Today we're going to talk aboutone of the conditions required to be able to fully perform the prayer and hope for its acceptance, namely the great ablutions that man must perform with great care. The subject of great ablutions is of the utmost importance, and together we're going to tame the subject. By asking what exactly is meant by performing great ablutions? Then, what is the reason for this obligation? And how to go about it? Or how to perform them? Here's an overview of this purity obligation.
Great ablutions for men - kézako?
Man's great ablutions refer to a series of rituals, part of the obligatory acts, which enable him to pass from a state of impurity to a state of purity. These acts are particularly necessary for prayer.
To be more precise, it's an obligatory washing, whichrequires the use of water. For your information, there are 3 types of ablution, so let's take a look at them.
The 3 types of ablution
Our legislation covers 3 types of purification. Firstly, the most repeated ones, in particular the small ablutions. Also known as minor ablutions, or in Arabic woudhou, they are performed daily, as they are required in order to be able to perform the prayer, that second pillar. Then there's our specific subject here, the great ablutions of man, also known as major ablutions.
In Arabic, these are known as ghusl and refer to the great washing or, in other words, the ritual bath. They are performed less frequently. In particular, they are intended to purify men from sexual relations. And for the woman, who is obviously just as concerned.
Finally, men can also perform dry ablutions. That said, these are performed under certain specific conditions. In particular, it is often the case that a man is physically incapacitated to the point of risking harm to himself by performing minor ablutions.
So we've begun to address this question, but when exactly should a man's major ablutions be performed?
When should man perform his major ablutions?
As we said earlier, man must perform his great ablution as soon as he has performed an act that would nullify his state of purity. Clearly, the great ablutions will cleanse him of the impure state he is in. There may be many reasons for the impurity he needs to get rid of. We'll go into a little more detail here.
To begin with, it's advisable to purify oneself with a ritual bath after the sexual act. This applies whether the act involves penetration or simply rubbing. As well as all intimate acts that lead to orgasm, and therefore to ejaculation.
Erotic dreaming is another type of sexual act that requires a great deal of ablution. The one that leads to a flow of liquid. In this case, since it is nothing other than a defilement that the man must get rid of.
In another context, the great ablutions of man are required for the "freshly" converted. Indeed, upon conversion to Islam, entry into the religion of truth requires great ablutions to purify oneself of past deeds. Then, one of the last cases to be mentioned is the Hajj in particular.
Indeed, if a man wishes to perform the hajj or the 'Omra - we're talking about the major and minor pilgrimages - he will need to purify himself with the great ablutions before starting.
Finally, of course, the performance of prayer requires great purity. The ritual bath must be taken with equally pure water. No color, no odor. This is one of the conditions that must be observed if the purity sought is to be validated.
So the question that remains to be addressed is, of course, how to perform them?
How should man perform his great ablutions?
As our beloved prophet taught us, actions are only as good as their intentions. So we must necessarily begin by formulating the intention to purify ourselves. We're not talking about an explicit formula here, but rather a will expressed by an inner feeling.
Next, it's obligatory for a man to perform his great ablutions in the Name of Allah. Thus, it is appropriate to say: BISMILLAH. The Sunnah of our beloved Prophet teaches us exactly how to proceed. The Muslim begins by washing his hands three times.
Then he will wash his private parts, in particular. Then he will perform the minor ablutions. The procedure is exactly the same as for prayer. With one exception, he must insist on rubbing his scalp, and even more so on wetting it completely.
After this, the man pours water over every part of his body, taking particular care not to omit anything. The water should go through all the folds. First, the right side. Then the left.
And don't forget the inside of the ears, the back of the neck, the nostrils, the navel, the toes and the armpits! In other words, the Muslim must scrupulously ensure that everything is thoroughly scrubbed.
Finally, once the water purification is complete, the Muslim must pronounce a particular invocation.
The invocation
At the end of his great ablutions, the man should say:
"Ash-hadu an lâ ilaha illa-llah, wahdahu lâ sharika lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh. Allahumma j'alni min at-tawwabina wa j'alni min al-mutatahhirin."
In French: "J'atteste qu'il n'y a aucune divinité digne d'être adorée en dehors d'Allah, Seul, sans aucun associé. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. O Allah, make me one of those who repent and purify themselves often." Here the man will have fully completed his great ablutions.
In conclusion, we invite you to learn more about this subject, which is clearly of the utmost importance. Many haadiths give precise details of how they are performed. Like the one we've decided to quote before leaving you.
Indeed, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
"When the Messenger of Allah performed major ablutions, he would first wash his hands, then pour water from his right hand into his left and wash his sex. Then he would perform his minor ablutions, then he would take water and insert his wet fingers up to the base of his hair, then he would pour three handfuls of water on his head, then he would pour water all over his body and finally he would wash his feet." Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.