Beyond Purity: Do Wudu (Ablution) Before Perform These 6 Practices

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Wudu or ablution is a medium for purifying small hadas (an accidental cause of impurity) so that you can carry out obligatory practices such as praying five times a day. However, ablution is also highly recommended to be carried out on several occasions.

Sayyid Sabiq in his book Fiqh as-Sunnah explains several practices that should be preceded by ablution. These are some of them.

1. Dikr of Allah SWT

Based on the hadith from Muhajir bin Qunfudz that he said salam to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) while he was performing ablution and he did not respond to the greeting until he had finished his ablution, only then was the greeting answered. He then said:

إنه لم يمنعني أن أرد عليك إلا أني كرهت أن أذكر الله إلا على الطهارة

"Indeed, there is nothing that prevents me from answering your greetings, except that I don't like to recite Asma Allah except in a pure state." Qatadah said:

فكان الحسن من أجل هذا يكره أن يقرأ أو يذكر الله عز وجل حتى يطهر

"For this reason, Al-Hasan did not like reading or dhikr
remembering Allah until he becomes pure." (HR Ahmad and an-Nasai)

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2. When you are about to sleep

Based on a hadith narrated by Al-Barra' bin Azib, the Prophet said:

إذا أتيت مضجعك فتوضأ وضوءك للصلاة ثم اضطجع على شقك الايمن

"If you see your bed, then perform ablution as you perform ablution when you want to pray, then sleep on your right side then say the prayer..." (HR al-Bukhari).

This Sunnah is further strengthened for junub (ritually impure due to sexual intercourse or seminal discharge) people who are about to sleep. This is based on Aisyah's hadith, she said:

كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا أراد أن ينام وهو جنب، غسل فرجه وتوضأ وضوءه للصلاة

"When the Messenger of Allah wanted to sleep while in a state of junub, he washed his genitals and performed ablution as if performing ablution for prayer." (HR. Al-Bukhari).

3. Perform ablution for people who are junub when they want to eat, drink or have sexual intercourse with their wife

This is based on Aisyah's hadith, she said:

كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا كان جنبا فأراد أن يأكل أو ينام توضأ

"When the Messenger of Allah was in a state of junub and wanted to eat or sleep, he performed ablution." (HR Muslim and others).

From Abu Said, the Prophet said:

إذا أتى أحدكم أهله ثم أراد أن يود فليتوضأ

"If one of you comes to his wife (having sexual intercourse), then wants to do it again, then let him perform ablution." (HR Jamaah except Al-Bukhari. Also narrated by Ibn Khuzaimah, Ibn Hibban, Al-Hakim and they added, "Because it is more enthusiastic.").

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4. It is sunnah to perform ablution before bathing, whether it is obligatory bathing or sunnah bathing

This is based on Aisyah's hadith, that:

كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا اغتسل من الجنابة، يبدأ فيغسل يديه، ثم يفرغ بيمينه على شماله فيغسل فرجه، ثم يتوضأ وضوءه للصلاة

"When the Messenger of Allah took a shower, he started washing the palms of his hands, then washed his right hand and then his left hand, he washed his farji (genitals), then performed ablution like ablution for prayer." (HR Jamaah)

5. It is sunnah to perform ablution for people who have finished eating cooked food

This is based on the hadith of Ibrahim bin Abdullah bin Qarizh, he said:

مررت بأبي هريرة وهو يتوضأ فقال: أتدري مم أتوضأ؟ من أثوار أقط (١) أكلتها، لاني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: (توضئوا مما مست النار)

"I passed by Abu Hurairah who was performing ablution and said, 'Do you know why I performed ablution? In fact, I performed ablution because I had just eaten cheese, I heard the Messenger of Allah say, "You must perform ablution from food touched by fire." (HR Muslim).

Commandment ablution in this hadith means recommendation (not an obligatory command).

6. Renew your ablution every prayer (salah)

Based on the Buraidah hadith as follows:

كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يتوضأ عند كل صلاة، فلما كان يوم الفتح توضأ ومسح على خفيه وصلى الصلوات بوضوء واحد، فقال له عمر.
يا رسول الله إنك فعلت شيئا لم تكن تفعله! فقال: (عمدا فعلته يا عمر)

The Messenger of Allah performed ablution every time he prayed. On the day of the conquest of Mecca, he performed ablution and wiped his shoes, and performed many prayers with just one ablution. Umar said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, are you doing something you have never done?" He said, "I did that on purpose, O Umar." (HR Ahmad, Muslim and others).