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Offline Reader Questions

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To Bathe or to Wash in Ablution (Wudu)?
« on: April 08, 2012, 12:31:39 AM »
Dear Brother,

Salamun Alaika

I read the following verse

[5:6] O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favour to you, that ye may be grateful. - Yousuf Ali Translation.

[5:6] O ye who believe! When ye rise up for prayer, wash your face, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. And if ye are unclean, purify yourselves. And if ye are sick or on a journey,or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have had contact with women, and ye find not water, then go to clean, high ground and rub your faces and your hands with some of it. Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that ye may give thanks. - Pickthall Translation.

Now I am confused about the two translation the first one say we have to bathe whole body and the last one say purify yourself. And sunni and shia muslim say if you had a intimate relation with women, take water into your mouth, into the nose, and wash whole body.

So, Quran is a fully detailed scripture and explain in details. in this case, If I purify myself washing the specific or impured part, is that make sense or not?

Thank you.

May God bless you.

Offline Joseph Islam

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Re: To Bathe or to Wash in Ablution (Wudu)?
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2012, 12:34:32 AM »
Salamun Alaikum.

You are absolutely correct. The Quran is indeed a fully detailed scripture viz a viz what is required for deen. However, as you will appreciate, the Quran does not intend to dot every 'i' and cross every 't' that is comprehensibly possible. The purport is to provide 'guidance' and then leave the believers with two main responsibilities:

  • To take the best meaning of what they hear (39:18)
  • (2) To do the best they can / what they are able with sincerity (64:16) [1]

With respect to verse 5:6, one needs to read it in conjunction with verse 4:43 where the type of purification is elucidated as a 'bathe' in Arabic, 'hatta taghtasilu' (until you have bathed/washed). 

To any Arabic speaking individual when they encounter the Arabic 'hatta taghtasilu', it is clear that this is a reference to a full bath. As in English, if I were to say to someone, 'go and have a bath' or 'go and bathe', the English speaker will immediately know what I intend to convey as an action. It is no different in the Arabic. 'To bathe' would be the best meaning from the word 'taghtasilu' (39:18) and the best action to take (64:16).

Furthermore, purification is not only restricted to a physical cleanse, despite the difficulty in ascertaining the exact parts which have become impurified in full body physical intimacy between two individuals. It is also about spiritual purification. This is as true for ablution and dry ablution (tayammum) as it is for bathing.

"...God does not intend to make any difficultly for you but He intends to purify you..." (5:6).

The first translator has given the complete meaning taking into account other verses on the same topic, the second translator has given a literal meaning just of the verse. Both are correct from their own perspective and what it seems they intend to convey. This is why it is imperative to read multiple translations as you have done, or better still, to learn the Arabic directly so one can access the scripture where translations are then just 'another opinion' on your own translation.

I hope that helps, God willing.

Regards,
Joseph.

Related Article:

[1] DO THE BEST YOU CAN WITH SINCERITY
http://quransmessage.com/articles/best%20you%20can%20FM3.htm
'During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act' 
George Orwell