How to cleanse oneself (Arabic & English)

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

 

 

كيفية الاستنجاء

وكيفية الاستنجاء أن يمسح بالحجر الأول من جهة المقدم إلى خلف وبالثاني من خلف الى قدام وبالثالث من قدام الى خلف إذا كانت الخصية مدلاة وإن كانت غير مدلاة يبتدىء من خلف الى قدام والمرأة تبتدىء من قدام الى خلف خشية تلويث فرجها ثم يغسل يده أولا بالماء ثم يدلك المحل بالماء بباطن إصبع أو إصبعين أو ثلاثة إن احتاج ويصعد الرجل إصبعه الوسطى على غيرها في ابتداء الاستنجاء ثم يصعد بنصره ولا يقتصر على إصبع واحدة والمرأة تصعد بنصرها وأوسط أصابعها معا ابتداء خشية حصول اللذة ويبالغ في التنظيف حتى يقطع الرائحة الكريهة وفي إرخاء المقعدة إن لم يكن صائما فإذا فرغ غسل يده ثانيا ونشف مقعدته قبل القيام إذا كان صائما.

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Method of performing istinja’: if one’s testicles are hanging one should wipe with the first stone from the front to the back and with the second from the back to the front and with the third from the front to the back.  If the testicles are not hanging, then one should start from the back.  A female should start from the front to the back for the fear of defiling her vagina.

Thereafter, one should wash the hand and using water wipe the soiled area with the inner side of one, two, or even three fingers if needed.  A male will raise his middle finger over the rest when commencing the istinja’ he will raise the ring finger.  One should not suffice upon the use of one finger.  A female should raise her ring and middle finger simultaneously from the outset for fear of being sexually aroused.

The utmost should be done in cleansing oneself until the foul smell has been eliminated, whilst thoroughly relaxing one’s buttocks, unless fasting.  Upon completion one should wash the hand again.  If fasting one should wipe oneself before standing.

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The aim of cleansing oneself is to cleanse the orifice as thoroughly as possible. The recommended manner mentioned below is preferred because cleanliness is attained in the most comprehensive manner.

The man begins by wiping the rear orifice with a stone from the front to the back. A second stone is then used to wipe from the back to the front. A third stone is then used to wipe from the front to the back a second time. This order is used if the testicles are sagging, whether it is summer or winter, from fear of soiling them. However, if they are not sagging the man should cleanse initially from the back to the front and proceed from there. This order is preferred because it is a more thorough manner of cleansing.

The woman begins by wiping from the front to the back from fear of soiling her external genitals and proceeds from there.

After wiping in the above manner, the hands are washed with water to avoid the body having to absorb impure water at the beginning of cleansing oneself. The area is then rubbed with water with the pulp of one or two fingers at first, or three fingers if need be. The man raises the middle finger above the others from the beginning of cleansing oneself so that the impure water flows away without spreading over the body. After washing for a little while the ring finger is raised, followed by the little finger, and, if needed, the index finger. This enables cleansing to be performed thoroughly. One finger alone should not be used because it can possibly produce an ailment and it does not cleanse thoroughly.

The woman should raise the middle finger and the ring finger together from the beginning from fear of attaining pleasure if only one finger was used. This could possibly require her to perform a ritual bath without her even realising. The virgin should cleanse herself with the palm of her hand and not with her fingers from fear of possibly breaking her hymen.

The person cleansing oneself should persist in cleaning until the bad odour has been removed. There is no estimate for the number of times for this because the correct position is to leave this to the individual until convinced that they are clean.

The following are less strong positions

• Someone afflicted with constant doubt should limit the washing to seven or three times.
• Three times for the front orifice and five times for the rear orifice.
• Nine times.
• Ten times.

Whilst cleansing oneself, the person should strive to loosen the rear orifice so that as much impurity as possible can be removed from the anus, provided one is not fasting. The person fasting, however, should not do so to prevent the fast from being coming invalid. Likewise, the person fasting should avoid inserting a wet finger because it invalidates the fast.

After cleansing oneself with water the hands are washed a second time and the rear orifice is dried before standing. This will prevent the rear orifice from gathering water thereby breaking the fast. It is also recommended so as to protect the garment from being wetted with used water.

this was translated by a student of knowledge who is helping to run this blog
may Allah the Exalted reward them