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KITAB AL-TAHARAH
(THE BOOK OF PURIFICATION)

We have read in the first Book that the love of Allah is the highest aim of a true believer. It is for the achievement of this single end that he affirms his faith in Him by renouncing all other types of godhood.

The love of God is not something inert or lifeless; it is dynamic in the sense that it calls for a complete change in the life of man: change in his thoughts and ideas and change in his conduct and behaviour. One who claims to be a believer in Allah has to make a good deal of effort with a view to pleasing his :lord. He has to purify his soul from all evil thoughts and fancies so that the love of God should reside in it. Unless the soul is purged of all impurities one cannot achieve salvation. This is known as Tahdrah in Islam, and it is the foundation-stone of Imin. This high objective of the purification of the soul requires intentional and deliberate efforts and a good deal of sacrifice on the part of man, and the most elementary stage in this sacred path is the cleanliness of body.

By enjoining cleanliness of body upon man Islam awakens him to the realisation of the fact that when impurities on the body of a man produce such unhealtby effects on his physical being and corrode his mental health, how miserable his life would be when his soul is polluted with impurities. The process of the purification of the soul should, therefore, start with the purification of the body.

Abu Malik at-Ash'ari reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said : Cleanliness is half of faith and al-Hamdu Liliah (Praise be to Allah) fills the scale, and Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah) and al-Hamdu Liliah (Praise be to Allah) fill upwhat is between the heavens and the earth, and prayer is a light, and charity is proof (of one's faith) and endurance is a brightness and the Holy Qur'an is a proof on your behalf or against you. All men go out early in the morning and sell themselves, thereby setting themselves free or destroying themselves.

Mus'ab b. Sa'd reported:'Abdullah son of Umar came to Ibn'Amir in order to inquire after his health as he was ailing. He said Ibn 'Umar, why don't you prayto Allah for me? He said: I heard of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say: Neither the prayer is accepted without parification nor is charity accepted out of the ill-gotten (wealth), and thou wert the (governor) of Basra.

A hadith like this is narrated from the Apostle (may peace be upon him) with the same chain of transmitters by Muhammad b. Muthanna, Ibn Bashshar, Muhammad b. Ja'far, Shu'ba.

Hammam b. Munabbih who is the brother of Wahb b. Munabbih. said: This is what has been transmitted to us by Abu Huraira from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and then narrated a hadith out of them and observed that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: The prayer of none amongst you would be accepted in a state of impurity till he performs ablution.

Humran, the freed slave of 'Uthman, said: Uthman b. 'Affan called for ablution water and this is how he performed the ablution. He washed his hands thrice. He then rinsed his mouth and cleaned his nose with water (three times). He then washed his face three times, then washed his right arm up to the elbow three times, then washed his left arm like that, then wiped his head; then washed his right foot up to the ankle three times, then washed his left foot like that, and then said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) perform ablution like this ablution of mine. Then the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: He who performs ablution like this ablution of mine and then stood up (for prayer) and offered two rak'ahs of prayer without allowing his thoughts to be distracted, all his previous sins are expiated. Ibn Shihab said: Our scholars remarked: This is the most complete of the ablutions performed for prayer.

Humran, the freed slave of 'Uthman said: I saw Uthman call for a vessel (of water) and poured water over his hands three times and then washed them. Then he put his right hand in the vessel and rinsed his mouth and cleaned his nose. Then he washed his face three times and his hands up to the elbow three times; then wiped his head, then washed his feet three times. Then he said that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had said: He who performed ablution like this ablution of mine and offered two raklahs of prayer without allowing his thoughts to be distracted, all his previous sins would be expiated.

Humran. the freed slave of 'Uthman. said: I heard from 'Uthman b. 'Affan and he was in the courtyard of the mosque, when the Mu'adhdhin (announcer of the prayer) came to him at the time of afternoon prayer. So the ('Uthman) called for the ablution water and performed ablution and then said: By Allah, I am narrating to you a hadith. If there were not a verse in the Book of Allah, I would have never narrated it to you. I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say: If a Muslim performs ablution and does it well and offers prayer, all his (sins) daring the period from one prayer to another would be pardoned by Allah.

This hadith is also narrated on the authority with the same chain of transmitters and in the hadith of Abu Usama the words are: "He who performed the ablution well and then offered the obligatory prayer."

Humran reported when 'Uthman performed ablution he said: By Allah, I am narrating to you a hadith had there not been this verse in the Book of Allah. I would not have narrated it to you. Verily I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: Not a person is there who performed ablution, and did it well, then offered prayer, but his sins (which he committed) were not pardoned between the prayer that he offered and the next one. 'Urwa said: The verse is this: "Those who suppress the clear proofs and the guidance which We have sent down"... to His words: "the Cursers" (ii. 15).

'Amr b Sa'id b al-As reported: I was,with Uthman that he called for ablution water and said: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say: When the time for a prescribed prayer comees, if any Muslim perform ablution well and offers his prayer) with 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 for all times.

Humran, the freed slave of 'Uthman reported: I brought for Uthman b. 'Affan the ablution water. He performed ablution and then said: Verily the people narrate from the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) a hadith. I do not know what these are. but (I know this fact) that I saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) perform ablution like this ablution of mine and then he said: He who performed ablution like this, all his previous sins would be expiated and his prayer and going towards the mosque would have an extra reward. In the tradition narrated by Ibn 'Abda (the words are): "I came to Uthman and he performed ablution."

Abu Anas reported that Uthman performed ablution at Maqi'aid and said: Should I not show you the ablution performed by Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) ? And he then washed (the different parts of the body) three times.4" Qutaiba has added in his narration the words: "There were with him (with Uthman) Companions of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)."

Humran b. Abin reported: I used to fetch water for 'Uthman for his purification. Never was there a day that he did not take a bath with a small quantity of water. And Uthman said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) at the time of our returning from our prayer told us (certain things pertaining to purification). Mis'ar said: I find that it was afternoon prayer. He said: I do not know whether I should tell you a thing or keep quiet. We said: Messenger of Allah, tell us if it is good and if it is otherwise, Allah and His Apostle know better. Upon this he said: A Muslim who purifies (himself) and completes purification as enjoined upon him by Allah and then offers the prayers, that will be expiatious (of his sins he committed) between these (prayers).

Jami' b. Shaddad reported: I heard Humran b. Aban narrate to Abu Burda in this very mosque during the governorship of Bishr that 'Uthman b. Alfan said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed: He who completed ablution as Allah, the Exalted, enjoined upon him, his obligatory prayers would be explatious (for his minor sins that he would commit) during (the interval) between them. This hadith is transmitted by Ibn Mu'adh, and in the hadith narrated by Ghundar, the words "during the governorship of Bishr" are omitted and there is no mention of the obligatory prayers.

Humran, the freed slave of Uthman reported: One day Uthman b. Affan performed the ablution well, and then said: I saw Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) perform ablution, the best ablution, and then observed: He who performed ablution like this and then went towards the mosque and nothing (but the love of) prayer urged him (to do so), all his previous (minor) sins would be expiated.

Humran, the freed slave of 'Uthman b. 'Affan, reported on the authority of 'Uthman b. 'Affan that he heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say: He who performed ablution for prayer and performed it properly and then went (to observe) obligatory prayer and offered it along with people or with the congregation or in the mosque, Allah would pardon his sins.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)said: Five prayers and from one Friday prayer to (the next) Friday prayer is an expiation (of the sins committed in between their intervals) if major sins are not committed.

Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) said : Five prayers and one Friday prayer to (the next) Friday prayer are expiatious (for the sins committed in the intervals) between them.

Abu Huraira reported: Verily the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Five (daily) prayers and from one Friday prayer to the (next) Friday prayer, and from Ramadhan to Ramadhan are expiatious for the (sins) committed in between (their intervals) provided one shuns the major sins.

'Uqba b. 'Amir reported: We were entrusted with the task of tending the camels. On my turn when I came back in the evening after grazing them in the pastures, I found Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) stand and address the people. I heard these words of his: If any Muslim performs ablution well, then stands and prays two rak'ahs setting about them with his heart as well as his face, Paradise would be guaranteed to him. I said: What a fine thing is this ! And a narrator who was before me said: The first was better than even this. When I cast a glance, I saw that it was 'Umair who said : I see that you have just come and observed : If anyone amongst you performs the ablution, and then completes the ablution well and then says: I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger, the eight gates of Paradise would be opened for him and he may enter by whichever of them he wishes.

Uqba b. 'Amir al-Juhani reported: Verily the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said and then narrated (the hadith) like one (mentioned above) except (this) that he said: He who performed ablution and said : I testify that there is no god but Allah, the One, there is no associate with Him and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.

'Abdullah b. Zaid b. 'Asim al-Ansari, who was a Companion (of the Holy Prophet), reported: It was said to him (by people) : Perform for us the ablution (as it was performed) by the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him). He ('Abdullah b. Zaid) called for a vessel (of water), and poured water from it on his hands and washed them three times. Then he inserted his hand (in the vessel) and brought it (water) out, rinsed his mouth and snuffed up water from the palm of one hand doing that three times, He again inserted his hand and brought it out and washed his face three times, then inserted his hand and brought it out and washed each arm up to the elbow twice, then inserted his hand and brought it out and wiped his head both front and back with his hands. He then washed his feet up to the ankles, and then said: This is how God's Messenger (peace be upon him) performed ablution.

This hadith is narrated by Amr b. Yahya with the same chain of transmitters, but there is no mention of ankles.

Malik b. Anas narrated it from 'Amr b. Yahya with the same chain of transmitters, transmitters and mentioned the rinsing (of mouth) and snuffing (of water into the nostrils) three times, but he did not mention "from one palm," and made this addition: He moved them (his hands) for wiping to the front of his head and then the nape of his neck, then bringing them back till he reached the place from which he had begun, after which he washed his feet.

Babz reported: This hadith has been narrated by Wuwb on the authority of 'Amr b. Yahyi with the same chain of transmitters and it has been mentioned therein: He rinsed his mouth. snuffed up water in nostrils and cleaned the nose with three handfuls and wiped his head moving (his hand) in front and then back once. Bahz said: Wuhaib narrated this hadith to me and Wuhaib said: Amr b. Yahya narrated to me this hadith twice.

'Abdullah b. Zaid b. 'Asim al-Mazini reported: He saw Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) perform the ablution. He rinsed his mouth then cleaned his nose, then washed his face three times, then washed his right hand thrice and then the other one, thrice. He then took fresh water and wiped his head and then washed his feet till he cleaned them.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: When anyone wipes himself with pebbles (after answering the call of nature) he must make use of an odd number and when any one of you performs ablution he must snuff in his nose water and then clean it.

Hammam b. Munabbih reported: This is what Abu Huraira transmitted to us from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and he mentioned a number of a hadith, of which this is one: that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When anyone amongst you (performs ablution) he must snuff his nostrils with water and then clean them.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (way peace he upon him) said: When anyone performs ablution he must clean his nose and when anyone wipes himself with pebbles (after answering the call of nature) he must do that odd number of times.

It has been transmitted by Abu Huraira and Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (both of them the reputed Companions of the Holy Prophet) that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said like that.

Abu Huraira reported: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. When any one of you awakes up from sleep and performs ablution, he must clean his nose three times, for the devil spends the night in the interior of his nose.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: When anyone wipes himself with pebbles (after answering the call of nature) he should do this odd number of times.

Salim, the freed slave of Shaddad, said: I came to 'A'isha, the wife of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him), on the day when Sa'db. Abi Waqqas died. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Bakr also came there and he performed ablution in her presence. She (Hadrat 'A'isha) said: Abd al-Rahman, complete the ablution as I heard the Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say: Woe to the heels because of hell-fire.

Abdullah, the freed slave of Shahddad, came to 'A'isha and transmitted from her a hadith like this (which she narrated) from the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him).

Salim, the freed slave of Mahri, reported: I and 'Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Bakr went out (in order to join) the funeral procession of Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas and passed by the door of the residence of 'A'isha, and then he transmitted a hadith like this from her who (narrated it) from the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him).

Salim, the freed slave of Shaddad b. al-Had said: I was in the presence of 'A'isha, and then narrated on her authority a hadith like this from the Holy Prophet (way peace be upon him).

'Abdullah b. 'Amr reported: We returned from Mecca to Medina with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and when we came to some water on the way, some of the people were in a hurry at the time of the afternoon prayer and performed ablution hurriedly; and when we reached them, their heels were dry, no water had touched them. The Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: Woe to (dry) heels, because of Hell-fire. Make your ablution thorough.

In the hadith transmitted by Shu'ba these words are not there: "Complete the Wudu," and there is the name of Abu Yahya al-A'raj (a narrator).

'Abdullah b. Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) lagged behind us on a journey. We travelled (back) and be took him; and then came the time of the afternoon prayer, and as we were going to wipe our feet he (the Holy Prophet) called out: Woe to the heels because of Hell-fire.

Abu Huraira reported: Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) saw a man who did not wash his heel and he remarked: Woe to the heels because of hell-fire.

Abu Huraira reported: He saw people perform ablution with the help of a water jar and he said: Complete the Wudu for i heard Abu al-Qasim (may peace be upon him) say: Woe to the hamstrings because of hell-fire.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Woe to the heels because of hell-fire.

Jabir reported: 'Umar b. Khattab said that a person performed ablution and left a small part equal to the space of a nail (unwashed). The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) saw that and said: Go back and perform ablution well. He then went back (performed ablution well) and offered the prayer.

Abu Huraira reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: When a bondsman-a Muslim or a believer-washes his face (in course of ablution), every sin he contemplated with his eyes,will be washed away from his face along with water, or with the last drop of water; when he washes his hands, every sin they wrought will be effaced from his hands with the water, or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin towards which his feet have walked will be washed away with the water or with the last drop of water with the result that he comes out pure from all sins.

Uthman b. 'Affan reported : The Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) said : He who performed ablution well, his sins would come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails.

Nu'aim b. 'Abdullah al-Mujmir reported: I saw Abu Huraira perform ablution. He washed his face and washed it well. He then washed his right hand including a portion of his arm. He then washed his left hand including a portion of his arm. He then wiped his head. He then washed his right foot including his shank, and then washed his left foot including shank, and then said: This is how I saw Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) perform his ablution. And (Abu Huraira) added that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had observed: You shall have your faces hands and feet bright on the Day of Resurrection because of your perfect ablution. He who can afford among you, let him increase the brightness of his forehead and that of hands and legs.

Nu'aim b. 'Abdallah reported: He saw Abu Huraira perform ablution. He washed his face and washed his hands up to the arms. He then washed his feet and reached up to the shanks and then said: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say: My people would come with bright faces and bright hands and feet on account of the marks of ablution, so he who can increase the lustre of his forehead (and that of his hands and legs) should do so.

Abu Huraira reported: Verily Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: My Cistern has its dimensions wider than the distance between Aila and Aden, and its water is whiter than ice and sweeter than the honey diluted with milk, and its cups are more numerous than the numbers of the stars. Verily I shall prevent the (faithless) people therefrom just as a man prevents the camels of the people from his fountain. They said: Messenger of Allah,will you recognise us on that day? He said: Yes, you will have distinctive marks which nobody among the peoples (except you) will have; you would come to me with blazing forehead and bright hands and feet on account of the traces of ablution.

Abu Huraira reported the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: My people would come to me on the Cistern and I would drive away persons (from it) just as a person drives away other people's camels from his camels. They (the hearers) said: Apostle of Allah, would you recognize us? He replied: Yea, you would have a mark which other people will not have. You would come to me with a white blaze on your foreheads and white marks on your feet because of the traces of ablution. A group among you would be prevented from coming to me, and they would not meet me, and I would say: O my Lord, they are my companions. Upon this an angel would reply to me saying: Do you know what these people did after you.

Hudhaifa reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: My Cistern is bigger than the space between Aila and Aden. By Him in Whose Hand is my life, I will drive away persons (from it) just as a person drives away unknown camels from his cistern. They (the companions) said: Messenger of Allab, would you recognise us? He said: Yes, you would come to me with white faces, and white hands and feet on account of the traces of ablution. None but you would have (this mark).

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) came to the graveyard and said: Peace be upon you ! the abode of the believing people and we, if God so wills, are about to join you. I love to see my brothers. They (the hearers) said: Arn'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 recognise those persons of your Ummah who have not yet been born? He said: Supposing a man had horses with white blazes on fore- heads and legs among horses which were all black, tell me, would he not recognise 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 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.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace The upon him) went out to the graveyard and said: Peace be upon you, the abode of the believing people. and If Allah so wills we shall join you.... (and so on and so forth) like the hadith narrated by Isma'il b. Ja'far except the words of Malik: Then some persons would be driven away from my Cistern.

Abu Hazim reported: I was (standing) behind Abu Huraira and he was performing the ablution for prayer. He extended the (washing) of his hand that it went up to his armpit. I said to him: O Abu Huraira, what is this ablution? He said: O of the tribe of Faruukh, you are here; if I knew that you were here, I would have never performed ablution like this; I have heard my Friend (may peace be upon him) say. In a believer adornment would reach the places where ablution reaches.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Should I not suggest to you that by which Allah obliterates the sins and elevates the ranks (of a man). They (the hearers) said: Yes, Messenger of Allah. He said: Performing the ablution thoroughly despite odds, tranverside of more paces towards the mosque, and waiting for the next prayer after observing a prayer, and that is mindfulness.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ali' b. 'Abd al-Rahman with the same chain of transmitters and there is no mention of the word of al-Ribat in the hadith transmitted by Shu'ba and in the badith narrated by Malik "Ribat" has been mentioned twice. This is the "Ribat" for you, this is the "Ribat" for you.

Abu Huraira reported: The Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Were it not that I might over-burden the believers-and in the hadith transmitted by Zuhair "people"-I would have ordered them to use toothstick at every time of prayer.

Miqdam b. Shuraih narrated it from his father who said: I asked A'isha what Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) did first when he entered his house, and she replied: He used tooth-stick (first of all).

'A'isha reported: Whenever Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) entered his house, he used tooth-stick first of all.

Abu Musa reported: I went to the Apostle (may peace be upon him) and found one end of the tooth-stick upon his tongue (i.e. he was rinsing his mouth).

Huddaifa reported: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) got up for Tahajjud prayer, he cleansed his mouth with the tooth-stick.

This hadith is reported from Hudaifa by another chain of transmitters. Whenever he (the Holy Prophet) got up in the night, they (the transmitters) have not mentioned the words: for offering Tahajjud prayer.

(493) Hudaifa reported: Whenever he (the Holy Prophet) got up for prayer during the night, he cleansed his mouth with the tooth-stick.

Ibn 'Abbas reported that he spent a night at the house of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him), The Apostle of Allah (way peace be upon him) got up for prayer in the latter part of the night. He went out and looked towards the sky and then recited this verse (190th) of AI-i-'Imran: "Verily in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day." up to the (words) "save us from the torment of Hell." He then returned to his house, used the tooth-stick, performed the ablution, and then got up and offered the prayer. He than lay down on the bed. and again got up and went out and looked towards the sky and recited this verse (mentioned above), then returned, used the tooth-stick, performed ablution and again offered the prayer.

Abu Huraira reported: Five are the acts quite akin to the Fitra, or five are the acts of Fitra: circumcision, shaving the pubes, cutting the nails, plucking the hair under the armpits and clipping the moustache.

Abu Huraira reported: Five are the acts of fitra: circumcision, removing the pubes, clipping the moustache, cutting the nails, plucking the hair under the armpits.

Anas reported: A time limit has been prescribed for us for clipping the moustache, cutting the nails, plucking hair under the armpits, shaving the pubes, that it should not be neglected far more than forty nights.

Ibn Umar said: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Trim closely the moustache, and let the beard grow.

Ibn Umar said : The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) ordered us to trim the moustache closely and spare the beard.

Ibn Umar said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be opon him) said: Act against the polytheists, trim closely the moustache and grow beard.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Trim closely the moustache, and grow beard, and thus act against the fire-worshippers.

'A'isha reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be npon him) said: Ten are the acts according to fitra : clipping the moustache, letting the beard grow, using the tooth-stick, snuffing water in the nose, cutting the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the hair under the armpits, shaving the pubes and cleaning one's private parts with water. The narrator said : I have forgotten the tenth, but it may have been rinsing the mouth.

This hadith has been narrated by Mus'ab b. Shaiba with the same chain of transmitters except for these words: "His father said : I forgot the tenth one."

Salman reported that it was said to him: Your Apostle (may peace be upon him) teaches you about everything, even about excrement. He replied: Yes, he has forbidden us to face the Qibla at the time of excretion or urination, or cleansing with right hand or with less than three pebbles, or with dung or bone.

Salman said that (one among) the polytheists remarked: I see that your friend even teaches you about the excrement. He replied; Yes, he has in fact forbidden us that anyone amongst us should cleanse himself with his right hand, or face the Qibla. He has forbidden the use of dung or bone for it, and he has also instructed us not to use less than three pebbles (for this purpose).

Jabir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) forbade the use of bone or the droppings of camels for wiping (after excretion).

Abu Ayyub reported: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Whenever you go to the desert, neither turn your face nor turn your back towards the Qibla while answering the call of nature, but face towards the east or the west. Abu Ayyub said: When we came to Syria we found that the latrines already built there were facing towards the Qibla. We turned our faces away from them and begged forgiveness of the Lord. He said: Yes.

Abu Huraira said:When any one amongst you squats for answering the call of nature, he should neither turn his face towards the Qibla nor turn his back towards it.

Wasi' b. Habban reported: I was offering my prayer in the mosque and Abdullah b. Umar was sitting there reclining with his back towards the Qibla. After completing my prayer. I went to him from one side. Abdullah said: People say when you go to the latrine, you should neither turn your face towards the Qibla nor towards Bait-ul-Maqdis. 'Abdullah said (farther) : I went up to the roof of the house and saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) squatting on two bricks for relieving himself with his face towards Bait-al-Maqdis.

Abdullah b. Umar said: I went up to the roof of the house of my sister Hafsa and saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) relieving himself facing Syria. with his back to the Qibla.

Abu Qatada reported it from his father: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: None of you should hold penis with his right hand while urinating, or wipe himself with his right hand in privy and should not breathe into the vessel (from which he drinks).

Abu Qatada reported it from his father that the Messenger of Allah(may peace be upon him) said: When anyone amongst you enters the privy he should not touch his penis with his right hand.

Aba Qatada reported : The Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) forbade (us) to breathe into the venel, to touch the penis with the right hand and to wipe after relieving with right hand.

'A'isha reported: The Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) loved to start from the right-hand side for performing ablution, for combing (the hair) and wearing the shoes.

'A'isha reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) loved to start from the right-hand side in his every act i.e. in wearing shoes, in combing (his hair) and in performing ablution.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Be on your guard against two things which provoke cursing. They (the companions present there) said: Messenger of Allah, what are those things which provoke cursing? He said: Easing on the thoroughfares or under the shades (where they take shelter and rest).

Anas b. Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) entered an enclosure while a servant was following him with a jar of water and he was the youngest amongst us and he placed it by the side of a lote-tree. When the Messenger of Allah,(may peace be upon him) relieved himself, he came out and had cleansed himself with water.

Anas b. Malik reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) entered the privy, a servant and I used to carry a skin of water, and a pointed staff, and he would cleanse himself with water.

Anas b. Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went to a far-off place in the desert (hidden from the sight of human beings) for relieving himself. Then I brought water for him and he cleansed himself.

Hummam reported: Jarir urinated, then performed ablution and wiped over the socks. It was said to him: Do you do like this? He said: Yes, I saw that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) urinated, then performed ablution and then wiped over his shoes. A'mash said: Ibrahim had observed that this hadith was a surprise for them (the people) because Jarir had embraced Islam after the revelation of Surat al-Ma'ida.

This hadith is narrated on the same authority from A'mash by another chain of transmitters like one transmitted by Abu Mu'awyia. The hadith reported by 'Isa and Sufyan has these words also: "This hadith surprised the friends of Abdullab'" for Jarir had embraced Islam after the revelation of al-Ma'ida.

Hudhaifa reported: I was with the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) when he came to the dumping ground of filth belonging to a particular tribe. He urinated while standing, and I went aside. He (the Holy Prophet) asked me to come near him and I went so near to him that I stood behind his heels. He then performed ablution and wiped over his socks.

Abu Wa'il reported : Abu Musa inflicted extreme rigour upon himself in the matter of urination and urinated in a bottle and said: When the skin of anyone amongst the people of Israel was besmeared with urine, he cut that portion with a cutter. Hudhaifa said: I wish that'your friend should not inflict such an extreme rigour. I and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) were going together till we reached the dumping ground of filth behind an enclosure. He stood up as one among you would stand up. and he urinated, I tried to turn away from him, but he beckoned to me, so I went to him and I stood behind him, till he had relieved himself.

The son of Mughira b. Shu'ba reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went out for relieving himself. Mughira went with him carrying a jug full of water. When he (the Holy Prophet) came back after relieving himself, he poured water over him and he performed ablution and wiped over his socks; and in the narration of Ibn Rumh there is "till" instead of "when".

This hadith has been transmitted with the same chain of transmitters by Yahya b. Sa'id with the addition of these words: "He washed his face and hands, and wiped his head and then wiped his socks."

Mughira b. Shu'ba reported: I was with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one night. He came down (from the ride) and relieved himself. He then came and I poured water upon him from the jar that I carried with me. He performed ablution and wiped over his socks.

Mughira b. Shu'ba reported: I was in the company of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on a journey when he said : Mughira take hold of this jar (of water). I took hold of it and I went out with him. (I stopped but) the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) proceeded on till he was out of my sight. He relieved himself and then came back and he was wearing a tight-sleeved Syrian gown. He tried to get his forearms out. but the sleeve of the gown was very narrow, so he brought his hands out from under the gown. I poured water over (his hands) and he performed ablution for prayer, then wiped over his socks and prayed.

Mughira b. Shu'ba reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went out for relieving himself. When he came back I brought for him a jar (of water) and poured water upon his hands and He washed his face. He tried to wash his forearms, but as the (sleeves of the) gown were tight. He, therefore, brought them out from under the gown. He then washed them, wiped his head, and wiped his socks and then prayed.

'Urwa b. Mughira reported his father having said: I was one night with the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) on a journey. He said to me: Have you any water with you? I said: Yes. He (the Holy Prophet) came down from his ride and went on till he disappeared in the darkness of night. He then came back and I poured water for him from the jar. He washed his face, He had a woollen gown on him and he could not bring out his forearms from it (i.e. from its sleeves) and consequently he brought them out from under his gown. He washed his forearms, wiped over his head. I then bent down to take off his socks. But he said: Leave them, for my feet were clean when I put them in, and he only wiped over them.

'Urwah al Mughira reported it from his father: He(Mughira) helped the Apostle (may peace be upon him) in performing the ablution, and he performed it and wiped over his shoes. He (Mughira) said to him (about the washing of the feet after putting them off), but he (the Holy Prophet) said : I put them (feet) in when these were clean.

'Urwa b. al Mughira b. Shu'ba reported it on the authority of his father that he said : The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) lagged behind (in a journey) and I also lagged behind along with him. After having relieved himself he said : Have you any water with you ? I brought to him a jar of water ; he washed his palms, and face, and when he tried to get his forearms out (he could not) for the sleeve of the gown was tight. He, therefore, brought them out from under the gown and, throwing it over his shoulders, he washed his forearm. He then wiped his forelock and his turban and his socks. He then mounted and I also mounted (the ride) and came to the people. They had begun the prayer with 'Abd ar-Rabmin b. 'Anf leading them and had completed a rak'a. When he perceived the presence of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) he began to retire. He (the Holy Prophet) signed to him to continue and offered prayer along with them. Then when he had pronounced the salutation, the Apostle (may peace be upon him) got up and I also got up with him, and we offered the rak'a which had been finished before we came.

Ibn Mughira narrated it from his father: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) wiped over his socks and over his forehead and over his turban.

This hadith has been transmitted by Ibn Mughira on the authority of his father by another chain of transmitters.

Bakr reported that he had heard from the son of Mughira that verily the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) performed ablution and wiped over his forehead and wiped over his turban and over his socks.

It is narrated from Bilal that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) wiped over the socks and turban, and in the hadith transmitted by 'Isa b. Yaunus the words are: "Bilal narrated it to me."

This tradition is transmitted by A'mash with this addition; ,I saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)."

Shuraih b. Hani said: I came to 'A'isha to ask her about wiping over the socks. She said: You better ask ('Ali) son of Abu Talib for he used to travel with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). We asked him and he said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) stipulated (the upper limit) of three days and three nights for a traveller and one day and one night for the resident.

This hadith is narrated by Ubaidullah b. 'Amr and Zaid b. Abu Unaisa with the same chain of transmitters.

Shuraib b. Hani reported: I asked 'A'isha about wiping over the shoes. She said: You better go to 'Ali, for he knows more about this than I. I, therefore, came to 'Ali and he narrated from the Apostle (may peace be upon him) like this.

Sulaiman b. Buraida narrated it from his father that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) offered prayers with one ablution on the day of the Conquest (of Mecca) and wiped over the socks. 'Umar said to him: You have today done something that you have not been accustomed to before. He (the Holy Prophet) said: 0 'Umar, I have done that on purpose.

Abu Huraira said: When anyone amongst you wakes up from sleep, he must not put his hand in the utensil till he has washed it three times, for he does not know where his hand was during the night.

This hadith is transmitted from Abu Huraira by another chain of transmitters.

Zahri and Ibn Musayyab have both transmitted a hadith like this from Abu Huraira who narrated it from the Apostle (may peace be upon him).

Abu Huraira reported: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When anyone amongst you wakes up from sleep, he should wash his hands three times before putting it in the utensil, for he does not know wher.. his hand was during the night.

This hadith has been transmitted through other chains of transmitters on the authority of Abu Huraira in which it is reported that the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) made a mention of washing the hand, and did not instruct to wash it three times. But the hadith narrated from Jabir and Ibn Musayyab. Abu Salama, and Abdullah b. Shaqiq, Abu Salih, Abla Razin, there is a mention of "three times".

Abu Huraira reported the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) to have said: When a dog licks a utensil belonging to any one of you, (the thing contained in it) should be thrown away and then (the utensil) should be washed seven times.

This hadith has been transmitted by another chain of transmitters in which there is no mention of "throwing away".

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When a dog drinks out of a vessel belonging to any one of you, he must wash it seven times.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: The purification of the utensil belonging to any one of you, after it is licked by a dog, lies in washing it seven times, using sand for the first time.

Hammam b. Munabbih reported : Of the a hadith narrated by Abu Huraira from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), one is this: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said : The purification of the utensil belonging to one amongst you, after it is licked by a dog, lies in washing it seven times.

Ibn Mughaffal reported : The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) ordered killing of the dogs, and then said : What about them, i.e. about other dogs? and then granted concession (to keep) the dog for hunting and the dog for (the security) of the herd, and said: When the dog licks the utensil, wash it seven times, and rub it with earth the eighth time.

A hadith like this has been narrated from Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters except for the fact that in the hadith transmitted by Yahya those words are: "He (the Holy Prophet) gave concession in the case of the dog for looking after the herd, for hunting and for watching the cultivated land," and there is no mention of this addition (i.e. concession in case of watching the cultivated lands) except in the hadith transmitted by Yahya.

Jabir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) forbade to urinate in stagnant water.

Abu Huraira reported: the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: None amongst you should urinate in standing water, and then wash in it.

Hammam b. Munabbih said: Of the ahadith narrated to us by Abfi Huraira from Muhammad the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one is this: The Messenger or Allah (may peace be upon him) said: You should not urinate in standing water, that is not flowing, then wash in it.

Abu Huraira reported the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) saying : None of you must wash in standing water when he is in a state of Junub. And Abu Huraira was asked how it was to be done; he said: It was to be taken out in handfuls.

Anas reported: A Bedouin urinated in the mosque. Some of the persons stood up (to reprimand him or to check him from doing so), but the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Leave him alone; don't interrupt him. He (the narrator) said: And when he had finished, he called for a bucket of water and poured it over.

Anas b. Malik narrated that a desert Arab (Bedouin) stood in a corner of the mosque and urinated there. The people (the Companions of the Holy Prophet who were present there) shouted, but the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Leave him alone. When he had finished, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) ordered that a bucket (of water) should be brought and poured over it.

Anas b. Malik reported: While we were in the mosque with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), a desert Arab came and stood up and began to urinate in the mosque. The Companions of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Stop, stop, but the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said : Don't interrupt him; leave him alone. They left him alone, and when he finished urinating, Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) called him and said to him: These mosques are not the places meant for urine and filth, but are only for the remembrance of Allah, prayer and the recitation of the Qur'an, or Allah's Messenger said something like that. He (the narrator) said that he (the Holy Prophet) then gave orders to one of the people who brought a bucket of water and poured It over.

A'isha, the wife of the Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Babies were brought to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and he blessed them, and after having chewed (something, e.g. dates or any other sweet thing) he rubbed there with their soft palates. A baby was brought to him and he passed water over him (over his garment), so he asked water to be brought and sprinkled it, but he did not wash it.

A'isha reported: A suckling babe was brought to the Messenger of Allah (way peace be upon him) and he urinated in his tap. He (the Holy Prophet) sent for water and poured it over.

Hisham narrated the hadith like one transmitted by Ibn Numair (the above mentioned one) with the same chain of transmitters.

Umm Qais daughter of Mihsan reported that she came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) with her child. who was not yet weaned, and she placed him in his lap; and he urinated in his (Holy Prophet's) lap. He (the Holy Prophet) did nothing more than spraying water over it.

This hadith has also been narrated from al-Zuhri with the same chain of narrators. (but for the words): "He (the Holy Prophet) sent for water and sprinkled it over."

Ubaidullah b. Abdullah b. 'Utba b. Mas'ud said: Umm Qais, daughter of Mihsan, was among the earliest female emigrants who took the oath of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and she was the sister of 'Ukkasha b. Mihsan, one amongst the sons of Asad b. Khuzaima. He (the narrator) said: She (Umm Qais) told me that she came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) with her son and he had not attained the age of eating food. He (the narrator, 'Ubaidullah), said: She told me that her son passed urine in the lap of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent for water and sprayed it over his garment (over that part which was contaminated with the urine of the child) and he did not wash it thoroughly.

Alqama and Aswad reported: A person stayed in the house of A'isha and in the morning began to wash his garment. A'isha said: In case you saw it (i.e. drop of semen), it would have served the purpose (of purifying the garment) if you had simply washed that spot; and in case you did not see it, it would have been enough to sprinkle water around it, for when I saw that on the garment of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). I simply scraped it off and he offered prayer, while putting that on.

Al-Aawad and Hammam reported A'isha as saying: I used to scrape off the (drop of) semen from the garment of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him).

Qutaiba b. Sa'id, Ishaq b. Ibrahim, Ibn Abi 'Aruba, Abu Ma'shar, Abu Bakr b. Abu Shaiba, Mansur and Mughira have all transmitted from Ibrahim, who transmitted it on the authority of A'isha's narration pertaining to the scraping off of the (drop) of semen from the garment of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) like the hadith of Khalid on the authority of Abu Ma'shar.

Hammam narrated the hadith from A'isha like the (above-mentioned)traditions.

'Amr b. Maimun said: I asked Sulaiman b. Yasir whether the semen that gets on to the garment of a person should be washed or not. He replied : A'isha told me: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) washed the semen, and then went out for prayer in that very garment and I saw the mark of washing on it.

Abu Kuraib, Ibn al-Mubarak, Ibn Abu Za'ida all of them narrated from Amr b. Maimun with the same chain of transmitters. Ibn Abu Za'ida narrated as was transmitted from Ibn Bishr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) washed semen, and in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Ibn Mabarak and Abdul Wahid the words are: "She (A'isha) reported: I used to wash it from the garment of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)."

Abdullah b. Shihab al-Khaulani reported: I stayed in the house of 'A'isha and had a wet dream (and perceived its effect on my garment), so (in the morning) I dipped both (the clothes) in water. This (act of mine) was watched by a maid-servant of A'isha and she informed her. She (Hadrat A'isha) sent me a message: Whatprompted you to act like this with your clothes? He (the narrator) said: I told that I saw in a dream what a sleeper sees. She said: Did you find (any mark of the fluid) on your clothes? I said: No. She said: Had you found anything you should have washed it. Incase I found that (semen) on the garment of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) dried up, I scraped it off with my nails.

Asma (daughter of Abu Bakr) reported: A woman came to the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: What should one do if the blood of menses smears the garment of one amongst us? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: She should scrape it, then rub it with water, then pour water over it and then offer prayer in it.

This tradition is narrated by Abu Kuraib, Ibn Numair, Abu Tahir, Ibn Wahb, Yahya b. 'Abdullah b. Salim, Malik b. Anas, 'Amr b. Harith on the authority of Hisham b. 'Urwa, with the same chain of transmitters like one transmitted by Yahya b. Sa'id like the above-mentioned.

Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) happened to pass by two graves and said: They (their occupants) are being tormented, but they are not tormented for a grievous sin. One of them carried tales and the other did not keep himself safe from being defiled by urine. He then called for a fresh twig and split it into two parts, and planted them on each grave and then said: Perhaps, their punishment way be mitigated as long as these twigs remain fresh.

This hadith is transmitted from A'mash by Abmad b. Yusuf al-Azdi, Mu'alla b. Asad, Abd al-Wahid, Sulaiman with the same chain of transmitters but for the words: "The other did not keep himself safe from being defiled by urine."