterial cleanliness.

Since the reality of cleanliness is based on al-Quddus, one of the greatest names of Allah, cleanliness is regarded as a part of the light and perfection of belief. It is indicated in the verses that material and immaterial cleanliness is a means of obtaining the love and consent of Allah.

The late Hajji Cemal Öğüt was a sophisticated and enlightened man of religion.

He was interested in especially the issues related to health and tried to enlighten people about health not only in his preaches but also in his books. In a meeting organized by Verem Savaş Derneği (Fight Against Tuberculosis) with the contribution of UNESCO, he distributed his book called ’nun “İçtimai ve Ahlaki Temizlik: Yerlere ve Yollara Tükürenlerin Suçları” (Social and Ethical Cleanliness: the Crimes of People Who Spit on the Ground and Roads). In the meeting the next day, a doctor who was the representative of UNESCO showed the book and asked the people around him, “Who gave me this book?” Cemal Öğüt said, “I did”. When the French doctor said he wanted to know the writer of the book, Cemal Öğüt introduced himself saying, “I am a bigot”. General Tevfik Sağlam, who was present at the meeting, said,

– “If you were a bigot, would we invite you to the meeting?” Thereupon, Cemal Öğüt hit the right note:

– “O General! Unfortunately for many years, people like you have called people like me “bigots” and people like me called you “unbelievers” as a reaction. Now, we are trying to approach and know each other. Our national unity can only be realized if we come together and work together. Only then can serious steps be taken for the development of our country. I think the most vital activity of today and tomorrow is to close the artificial precipices between us by cooperating.”

Congratulating Cemal Öğüt sincerely on his words, Doctor Etienne Berthet, the representative of Unesco made the following remarkable statement:

– “Mr Öğüt! I wanted to make some studies about health and cleanliness in Unesco. I applied to the most authoritative cardinals and the chief rabbi and asked them the view of our religion about the issue. However, I could not get any proper information about health and cleanliness from them. Then, I found out that Christianity did not have any remarkable views about the issue. However, I have learnt from your book that Islam is like a treasure worthy of being studied in terms of cleanliness and health. I would like to thank you since you have caused me to understand it.” (Cumhuriyetten Günümüze İslâm Âlimleri, Vehbi Vakkasoğlu)