Ablution involves the ritual cleansing of the body with pure water in preparation for performance of other acts of worship. Although there are minor differences of opinion among Islamic legal schools, Islamic law generally stipulates two kinds of ablution. One, called ghusl, requires an expression of intention, followed by a cleansing of the entire body. It must be performed after sexual activity, menstruation, and childbirth; it is also performed on the body of a dead person to prepare it for funerary prayer and burial. The second kind of ablution, wudu, involves a partial cleansing starting with an expression of intention, followed by washing of the face, hands up to the elbows, head, and feet. It may also involve washing the ears and nostrils and rinsing the mouth. This method is believed to purify the body after urination and defecation, touching the genitals, sleep, and other activities. Ablution may be performed at home or at the mosque, which has special facilities for this purpose. The numerous communal bathhouses that characterized medieval Islamicate cities also helped to meet this need. In the absence of water, Islamic law allows for the performance of “dry ablution” with sand or a similar substance. Only the hands and face are cleansed if this is the case. Failure to perform the proper ablution prohibits a person from performing prayer, entering a mosque, touching the Quran, or visiting the kaaba in mecca.
Eid in Islam: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr
