Ablution part 4

Rules regarding Ablution

- If a person doubts too often about the acts of Ablution and its conditions, like, about water being pure, or it’s not being usurped, he should not pay any heed to such doubt. 

- If a person doubts whether his Ablution has become void, he should treat it as valid. But, if he did not perform Istibra after urinating, and performed Ablution, and thereafter some fluid was discharged about which he was not sure whether it was urine or something else, his Ablution will be void. 

- If a person doubts whether he has performed Ablution or not, he should perform Ablution. 

- If a person is sure that he has performed Ablution, and has also committed an act which invalidates Ablution (e.g. urinating), but does not remember which happened first, he should act as follows: 

* If this situation arises before his Prayer, he should perform Ablution. 

* If it arises during Prayer, he should break it and perform Ablution. 

* If it arises after Prayer, that Prayer will be valid, but for the next prayers, however, he should perform Ablution. 

- If after or during Ablution, a person becomes sure that he has not washed certain parts or has not wiped them, and if the moisture of the parts preceding them has dried up due to lapse of time, he should perform Ablution again. And if the moisture has not dried up, or has dried up due to hot weather, or other similar causes, he should wash or wipe the forgotten part as well as the parts which follow. Similarly, if during Ablution he doubts whether he has washed or wiped a part or not, he should follow the same rule as above. 

- If a person doubts after Prayer, whether he performed Ablution or not, the prayers offered by him would be in order. As far the next prayers, he should perform Ablution. 

- If a person doubts during Prayer whether he has performed Ablution, his prayers is void, and he should perform Ablution and then pray. 

- If a person realizes after offering prayers, that his Ablution became void, but doubts whether it became void before Prayer or after, the prayers offered by him will be deemed in order. 

- If a person suffers from an incontinence, due to which drops of urine come out continuously, or he is not in a position to control his bowels, he should act as follows: 

* If he is sure that at some time during the prayer time, there will be a respite during which there will be a restraint, then he should perform Ablution and Prayer at such time. 

* If during the restraint, he can control his urine or excretion only for performing Wajib acts of Prayer, then he should perform only obligatory acts, and abandon the Mustahab acts (e.g. Adhan, Iqamah, Qunut etc). 

- If the time of restraint is just enough to allow Ablution and a part of Prayer, and if he discharges urine or excretion once, or several times during Prayer, then as an obligatory precaution, he should do Ablution in those moments of respite and pray.

It will not be necessary for him to renew the Ablution during Prayer because of discharging urine or excretion, though as a recommended precaution, he should keep a container by his side, make Ablution every time he discharges, and continue praying. But this last precaution would not apply, if due to prolonged discharge or renewal of Ablution, the mode of prayers changes. 

- If there is a continued incontinence, allowing no period of restraint for Ablution, or even a part of Prayer, then one Ablution for every Prayer will undoubtedly be enough. In fact, one Ablution will be enough for several Prayer, except when one commits any extraneous act, invalidating the Ablution.

However, it is recommended that he should do a fresh Ablution for every Prayer. But a fresh Ablution is not necessary for the Qadha of a forgotten Sajdah, or Tashahhud, nor for the prayers of Ihtiyat. 

- It is not necessary for a person suffering from continued incontinence, to pray immediately after Ablution, although it is better that he should be quick in offering prayers. 

- It is permissible for a person suffering incontinence to touch the script of the Qur'an, after Ablution, even if he is not in the state of Prayer. 

- A person who cannot control urine, should use a bag filled with cotton or some similar device, to protect oneself, and to prevent urine from reaching other places, and the obligatory precaution is that before every Prayer, he should wash the outlet of urine which has become najis. 
Moreover, a person who cannot control excretion should, if possible, prevent it from reaching other parts, at least during the time required for Prayer. And the obligatory precaution is that if no hardship is involved, he should wash the anus for every prayers. 

- A person who suffers from incontinence should, if possible, try to restrain himself at least for the duration of Prayer, even if may be difficult. In fact, if his ailment can be treated easily, he should get the necessary treatment. 

- If a person who suffered incontinence, recovers from the ailment, it is not necessary for him to repeat those prayers which he offered according to his religious duty, during the period of his ailment. However, if he recovers during Prayer, he should repeat that prayers, as an obligatory precaution. 

- If a person suffers from an incontinence, which renders him unable to control passing the wind, he will act according to the rules applicable to the incontinent persons described in the foregoing. 

Things for which Ablution is obligatory

- It is obligatory to perform Ablution for the following six things:

* For all obligatory prayers, except Prayer-e-Mayyit. As regards Mustahab prayers, Ablution is a condition for their validity. 

* For the Sajdah and Tashahhud which a person forgot to perform during the prayers, provided that he invalidated his Ablution after Prayer, and before performing those forgotten acts. It is not obligatory to perform Ablution for Sajdatus sahw. 

* For the obligatory Tawaf of the holy Ka'bah. 

* If a person has made a Nadhr, or a solemn pledge, or taken an oath for Ablution. 

* If a person has made a Nadhr, for example, that he would kiss the Holy Qur'an. 

* For washing and making clean the holy Qur'an which has become najis, or for taking it out from lavatory etc. in which it has fallen, when he becomes obliged to touch the script of the holy Qur'an with his hand, or some other part of his body.

But if the delay by making Ablution causes further desecration of the holy Qur'an, one should take it out from lavatory etc., or make it clean, without performing Ablution. 

- It is haraam to touch the script of the holy Qur'an with any part of one's body without performing Ablution. However, there is no harm in touching the translation of the holy Qur'an, in any language, without Ablution. 

- It is not obligatory to prevent a child or an insane person from touching the script of the holy Qur'an. However, if their touching the holy Qur'an violates its sanctity, they should be prevented from touching it. 

- It is haraam, as an obligatory precaution, to touch the Name of Allah or His special Attributes without Ablution, in whichever language they may have been written. And it is also better not to touch, without Ablution, the names of the holy Prophet of Islam, the holy Imams and Janabe Fatima Zahra (peace be upon them). 

- If a person performs Ablution or Ghusl before the time for prayers, in order to be in state of purity, they will be deemed valid. And even if he performs Ablution near the time of Prayer, with the niyyat of preparing himself for Prayer, there is no objection. 

- If a person believes that the time for prayers has set in, and makes the niyyat of Wajib Ablution, and then realizes after performing the Ablution that the time for the prayers had not set in, his Ablution is in order. 

- Ablution is Mustahab for the following purposes: 

* Prayer-e-Mayyit. 

* Visiting the graves. 

* Entering a mosque. 

* Entering the Shrines of the holy Prophets and Imams (A.S.). 

* For reading, writing, or touching the margin or border of the holy Qur'an, or for keeping it with oneself. 

* Before going to bed for sleep. It is also Mustahab that a person already in Ablution, should perform a fresh Ablution for every Prayer. 

* If he has performed Ablution for any one of the above purposes, he can commit all acts which require Ablution. For example, he can even pray with that Ablution.