Ablution is a purifying ritual that is based on washing parts of the body.
Ablution is the act of washing (cleansing or purifying) and is often applied specifically to purifying rites carried out by certain religions. It is a concept that comes from the Latin word ablutĭo .
Christianity , Judaism , Islam and Hinduism are among the religions that, in different contexts, call for ablution. Christian baptism , for example, includes the ablution of the baptized with water.
Ablution rituals
In the case of Judaism , there is a space called mikveh , where the faithful immerse themselves in water to perform ablution. Muslims , for their part, undergo ablution before salat (daily prayers).
Each ablution ritual has its own characteristics. In the case of the aforementioned ablution of Judaism, it must be carried out in a place where the water flows and is not stagnant. This allows the person to achieve purification after coming into contact with something impure.
Although ablution is usually done with water , in some cases the use of solid elements is authorized to achieve purification . Those Muslims who live in desert areas and have limited access to water can perform ablution with stones or earth. In this way they replace the water with elements that are within their reach, also achieving the purification sought through the ritual.
Muslims, on the other hand, differentiate between small ablutions and large ablutions according to the type of action that motivates the rite. The purification that is performed before salat is a small ablution.
Christian baptism includes ablution.
Salat preview
To carry out the salat, it is necessary to have completed personal hygiene and have clean clothes. According to the rules of the religion, it is mandatory to bathe after having had sexual relations and, in the specific case of women, after giving birth or during the days of the menstrual cycle.
It is worth mentioning that ablution is only obligatory if certain conditions are met, although most of them are practically impossible to avoid, since they include having slept, urinated or having touched the sexual organ of the spouse with the hand.
To proceed to perform ablution, it is required that the person feel the legitimate intention, which is called An»nia ; It is not something that must be expressed through words, but rather a feeling of true commitment to the practice.
Method of ablution in Islam
The method for performing ablution is known as oudu»e , which is described below:
- A prayer should be said exalting the name of Allah and mentioning His clemency and mercy.
- Wash your palms three times.
- Rinse your mouth, also three times.
- Bring water to the nose with the right hand, inhale to make it enter the body and then expel it with the left hand, to wash the nasal passages. This step must be repeated three times.
- Wash your face completely, and then the region of your arms that goes from your elbows to your hands, starting with your right arm, all three times.
- Moisten your hands and pass them over your head, from the forehead to the back of the neck and vice versa, just once.
- Insert your index finger into each ear and use your thumb to rub the outside.
- Starting with the right leg, wash your feet until you reach the ankle, three times each.
- Perform the prayer that the Prophet taught the faithful, which includes the phrase "peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."
Once all these steps have been completed, you can use a towel or a piece of absorbent paper to dry any parts of the body that have remained wet .