Qualities of Purification

It is equal in excellence to half the faith: The Prophet of Allah (Peace be upon him) said in this regard:

“Cleanliness is equal to half the faith and saying: ‘Praise be to Allah (i.e. Alhamdu Lillah) makes the scale of good works become hefty. The utterance of ‘Subhan Allah’ (Far removed is Allah from every imperfection!) and ‘Alhamdu Lillah’ (Praise be to Allah!) fill the space between the heavens and the earth (with blessings). Salat (prayer) is light, alms giving is a proof (of one’s faith) and the Holy Qur’an is a plea in your favour or against you. Everyone begins his morning ready to bargain with his soul as a stake and frees it or loses it.’” (Reported by Muslim)

Purification is beloved and pleasing to God. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported the Prophet (Peace be upon him) as saying:

“The following verse was revealed concerning the people of Quba: “Wherein are men who love to purify themselves.” They used to cleanse themselves with soul and water (after answering the call of nature), so this verse was revealed about them.” (Reported by Abu Daud & Tirmidhi) 

It is one of the qualities of believers because it is a type of worship seen only by Allah. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“You should know that prayer is the best of your deeds. Only a believer keeps observing wudu’ (ablution).” (Reported by Ibn Majah, Darmi and Baihaqi)

Maintaining purification is an act that leads to acceptance of supplication. The Noble Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,

“If a Muslim sleeps while he is pure (having performed ablution) then when he wakes up during night he mentions the name of Allah and asks Allah anything of the good things in this life and the Hereafter, Allah will surely give him what he asked.” (Reported by Ahmad & Tabrani)

It also rasies one rank in the sight of God. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said to Bilal at the time of the Fajr (Dawn) prayer:

“O Bilal, Tell me the most promising work you have done in Islam, for I heard the knock of your shoes in the Heavenly Gardens. Bilal answered: I haven’t done an act more hopeful to me than this: I have never performed ablution during daytime or night but (after that) I performed what I could of voluntary prayers.” (Reported by Bukhari & Muslim)

The act of maintaining  purity removes the sins. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“When the time of a prescribed prayer comes, if any Muslim performs excellently its ablution, humility and bowing. It will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin, and this applies to all times.”

“May I tell you something by which Allah obliterates the sins and elevates the ranks (of a man)?” They said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Performing the ablution thoroughly despite odds, traversing of more paces towards the mosque, and waiting for the next prayer after observing a prayer. This is (as good as) Rabat (watching in the night in the cause of Allah.” (Reported by Muslim)

Amr ibn Absah asked the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) about ablution. The Messenger (Peace be upon him) said:

“As for ablution when you wash your hands, your sins will be removed from underneath your nails and finger-tips. If you rinse your mouth and nostrils, wash your face and hands and arms up to the elbows, wipe your head and wash your feet up to the ankles, you will have all your sins washed away. When you have placed your face on the ground in prostration to Allah, you will be purified of all your sins as you were on the day of your birth.” (Reported by Nasai)

It is one of the qualities of true nature. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“Ten acts are demands of true nature, namely: clipping the moustache, letting the beard grow, brushing the teeth with Miswak, snuffing up water in the nose, clipping the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the hair under the armpits, shaving the pubes, and cleaning the private parts with water (after call of nature) The narrator said: I have forgotten the tenth, but it may have been rinsing the mouth.” (Reported by Muslim)

One more feature of ablution is indicated in the tradition narrated by Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) once visited the graveyard and said:

“Peace be upon you! The abode of the believing people and we, if Allah so wills, are about to join you. I love to see my brothers. They (his Companion) said: ‘Aren’t we your brothers, Messenger of Allah?’ He said: ‘You are my Companions, and our brothers are those who have, so far, not come into the world.’ They said: Messenger of Allah, how would you recognize those persons of your Ummah who have not yet been born? He said: Supposing a man had horses with white blazes on foreheads and legs among horses which were all black, tell me, would he not recognize his own horses? They said: Certainly, Messenger of Allah. He said: They would come with white faces and arms and legs owing to ablution, and I would arrive at the Cistern (the basin from which the Prophet gives his followers fresh water to drink on the Day of Judgment) before them. Some people would be driven away from my Cistern as the stray camel is driven away. I would call out: Come, come. Then it would be said (to me): These people changed themselves after you, and I would say: Be off, be off.” (Reported by Muslim)

Maintaining purity and cleanliness is a major means of protection from infections. It is common knowledge that ‘prevention is better than cure’. In the olden days, it was said: “A dirham of prevention is better than a hundred weight of cure.”