Ablutions
Letters[edit]
Ablutions consist of washing the hands and face (and for the medium prayer, with the accompany in recitation of certain verses)[edit]
"Ablutions are to be performed by the believer in preparation for the offering of obligatory prayer. They consist of washing the hands and face. If water is unavailable, the repetition five times of the specifically revealed verse is prescribed. See note 34 for a general discussion of ablutions.
- "Antecedents in earlier Dispensations for the provision of substitute procedures to be followed when no water is available are found in the Qur'án and in the Arabic Bayán."
- (Kitáb-i-Aqdas Notes no. 16)
- "The prescribed ablutions consist of washing the hands and the face in preparation for prayer. In the case of the medium Obligatory Prayer, this is accompanied by the recitation of certain verses (see Some Texts Revealed by Bahá'u'lláh Supplementary to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas)."
- (Kitáb-i-Aqdas Notes no. 34)
Practices for which ablutions are to be performed[edit]
"Ablutions are specifically associated with certain prayers. They must precede the offering of the three Obligatory Prayers, the daily recitation of "Alláh-u-Abhá" ninety-five times, and the recital of the verse prescribed as an alternative to obligatory prayer and fasting for women in their courses (see note 20)."
- (Kitáb-i-Aqdas Notes no. 34)
Obligatory Prayer[edit]
Ablutions before obligatory prayers[edit]
"It hath been ordained that every believer in God, the Lord of Judgement, shall, each day, having washed his hands and then his face, seat himself and, turning unto God, repeat 'Allah-u-Abha' ninety-five times. Such was the decree of the Maker of the Heavens when, with majesty and power, He established Himself upon the thrones of His Names. Perform ye likewise, ablutions for the Obligatory Prayer; this is the command of God, the Incomparable, the Unrestrained."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, par. 18, p. 26, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1538)
- "a. Ablutions must precede the recital of the Obligatory Prayers.
Ablutions necessary for all three Obligatory Prayers; not necessary to use words in medium Obligatory Prayer for washing with short or long prayers[edit]
"Concerning the movements to accompany the recitations of the Long Obligatory Prayer, in response to an enquiry from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Near East, the House of Justice stated in a letter dated September 1, 1975:
'Ablutions are necessary for all three Obligatory Prayers.' 'Reciting the words specified in the medium Obligatory Prayer pertains only to that prayer, i.e., for the short and long Obligatory Prayers it would be sufficient to wash one's hands and face in preparation for each of these two prayers.'
"However, the Universal House of Justice has stated to National Spiritual Assemblies in the West that no issue should be made of this matter at the present time and since it has not been clarified and applied in detail to the western believers, they are under no obligation to go beyond the instructions given by the beloved Guardian in 'Prayers and Meditations' in which ablutions are prescribed only in connection with the medium Obligatory Prayer.
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, April 1, 1982: Notes on Obligatory Prayers and Ablutions, A Compilation of the Universal House of Justice, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1537)
Substitution verse for women (an optional exemption from Obligatory Prayer and fasting for women during menstruation)[edit]
- See Kitáb-i-Aqdas, par. 13
"Exemption from obligatory prayer and fasting is granted to women who are menstruating; they should, instead, perform their ablutions (see note 34) and repeat 95 times a day between one noon and the next, the verse "Glorified be God, the Lord of Splendour and Beauty". This provision has its antecedent in the Arabic Bayán, where a similar dispensation was granted."
- (Kitáb-i-Aqdas Notes no. 20)
IV.A."4. Exemption from offering the Obligatory Prayers is granted to:
- "c. Women in their courses provided they perform their ablutions and repeat a specifically revealed verse 95 times a day."
IV.B."5. Exemption from fasting is granted to:
- "f. Women in their courses, provided they perform their ablutions and repeat a specifically revealed verse 95 times a day."
Recitation of 95 Alláh'u'Abhás[edit]
Ablutions before repetition of the Greatest Name[edit]
"It hath been ordained that every believer in God, the Lord of Judgement, shall, each day, having washed his hands and then his face, seat himself and, turning unto God, repeat 'Allah-u-Abha' ninety-five times. Such was the decree of the Maker of the Heavens when, with majesty and power, He established Himself upon the thrones of His Names. Perform ye likewise, ablutions for the Obligatory Prayer; this is the command of God, the Incomparable, the Unrestrained."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, par. 18, p. 26, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1538)
"The repetition of "Alláh-u-Abhá" ninety-five times is to be preceded by the performance of ablutions (see note 34)."
- (Kitáb-i-Aqdas Notes no. 33)
Ablutions have a significance beyond washing[edit]
- "That ablutions have a significance beyond washing may be seen from the fact that even should one have bathed oneself immediately before reciting the Obligatory Prayer, it would still be necessary to perform ablutions (Q and A 18).
- (Kitáb-i-Aqdas Notes no. 34)
Washing hands and face in connection with obligatory prayers is a law of Bahá'u'lláh[edit]
"...The genuflections and washing of hands and face (as clearly put down in 'Prayers and Meditations of Bahá'u'lláh', which he himself translated), associated with the two longer daily prayers (obligatory prayers) are laws of Bahá'u'lláh, applicable to any Bahá'í whether of Muslim background, Christian background or otherwise. It is blasphemy to suggest otherwise. However, the Bahá'ís have been left free by Bahá'u'lláh to choose one of the 3 obligatory prayers, and those who prefer not to perform these acts can say the very short one."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany and Austria, June 30, 1949, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1526)
Detailed provisions of the law concerning ablutions are set out in the Synopsis and Codification of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and specific Questions and Answers numbers (these are all included within this page)[edit]
- "The detailed provisions of the law concerning ablutions are set out in the Synopsis and Codification, section IV.A.10.a.-g., as well as in Questions and Answers numbers 51, 62, 66, 77 and 86.
- (Kitáb-i-Aqdas Notes no. 34)
One is to recite a substitution verse for ablutions in the absence of available/clean water (or if one's hands or face, etc. would be harmed by its use)[edit]
"Let him that findeth no water for ablution repeat five times the words "In the Name of God, the Most Pure, the Most Pure", and then proceed to his devotions. Such is the command of the Lord of all worlds."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, par. 10; also in Lights of Guidance, no. 1539)
"QUESTION: With reference to ablutions, it hath been revealed, "Let him that findeth no water for ablution repeat five times the words `In the Name of God, the Most Pure, the Most Pure'": is it permissible to recite this verse in times of bitter cold, or if the hands or face be wounded?
"ANSWER: Warm water may be used in times of bitter cold. If there are wounds on the face or hands, or there be other reasons such as aches and pains for which the use of water would be harmful, one may recite the appointed verse in place of the ablution."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas Questions and Answers, no. 51)
- "When no water is available for ablutions, a prescribed verse is to be repeated five times (see note 16), and this provision is extended to those for whom the use of water would be physically harmful (Q and A 51).
- (Kitáb-i-Aqdas Notes no. 34)
- "d. If water is unavailable or its use harmful to the face or hands, the repetition, five times, of a specifically revealed verse is prescribed.
- "e. Should the weather be too cold the use of warm water is recommended.
Ablutions must be performed even if one has just bathed[edit]
"QUESTION: With reference to the ablutions: if, for example, a person hath just bathed his entire body, must he still perform his ablutions?
"ANSWER: The commandment regarding ablutions must, in any case, be observed."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas Questions and Answers, no. 18)
- "g. Ablutions are essential whether a bath has been taken previously or not."
Ablutions must be renewed for obligatory prayers recited at a different time (i.e., for the Obligatory Prayer (medium))[edit]
"QUESTION: Are ablutions for the morning prayer still valid for the noonday prayer? And similarly, are ablutions carried out at noon still valid in the evening?
"ANSWER: Ablutions are connected with the Obligatory Prayer for which they are performed, and must be renewed for each prayer."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas Questions and Answers, no. 66)
- "b. For every Obligatory Prayer fresh ablutions must be performed.
One need not renew ablutions if performing them in conjunction with two acts at the same time (e.g., Obligatory Prayer and recitation of 95 Alláh'u'Abhás)[edit]
"QUESTION: If, for another purpose, one hath performed ablutions, and the time of obligatory prayer arriveth, are these ablutions sufficient or must they be renewed?
"ANSWER: These same ablutions are sufficient, and there is no need for them to be renewed."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas Questions and Answers, no. 62)
- "f. If ablutions have been performed for other purposes, their renewal prior to the recital of the Obligatory Prayer is not required.
"QUESTION: Do ablutions performed for the Obligatory Prayer suffice for the ninety-five repetitions of the Greatest Name?
"ANSWER: It is unnecessary to renew the ablutions."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas Questions and Answers, no. 77)
"QUESTION: At noon, which is the time for two of the Obligatory Prayers--the short midday prayer, and the prayer to be offered in the morning, noon, and evening--is it necessary in this case to perform two ablutions or would one suffice?
"ANSWER: The renewal of ablutions is unnecessary."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas Questions and Answers, no. 86)
- "c. Should two Obligatory Prayers be offered at noon one ablution for both prayers is sufficient.
Verses to be recited during medium Obligatory Prayer ablutions are not required (nor prohibited) for recitation with short and long Obligatory Prayers[edit]
"The Universal House of Justice has received your email letter of 5 April 2004, in which you enquire whether the recitation of the specific verses associated with the performance of ablutions for the medium Obligatory Prayer would also be required when carrying out ablutions for the short and long Obligatory Prayers or for the recitation of the Greatest Name.
"Responses to similar queries in the past have indicated that the recitation of the words specified in the medium Obligatory Prayer pertains only to that prayer; that is, for the short and long Obligatory Prayers it would be sufficient to wash one’s hands and face in preparation for each of these two prayers. It follows then that the recitation of the specific verses need not be applied when performing ablutions prior to the recitation of the phrase “Alláh-u-Abhá” ninetyfive times. However, there would be no objection to saying the verses with the ablutions in such cases, should any of the friends so desire."
- (On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, "Questions on Obligatory Prayer and Repetition of the Greatest Name Ninety-five Times a Day", June 6, 2004)
After intercourse[edit]
Questions[edit]
- Can one be exempted from ablutions (such as stating the exemption verse) such as if one has make-up on?
- Can one apply make-up or apply rose water and pure perfumes after ablutions but before one's Obligatory prayer or Recitation of 95 Alláh'u'Abhás?
To-dos for this page[edit]
- Find references re: "Antecedents in earlier Dispensations for the provision of substitute procedures to be followed when no water is available are found in the Qur'án and in the Arabic Bayán." (and for women during courses)"
