The purification of the soul is just as important as that of the body in Islam. The hadiths and the Quranic text make extensive mention of the benefits that the Muslim reaps in seeking to purify himself throughout his life. Whether it is eradicating the ills of the heart through certain saving good works, but also eliminating bodily impurities through the major ablution that the man must do in certain circumstances, purity is an essential foundation in the Islamic religion. That is what we are going to address in this article.
Major ablution for men: definition
The texts that recommend practicing the major ablution make no difference between the sexes, except for a few exceptions. Islam is a religion of justice and equity between the faithful and brings man and woman together under the same obligation to purify themselves when they have been defiled by a major impurity.
To do the major ablution means to take a shower or a ritual bath with the aim of getting rid of a major impurity and recovering one's state of ritual purity. That is to say that one can again practice certain religious acts that one had to interrupt in certain situations.
Ghusl comes from the verb ghassala and means in Arabic « to wash oneself, to take one's measures to rid someone or something of impurities », while el wudu means « minor ablution ».
The meaning of the ghusl is the act of pouring water over the whole body to purify oneself. It is a washing different from the minor ablutions (or minor ablution) that one does before each prayer or before an act of worship such as:
- Reading the Quran on a copy in Arabic (Mushaf)
- Proceeding to the Tawaf (circumambulations around the Kaaba in Mecca)
Doing the ghusl for a man, as for a woman, is an act of worship in itself. It is also an obligation before certain ritual acts as we have just seen, but what about the way of going about it and what are the nullifiers of the major ablution for men?
Major ablution for men: how to do the major ablutions for men, step by step
- Make the intention to purify oneself and say Bismillah (in the Name of Allah)
- Wash one's hands three times
- Wash one's intimate parts
- Do one's minor ablutions
- Wash the entire right part of one's body while rubbing (dalk), beginning with the upper part of the body, without forgetting the armpits, the nape, the back, between the fingers, the feet…
- Proceed likewise for the entire left part of the body
- Pour water over one's head to impregnate the whole scalp well
- Finish by letting the remaining water flow over the whole body
- Pronounce the testimony of faith (the shahada)
Major ablution for men and women: what differences between man and woman?
The woman must pay particular attention to the emission of uterine fluid (blood, white discharge) in order to be able to know when to do her major ablutions. The man must take into account the nullifiers of the major ablution as far as he is concerned:
- Emission of semen (even without sexual relations) through pleasure or during sleep, during an erotic dream
- When there has been sexual relations even if there has been no ejaculation (emission of semen)
As for the woman, the nullifiers that concern her are:
- Menstruation and lochia
That said, certain situations also lead to having to do the major ablutions.
Major ablution for men: when to do the major ablutions for men?
The nullifiers we mentioned above place men under the obligation to redo their ritual bath, but there are also several moments when it is recommended to do one's ghoussoul:
Major ablution for men: upon repentance
The man who has apostatized, or who has distanced himself from the practice of Islam for a certain time, must, if he wishes to return to Islam, proceed to the ritual washing (ghusl) so that his repentance is complete.
Major ablution for men: conversion to Islam
Every person who embraces Islam must take, according to the majority of jurisprudential opinions, a ritual bath before pronouncing their testimony of faith. The state of major impurity in which he was before his acceptance of Islam necessitates the major ablution, according to the majority of the scholars.
Major ablution for men: jannaba
« When a man places himself between the four limbs of his wife and accomplishes the sexual act, the Ghusl is obligatory. » (Bukhari and Muslim)
Upon the meeting of the two sexes, that is to say when the man has had sexual relations with his wife (whether there has been ejaculation or not), ritual purification is obligatory for the man as for the woman.
The state of major impurity that the emission of semen represents makes the ghoussoul obligatory. This liquid can appear during an erotic dream, or through pleasure while awake, even without sexual relations. All these situations necessitate washing the body as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, taught us.
The other moments when the major ablution for men is required are:
- before going to the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca): Before entering the state of consecration (Ihram) the ghusl is strongly recommended.
- for the two festivals of Islam: Whether for the Aid Al Fitr or the Aid Al Adha, washing the whole body is highly advised
- before Ramadan: The obligatory fast of the month of Ramadan as well as the supererogatory fasts are acts of worship and it is recommended to proceed to the ghusl before undertaking a good work.
- for Friday: Among the sunnas of the Djoumoua (of the day of Friday), there is the ritual washing before going to attend the prayer in common at the mosque.
- during the funeral washing for the deceased: It is obligatory to wash the deceased Muslim before burying him. The one who takes charge of the « ghusl al mayyit » (washing of the deceased) performs the major ablutions of the deceased and does his minor ablutions as well.
What the Quran says about the major ablution for men
« […] And if you are defiled "junub", then purify yourselves (by a bath) [...] » (Quran 5/6)
Major ablution for men: what the Sunna says
According to Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet, may the prayers and salutations of Allah be upon him, said: « The ritual purification (ghusl) of Friday is a duty for every pubescent person. » Bukhari and Muslim