Bismillahi-ar-Rahmani-r-Raheem!!!
Body and Soul:
How Islam and Physical Appearance Go Hand-in-Hand
"...Allah does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour to you that you may be thankful." (English translation of The Holy Qur'an: extract of Al-Ma'idah 5:6)
As-Salamu Alaikum, sisters!
You can hardly find any information concerning hygiene rulings of Islam. However, modesty in this matter can be harmful. If new Muslims can't get the information they can't do what Islam requires from them. So I'm trying to cover this topic by using The Holy Qur'an, ahadeeth and sunnah. I, myself, have gone through all this before when I reverted to Islam, Al-Hamdulillah. Something to add, something to correct or something to ask: e-mail me!
Ritual cleanliness
A Muslim washes his/her face, nose, ears, neck, arms and feet at least five times a day, every time before a prayer. This is called Wudu (some spell it Wudhu). Before Wudu you should go to the bath room and do whatever you need to do there. But before entering the bath room say: (Bismillahi) Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal khubthi wal khabaa'ith. (meaning: By the Name of Allah. Oh, Allah, I seek protection in You from unclean spirits, male and female. narrated by: Al-Bukhari 1/45, Muslim 1/283. See also Fath Al-Bari 1/244) After you're done, wash your private parts and hands. If you don't wash your private parts you need to take a shower before praying. Then you can start Wudu. Follow these steps:
1) Mention your Niyat (intention) in your heart. Then say: Bismillahi-ar-Rahmani-r-Raheem.
2) Wash your hands up to wrists, starting from the right hand (left hand is so called "toilet hand", used for washing private parts). Wipe each hand only up to three times.
3) Wash your mouth by making the right hand as a cup and then taking water on it. Do it up to three times.
4) Wash your nostrils. Make the right hand a cup and sneeze the water into nostrils. Then sneeze the water out by using your left hand. Up to three times.
5) Wash your face from right ear to left ear and from forehead to chin. Make sure no area is left dry. Up to three times.
6) Then wash arms (first the right one) up to elbows and again make sure nothing is left dry. Up to three times.
7) Clean the rest of the head as follows: wet your fingers and wipe your head with those starting from forehead going to neck and then back to forehead. Do it only once.
8) Clean your ears with stucking wet index fingers into them, clean also the outer parts of the ears with index fingers. Do the back of the ears by moving wet thumbs down and then up. Do it only once.
9) Wash your feet (first the right one) up to ankles and make sure nothing's left dry. Do it up to three times.
Mughira ibn Shu 'Bah has said: "The Prophet (SAWS) made Wudu and wiped his socks and sandals". (narrated by: Ahmad, Tirmizi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah)
Amr ibn Shuaib has told that his father use to tell how his grandfather had told that the Prophet Muhammed (SAWS) had said:"If someone performs some part of the Wudu more than three times, he has done wrong, committed a sin and operated badly".
When you come out of the bath room say: Ghufraanaka. (meaning: I seek Your Forgiveness. narrated by: Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhi. An-Nasa'i, 'Amal Al-Yaum wal-Lailah. see also Ibn Al-Qaiyim, Zad Al-Ma ad, 2/387)
After this you should say the following Du'as: "Ashadu an laa ilaaha illa llaahu wahdahu laa saareeka lahu. Wa-ashadu anna Muhammedan abduhu wa-rasooluhu." (I bear witness that there's no god but Allah and no one can be compared to Him. And I bear witness that Muhammed (SAWS) is His servant and messenger.) (Muslim)
"Allaahumma ja'alnee min at-tawwabeen wa-ja'alnee min al-mutatahereen." (Oh Allah, make me one of them who are penitent and make me one of them who are purified.) (Tirmizi)
Wudu is unvalid and has to be done again if:
*you go to the bath room again and happen to touch your uncovered private parts
*you have gas problems
*you sleep
*you are unconscious for a while
*you have husband-wife relationship
*you ejaculate
*you touch a person of opposite gender who is not related to you
