Encyclopedia of Islam

Further reading: Hamid Enayat, Modern Islamic Politi-

cal Thought (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1982); 

Albert Hourani, Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age, 

1798–1939 (London: Oxford University Press, 1970); 

Malcolm H. Kerr, Islamic Reform: The Political and Legal 

Theories of Muhammad Abduh and Rashid Rida (Berke-

ley: University of California Press, 1966).

ablution

Ablution involves the ritual cleansing of the 

body with pure water in preparation for perfor-

mance 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 wash-

ing 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 per-

formed at home or at the 

mosqUe

, which has 

special facilities for this purpose. The numerous 

communal bathhouses that characterized medi-

K  6  

ablution

---

eval 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 per-

forming prayer, entering a mosque, touching the 

q

Uran

, or visiting the k

aaba

 in m

ecca

.

See also 

FUnerary

 

ritUals

.