Islamic Culture and Religious Studies Book - 3

Lesson 18 : Ghusul (taking Bath)

Ghusl in Islam can be performed in 2 ways:

(1) Ghusl Tartibi which refers to washing the body in a specific order and (2) Ghusl al-Irtimasi which is performed by immersing one's body in water.

I. Ghusle Tartibi

Ghusl Tartibi comprises of four wajib steps:

1.Niyyat. 2.Washing the head and neck. 3.Washing the right side of the body from shoulder to foot. This includes all the parts of the body in this area - front and back.

4.Washing the left side of the body from the shoulder to foot.

When preparing to and performing a ghusl, here are something's to keep in mind:

  1. Before performing ghusl, you must first remove any najasat on your body following the relevant rules of mutahhirat.

  2. Once, you have made your body taahir, you can now make your niyyat and then, wash your body as specified in the steps above, ensuring that no part of the body is left dry.

Conditions regarding Ghusl

  1. In Ghusl Tartibi, you must start with your head and neck, then the right side of the body and finally the left side. If you do not follow this order, your ghusl becomes Baatil (Void).

  2. Make sure that your whole body has been washed thoroughly because if even a tiny part is left dry, then the Ghusl is considered void.

  3. It is not wajib to wash the inner parts of the body that cannot be seen e.g. mouth, nostrils, ear canal etc.

  4. If something is attached to your body and prevents water from coming in contact with your skin, then it must be removed for the Ghusl to be accepted.

  5. Water used should be taahir and not Ghasbi.

  6. It is not necessary to start washing from the upper part of the body i.e. neck to feet. The most important thing is that the whole body should be wet and washing should be in the three steps mentioned.

Ghusl Al-Irtimasi

For this method, you need only pronounce Niyyat and immerse your body in a body of water. As long as this is done in a fluid manner and the entire body is wet at one go, it is accepted and valid.

Think And Answer

  1. How many types of Ghusl do we have?

  2. Explain mas`ala concerning the Ghusl that have been mentioned in the lesson.

Lesson 19 : Tayyamum

We have discussed basic rules regarding Tayyamum in Book Two. Let us remind ourselves on the process of this act and then study some more mas'ala (laws) about it. We know that 4 things are wajib for Tayyamum to be considered valid. These are:

  1. Niyya (Intention). This means saying " I will perform tayamum kurbat LiLLaHi tala or you say I am performing tayamum instead of kurbati mina Allah tala."

  2. Strike both palms on soil or any valid medium for tayammum.

  3. Place both hands - palms inwards - on your forehead and pass them down to your eyebrows and then to the tip of the nose.

  4. Pass your left palm over the back of your right hand from wrist to fingertips, then do the same with your right palm over the back of your left hand.

Conditions regarding Performance of Tayyamum

  1. All parts stated in the rules must be wiped else tayamum will not be valid.

  2. The forehead and backs of hands should be taahir.

  3. Incase any of the parts used in tayyamum i.e. forehead, backs or palms of the hand are tied with a bandage or plaster that cannot be removed, then tayyamum is allowed with this.

  4. Whoever is performing tayamum while on duty without knowing when he will leave, He can perform tayamum and say his prayer. But if knew that before the end of the period that problem can be solved, He should wait till the water is available.

  5. Things that make wudhoo and ghusl invalid also apply to tayamum. Note: All detailed mas`ail on tayammum can be found in the book "Tawdhiul Mas`ail Tayyamum can be done in replacement of wudhu or ghusl in the following circumstances. When:

1.There is no water and getting water is impossible.

2.There is water but it is very difficult to reach.

3.The usage of water is harmful to ones health, e.g. it can cause sickness.

However, if there is an alternative such as warm water, then one should perform wudhoo with it.

4.Water is available, but it belongs to someone else, and one cannot obtain his permission. The solution here is to perform tayammum.

5.Water is available, but the time is short i.e. if you perform wudhoo or Ghusl, part of or your entire prayer will be Qadha then you have to perform tayammum.

Conditions regarding Replacing of Wudhoo with Tayyamum

  1. It is not necessary to be very sure that water is harmful to oneself but by guessing that the water may be harmful, one can perform tayammum.

  2. In regards to time, if you can perform wudhoo and pray without the mustahabat e.g. Qunut in the period of time available, then you must do this and tayyamum is not allowed.

Things that can be used for Tayamum

  1. Tayammum can be performed with clean dust, soil, sand, limestone, dry mud, clay or marble (semi-precious stone).Incase the soil, sand, stone, and the lump of earth are not available, we must perform tayammum with clay.

  2. Incase the soil available is mixed with something else, then tayammum becomes Batil (Invalid).

  3. Things on which you want to perform tayammum should not be Ghasbi or taken by force.

Think And Answer How many things are wajib in tayummum? Perform tayammum infront of your teacher so he or she can ensure that you know how to do it correctly. When can a person perform tayamum instead of Wudhoo or Ghusl? Mention few masails concerning tayammum.