ORDINARY ABLUTION (required after excretion, bleeding, vomiting, violent anger, hysteria, or sleep):

Say:     a`Ûdhu biLLÂHi min ash‑shayTÂN ir‑raJÎM.

bismiLLÂH ir‑rahMÂN ir‑raHÎM.

            For Allah's sake, I intend to perform ablution.

1.      Wash both hands up to the wrists, three times. Start with the washing of the right hand.

2.      Taking water in your right palm, rinse your mouth three times.

3.      Using the right hand, snuff water into your nostrils. Using your left hand, blow your nose. Clean your nasal passages three times.

4.      Taking water in both palms, wash your face three time:.

5.      Starting with the right side, wash your hands and forearms up to the elbows three times.

6.      Draw your right hand over your head, wetting it from the forehead to the neck.

7.      With wetted fingers of both hands, rub your ears and wet your neck.

8.      Using the left hand and starting with the right foot, wash the feet up to the ankles three times.

Do not dry any of the washed parts until the whole ablution is complete.

The performance of the indicated phases of ablution three times is a sunnah. The farz is to perform each action once. To perform a phase of ablution more than three times is not recommended.

TOTAL ABLUTION (required after sexual intercourse, seminal emission, and menstruation)

Say:     a`Ûdhu biLLÂHi min ash‑shayTÂN ir‑raJÎM.

bismiLLÂH ir‑rahMÂN ir‑raHÎM.

            For Allah's sake, I intend to perform a total ablution.

1.      Wash your hands.

2.      Wash your genital area.

3.      Perform the ordinary ablution.

4.      Pour water over your head, three times over the right side and three times over the left, rubbing your head from the forehead to the neck.

5.      Pour water three times over your right shoulder and three times over your left shoulder, rubbing the body so that there is not a spot that remains dry.

It is good to recite the following prayer after any ablution:

subHANaka allâHUMma wa bi‑HAMdika    ‑

wa asTAGHfiruka wa aTÛbu iLAYka

aSHhadu an LÂ iLÂHa ILLA LLÂH

wa ASHhadu anna muHAMmadan `ABduka wa raSÛLuk.

(“Glory and praise to You, my Allah. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.”)

For a fuller discussion on ablution, see the sheet on the Prayer Service.