الفقه · Islamic Jurisprudence
الطهارة
Ritual purity is the gateway to worship. This chapter covers types of water, wudu, ghusl, tayammum, and purity of clothing and place.
Wudu is required before every Salah. The Quran specifies four obligatory acts: (1) washing the face, (2) washing the arms to the elbows, (3) wiping part of the head, (4) washing the feet to the ankles.
Wudu is invalidated by: passage of wind or stool from back passage, urination, deep sleep (lying down), loss of consciousness, and according to most schools, touching the genitals directly.
Ghusl (full body ritual bath) becomes obligatory upon: (1) sexual intercourse, (2) ejaculation with desire, (3) end of menstruation, (4) end of post-natal bleeding (nifas), (5) death of a Muslim, (6) upon embracing Islam.
When water is unavailable or its use would cause harm (e.g., illness), one may perform tayammum using clean earth/sand/stone as a substitute for both wudu and ghusl.