World Blog by humble servant. The cleaning preparation before prayer.The concept of ablution is also quite misunderstood. The ritual of ablution is a symbolic cleaning process instituted by God and mentally helps in the preparation of prayer.

The concept of ablution is also quite misunderstood. The ritual of ablution is a symbolic cleaning process instituted by God and mentally helps in the preparation of prayer. For this ritual, God has decreed four steps as adequate. In Submission, it is not how much more physically clean we are that enhances the value of the Salat Prayer, but our reverence for God and intention to perform the religious rites as per His instructions.

[23:1-2] Successful indeed are the believers; who are reverent during their Contact Prayers (Salat).

Johnnie Ellington II

So when God says to do four steps, then you do four steps, nothing more and nothing less. If God says to do three units for the Sunset Prayer, then you do three units, no more and no less. That is Submission to God (Islam). If you notice, here too, the steps of ablution are like a ‘combination’ of physical actions that must be done in a particular sequence. So you must go through the motions even if you think you are already clean through a recent wash or shower. Unless you do what God specifically asks, you cannot be submitting to God.

Johnnie Ellington II

[22:32] Indeed, those who reverence the rites decreed by GOD demonstrate the righteousness of their hearts.

[2:189]…It is not righteous to beat around the bush; righteousness is attained by upholding the commandments and by being straightforward. You shall observe GOD, that you may succeed.

Johnnie Ellington II

It is good to be clean and maintain regular hygiene practices (7:31). You will notice that being clean and looking clean not only makes you feel fresh and energetic, but also evokes a more favorable social response. So you can pursue cleanliness however you want, but that should have nothing to do with the four steps of ablution, as that must be done as an independent ritual linked to the Salat Prayer. You must be clear that your other cleaning actions do not add any value to the ablution or prayer. God knows your innermost intentions and you also run the risk of setting a misleading example through your personal opinion about ‘cleaner is better’ by adding more steps to God’s steps (7:171).

Johnnie Ellington II

God’s practical religion has already taken all this into account, and if God wanted us to do more steps, He would have mentioned it (6:19, 38, 114, 18:109). Imagine the plight of a shop level mechanic quite covered in oil all day!

Johnnie Ellington II

… GOD wishes for you convenience, not hardship, that you may fulfill your obligations, and to glorify GOD for guiding you, and to express your appreciation (2:185).

Besides detailing the four steps of ablution, verse 5:6 clearly establishes that the Wudu is a symbolic cleaning ritual. (See also 4:43).

[5:6] O you who believe, when you observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), you shall: (1) wash your faces, (2) wash your arms to the elbows, (3) wipe your heads, and (4) wash your feet to the ankles. If you were unclean due to sexual orgasm, you shall bathe. If you are ill, or traveling, or had any digestive excretion (urinary, fecal, or gas), or had (sexual) contact with the women, and you cannot find water, you shall observe the dry ablution (Tayammum) by touching clean dry soil, then rubbing your faces and hands. GOD does not wish to make the religion difficult for you; He wishes to cleanse you and to perfect His

blessing upon you, that you may be appreciative.

Johnnie Ellington IL

[2:189] … It is not righteous to beat around the bush; righteousness is attained by upholding the commandments and by being straightforward. You shall observe GOD, that you may succeed                                                                                                                                                                                               Did the Jews and Christians pray as Muslims do?!; Submitters ...If God has modified any of the practices given to Abraham, He pointed it out to us in the Quran (2:187). God also included in the Quran the correct version of the corrupt practices; for example the practice of ablution (5:6).

We see in the following verses of the Quran that Moses, Aaron and Jesus observed the Contact Prayers and the Obligatory Charity:

 GOD had taken a covenant from the Children of Israel, and we raised among them twelve patriarchs. And GOD said, “I am with you, so long as you observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), give the Obligatory Charity (Zakat), and believe in My messengers and respect them, and continue to lend GOD a loan of righteousness...” (5:12)

We inspired Moses and his brother. “Maintain your homes in Egypt for the time being, turn your homes into synagogues, and maintain the Contact Prayers (Salat). Give good news to the believers.” (10:87)

She [Mary] pointed to him [Jesus]. They said, “How can we talk with an infant in the crib?” (The infant spoke and) said, “I am a servant of GOD. He has given me the scripture, and has appointed me a prophet. He made me blessed wherever I go, and enjoined me to observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and the Obligatory Charity (Zakat) for as long as I live...” (19:29-32)

That was Jesus, the son of Mary, and this is the truth of this matter, about which they continue to doubt. (19:34).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         In a book entitled “To Pray As A Jew” by Hayim Donin (1980), one can find a lengthy explanation of the Prayers as done by the ancient Jews and a few of the contemporary Jews. In this book the author includes diagrams showing the movement and positions during the prayer. A look at these diagrams is enough for the people to realize the similarity of the prayers of the Jews then and Salat as practiced by the Muslims.

In his comments about these positions the author wrote: “In most contemporary congregations very few people keep to the tradition of falling prostrate. Sometimes it is only the Prayer Leader and the rabbi who does so. In more tradiional congregations, however, some worshipers, men and women, will join the Prayer Leader and rabbi in the act of prostrating themselves. In Israeli synagogues, the practice is more widespread than in synagogues elsewhere. Since this is a position that we are unaccustomed to, one who has never done this before might very well demur. But once accomplished, the experience provides such a spiritual uplift that one looks forward to repeating it. Those willing to try this ancient ritual form on the rare occasions that call for it might welcome the following diagrams of the correct procedure.”

It is also interesting to learn from this book that the prayers of the Jews involve washing before the prayers, (like the ablution for Muslims), and the call for Prayers (like the Azan for the Muslims). Something to ponder!

Reference:

Donin, Hayim, 1980, To Pray As A Jew: A Guide To The Prayer Book And The Synagogue Service, Basic Books, New York, 384 pp.                                                                                                                                 Similar to Moses, Aaron and Jesus, the prophet Muhammad was told to follow the Religion of Abraham (Millat Ibrahim). Had he not known what the religion of Abraham was, then we would not expect God to tell him to follow it.

Then we inspired you (O Muhammad) to follow the religion of Abraham, monotheism; never was he an idol-worshiper. (16:123)

The Salat prayers as practiced by the Muslims today involve standing in front of God, bowing and falling prostrate. Like all the rituals of Islam, these practices were passed down to us from Abraham, and followed by all the messengers of God.

These are some of the prophets whom GOD blessed. They were chosen from among the descendants of Adam, and the descendants of those whom we carried with Noah, and the descendants of Abraham and Israel, and from among those whom we guided and selected. When the revelations of the Most Gracious are recited to them, they fall prostrate, weeping. (19:58)

However, right after the above verse, the Quran mentions that the Contact Prayer was lost after some generations of the people of the book.

After them, He substituted generations who lost the Contact Prayers (Salat), and pursued their lusts. They will suffer the consequences. (19:59)

Losing it involved changing it in every aspect. The Prayer as practiced today by most of the Jews and Christians is different than what was given to their prophets. Very few Jews and Christians kept the inherited practice of the Contact Prayers.