Chapter 1: Bodily Purification

Q1: Under the light of Quran and Hadith, write a detailed note on
purification.
1. Literal meaning of purification:
Literally it means to be clean and pure.
2. Figurative meaning of purification:
In terms of Islam Tahara means to be purified according to the terms and condition of
Islamic Sharia.
As the Prophet PBUH said: ‫(الطھور شطراالیمان‬purification is the part of faith)
3. Types of purifications:
Purification has 2 types: Spiritual and Physical.
i. Spiritual purification: it means to purify ones thoughts, feelings and soul from
evil.
ii. Physical purification: it means to purify our body, clothes and place where we
live from impurities.
As Allah SWT said in Surat Al-Muddasir verse 4 and 5:
َ ُّ ‫( َو‬5.) ‫( َوث َي َاب َك َف َط ِّهر‬4.)
‫الرج َز فاه ُجر‬ ِ
(4)And keep your garments free from stain! (5)And away from impurity!
4. Ways of purification:
There are two ways of purification. Partial ablution and Full ablution. As Allah SWT
said in Surat Al-Maidah verseَ 6: َ
ُ ُُ ُ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َُ َ ُ َ ُ ُ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُ ُ َ ُ َ َ َّ َ ُّ َ
‫وُِم‬ ُ
ِ ِ‫ر‬ ِ ‫وا‬ ُ ‫س‬ ‫ام‬‫و‬ ‫ق‬ ‫اف‬
ِ ِ ‫ر‬ ‫م‬ ‫ال‬ ‫َل‬ ‫إ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬
ِ َ ِ ‫ي‬‫د‬ ‫ي‬ ‫أ‬‫و‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫وه‬ ‫ج‬‫و‬ ‫وا‬ ‫ل‬ ‫س‬ِ ‫اغ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫آمنوا ِإذا قمتم ِإَل الصَل ِة‬ ‫يا أيها ال ِذين‬
َّ ُ ُ ُ َ ْ َ ُ َ َ
ۚ ‫ي ۚ َو ِإن كنتم ُجن ًبا فاط َّه ُروا‬‫َوأر ُجلكم إَل الكع َب ن‬
ِ ِ
O believers! When you 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. If ye are in a state of major impurity,
bath your whole body.
Wudu: It is called partial ablution. One should perform wudu if not in major impurity. It
is the basic condition for Salah.
Ghusl: it is called Full ablution. If one is in major impurity must perform ghusl according
to the conditions of Islamic Sharia.
Tayammum: in case of no or less water one can perform dry ablution. It can be done by
striking anything that comes under the term earth.
5. Importance of purification in the light of Quran:
Allah SWT have instructed to be purify many times in Quran.
In Surat Al-Baqarah verse 222 Allah SWT said:
َ ‫ي َو ُيُ ُّب ْال ُم َت َط ِّهر‬
َ َّ َّ ُّ ُ َ َّ َّ
‫ين‬ ِ ِ ‫ِإن اَّلل ي ُِب التو ِاِ ن‬
Surly! Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and
clean.
He Also said in Surat Al-Baqarah verse 125: َ َ
‫ود‬ ُّ ‫الر َّكع‬
ُ ‫الس‬
‫ج‬ َ‫ي َو ْال َعاكف ن‬
ُّ ‫ي َو‬ َ‫لطائف ن‬َّ ‫ت ل‬َ ِ ‫يل أن َط ِّه َرا َِي‬ َ ‫َو َعهد َنا إ َ َٰل إِ َراه‬
‫يم َو ِإِ َم ِاع‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫ي‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ
 “And We urged Abraham and Ishmael, [by saying], Purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and
those who are staying [there] for worship and those who bow and prostrate [in prayer].”
In Surat At-Taubah verse 108 Allah SWT said:
‫ين‬ ُ َّ ‫ون َأن َي َت َط َّه ُروا ۚ َو‬
َ ‫اَّلل ُيُ ُّب ْال ُم َّط ِّهر‬ َ ُّ ُ ٌ َ
‫ِف ِيه ِرجال ي ُِب‬
ِ ِ
In them are men who love to be purified; and Allah loves those who make themselves pure.
He SWT also said in Surat Al-Maidah verse 6:
َ ُ َ ُ َّ َ ُ َ ُ َ ُ ُ َ ُ َ ُ َّ ‫َما ُير ُيد‬
‫اَّلل ِل َيج َع َل َعليكم ِمن َح َر ٍج َول ٰ ِكن ُي ِريد ِل ُي َط ِّه َركم َو ِل ُي ِت َّم ِنع َمته َعليكم ل َعلكم َُْ ُرون‬ ِ
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 also said in Surat Al-Waqiah verses 77-79:
َ ْ َّ ُ َ ُْ َ َ ‫ن‬ ٌ َ ٌ ُ َ ُ َّ
‫( َل َي َم ُّسه ِإَل ال ُم َط َّه ُرون‬79.) ‫ون‬
ٍ ‫اب مكن‬
ٍ ‫( ِ يف ِكت‬78.) ‫( ِإنه لقرآن ك ِريم‬77.)
(77) That this is indeed a Quran Most Honorable, (78) In Book well-guarded, (79) which none shall
touch but those who are clean:
6. Importance of purification in the light of Hadith:
 Prophet PBUH said:
“Prayer is the key to Jannah and the key to prayer is purification.”
 He PBUH also said:
“Four things are the Sunnah of the messengers:
1. Purification
2. Nikah
3. Perfume
4. Maswak”
 Prophet PBUH used to ask Allah SWT in dua’a:
‫اق‬
َ ِّ َ َْ َ َّ ُ ّٰ َ
ِ ‫الھم ط ِھر قل ِت ِمن النف‬
“O Allah SWT! Purify my heart from hypocrisy”
7. Benefits/advantages of purification:
 It gives mental and physical peace.
 It provides sense of freshness.
 It removes tiredness and fatigue.
 It is the way of acceptance of worship acts
 It provides enjoyment to worship Allah SWT.
 It removes dirt and keeps one away from many diseases.
 It pleases Allah SWT and bring success in both wolrds.