Purification

When you intend to offer prayer, you must be in a state of purification, which symbolizes glorification of your Lord: Allah, the One to whom you are offering your prayer.

Purification is maintained by observing Wudhu (ablution) in the way prescribed by Allah, in the sixth verse of the fifth chapter in the Noble Quran. Allah says, "O you who believe!, when you intend to offer As-Salat (the prayer):

1. "Wash your faces"; and this includes rinsing the mouth, sniffing water and then blowing it out through the nose.
2. "And your hands up to and including the elbows"; and this requires washing booth arms up to the elbows and it is recommended that one begins with the right arm then washes the left one.
3. "And wipe (by passing wet hands over) your heads". The verse includes wiping the entire head and the ears which are a part of it.
4. "And (wash) your feet up to the ankles"; and this requires washing both feet up to and including the ankles. Again, it is commendable that you wash the right foot before the left one.

It is necessary to observe order among these four organs in the course of Wudhu. In the following cases, (wudhu) ablution is not enough, and therefore the entire body must be washed before the prayer:

1. After having the sexual intercourse.
2. After discharge of semen.
3. At the end of the menstrual period (for ladies).
4. At the end of post-natal bleeding (for ladies).

When water is unavailable or unusable, performing Tayamum becomes an alternative. In order to perform Tayamum, strike your hands on dust and then wipe your face and the surface of both hands: your right hand before the left one.

• When you have become clean and purified you do not have to repeat purification for every prayer as long as your state of (Wudhu) purification has not been invalidated by any of the following:

1. All excretions from the private parts such s urine, stool, wind, sperm and blood.
2. Having sexual intercourse.
3. Directly touching the private parts with hand.
4. Not of sound mind, sleep, unconsciousness, intoxication, and the like.
5. Eating camel meat.