Category: Classes

It is compulsory to completely wash your face when you perform wudu. We constantly wash the face which we present to the creation, but how often do we wash the face which we present to our Creator? What place does Allah have in our hearts? Continue reading Insights into Purification: Washing Your Face

The word “wudu” has the meaning of beauty, light and cleanliness. When you perform wudu, the water washes away your sins. Wudu, prayer, gatherings of knowledge, certain adhkar and giving charity all wipe out different types of wrongdoings. We should thus try to perform different actions so that all our wrongdoings are wiped out. Continue reading Insights into Purification: the Light of Wudu

If a dead creature which does not have flowing blood falls into some water, it does not make the water impure. The scholars say this includes a gecko and anything smaller than it.

The gecko came to the fire in which Sayyiduna Ibrahim had been cast and blew upon it, trying to increase its ferocity. Obviously this had no effect on the fire but due to its bad intention it is recommended to kill geckos.

The frog on the other hand filled its mouth with water and put it on the fire, trying to extinguish it. Obviously this had no effect on the fire but due to its good intention and its respect for Ibrahim it is impermissible to kill frogs. Continue reading Insights into Purification: The Gecko and the Frog

Allah created physical tangible water with which we cleanse our bodies from impurities, remove states of ritual impurity and wash our clothing and containers.

But He also created noble spiritual water with which our hearts, minds and souls may be cleansed from all types of impurities inward and outward, large and small. Continue reading Insights into Purification: A Different Type of Water

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught us not to leave containers with food or drink in them uncovered overnight. Even empty containers should not be left uncovered. If they are left uncovered, they should be washed before being used. If they cannot be covered completely, it is enough to put a stick or something similar over the container and to say “bismillah” (in the name of Allah). This will be a means of protection. Continue reading Insights into Purification: Covering Containers

When water is mixed with other substances it takes on the properties of those substances and is thus no longer fit to be used for purification. When it is mixed with impure substances it becomes impure. Likewise we must be careful who we mix with so that we do not take on negative attributes and lose our purity.

A small amount of water easily becomes impure, but when more water is added to it until it becomes a large amount, it is now pure and can be used for purification. For that reason we are encouraged to come together for worship. When there are a large number of us our impurities are diluted until they are no longer manifest.

Extracts from Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz’s classes on the rulings and etiquettes of purification from Habib Abdullah bin Husayn Balfaqih’s “Kifayat al-Raghib” in Shafi fiqh.