Quran Garden

Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was granted five extraordinary blessings that were not given to any prophet before him.  Today, we discuss one of these blessings as we continue the Tafsir of Aya 43 of Surah An-Nisaa. Let's begin.

Session 619

Chapter 4

Verse 43

a continuation

You who believe, do not come anywhere near the prayer if you are intoxicated, not until you know what you are saying; nor if you are in a state of major ritual impurity- though you may pass through the mosque- not until you have bathed; if you are ill, on a journey, have relieved yourselves, or had intercourse, and cannot find any water, then find some clean earth and wipe your faces and hands with it.  God is always ready to pardon and forgive.

(Chapter 4: Verse 43)

After discussing intoxicants and other mind-altering substances as barriers to prayer, God brings forth another ruling, "nor if you are in a state of major ritual impurity - though you may pass through the mosque- not until you have bathed." Major ritual impurity, translated from the Arabic Jan?bah, is the effect of the sexual union of a man and woman.  It is said to be the one pleasure that preoccupies the mind away from its Creator.  We also call sexual pleasure "the sum of all pleasures," because it involves the eyes, ears, touch, taste, and produces in the body that special shudder.  After intercourse, we fully wash ourselves to restore vitality and normalcy to body and soul.  You are free to engage in sexual pleasure as you wish, so long as you do so in the light of what God made lawful, which is marriage.  We obey our Lord's command and wash from major impurity afterwards, whether we understand the wisdom behind it or not.

This brings us back to the verse, "nor if you are in a state of major ritual impurity - though you may pass through the mosque- not until you have bathed." When referring to prayer, specifically the Salat ritual, Muslims could no longer perform it while intoxicated, high, or in a state of major impurity.  Allah did not say, 'do not pray,' rather, "do not come anywhere near the prayer" while in these states.  The place of prayer is the mosque.  Thus, "do not come anywhere near the prayer" also extends to not approaching mosques.  In fact, you shouldn't even walk through a mosque unless it's the only way to reach water for purification.

The verse continues, "if you are ill, on a journey," meaning you have an excuse that prevents access to water; "Have relieved yourselves" refers to having gone to the bathroom or having a bowel movement.  We use terms such as 'relieve myself' or 'use the restroom' to gently refer to the physical act people find distasteful.  

God says, "If you are ill, on a journey, have relieved yourselves, or had intercourse, and cannot find any water, then find some clean earth and wipe your faces and hands with it." It's a sign of Allah's mercy to the Ummah of Muhammad that the law of Tayamum was made easy for us to follow.  Don't say, for example, 'I do wudu to clean myself before prayer.' We perform the wudu ablution because Allah told us to do so.  Had wudu been about cleanliness, would it make sense to use dust on your face when you don't have access to water?  The wudu ablution and the Tayamum dry purification are simply part of the preparation for prayer, as God instructed.  How can water and dust be used for purification?  Yes, we follow Allah's commands, and that is enough reason.  Some scholars suggest that since humans were created from clay, a mix of water and soil, it makes perfect sense to use one of these elements, water or dust, to go back to our pure state. 

Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "I have been granted five blessings that no prophet before me was given: I was sent to all people, both red and black, whereas earlier prophets were sent only to their own nation.  I was granted victory through the fear placed in the hearts of my enemies from a month's distance.  The spoils of war were made lawful for me, though they were not permitted for those before me.  The entire earth was made for me a place of prayer and a means of purification.  And while every prophet was given a supplication that he used during his lifetime, I have saved my supplication as intercession for my Ummah on the Day of Resurrection, for those who die without associating anything with Allah."

To "find some clean earth" means you must ensure the soil or dust is free from impurity, such as urine.  Tayamum purifies you from both major impurities, such as the Jan?bah after sexual relations, and minor ones, such as after using the bathroom.  How do we perform tayammum?  "Find some clean earth and wipe your faces and hands with it." As you see, tayammum is not merely a substitute for water ablution.  During wudu, you rinse your mouth, cleanse your nose, wash your face, arms, and wipe your head and ears, among other essential and Sunnah rituals.  But in this Aya, Allah clarifies that since the matter is with wholesome dust and earth, it is enough to wipe the face and hands.

Tayammum is a dry form of purification performed when water is unavailable or harmful to use.  Begin by making the intention to purify yourself for prayer.  Lightly strike or place both hands on clean earth, dust, sand, or stone, then blow off any excess dust.  Wipe your entire face once.  Strike the ground again and wipe your right hand, then your left.  Some scholars include arms up to the elbows.  Tayammum serves as a substitute for wudu or the full body ghusl until water becomes available or safe to use.  Some scholars said: "one strike"; some said: "two strikes."  We answer that God made things easy for us; both opinions are correct.  Do not stress over it, as Allah ends the verse with these beautiful words, "God is always ready to pardon and forgive." He protected you from the hardship of searching for water and will forgive your shortcomings.