MASAH ON SOCKS

MORE ABOUT MAS-HA ON SOCKS

Q.   When should we start reckoning the stipulated permissible duration for wiping the socks?

  The permissible duration for the purpose should be calculated from the moment the ablution gets nullified. From that time onward Mas-ha is allowed on socks for a day and night or for three days and three nights as the case may be. For example, if one puts on the socks in the morning of Friday and breaks his ablution after time for dhuhr prayer is over, if he is a Muqmim (on station), he is allowed to continue to wipe his socks until dhuhr prayer on Saturday. Musafir (a person on journey), on the other hand, can continue to wipe the socks until dhuhr on Monday.

Q.   What are the things that invalidate Mas-ha?

  Acts that nullify the ablution also break Mas-ha. Apart from that the Mas-ha gets broken as soon as the stipulated permissible period for Mas-ha is over. It also breaks if the socks are taken off or the socks get torn making a hole as big as the width of three toes.

Q.   What will be the position if the socks are taken off while the ablution is still intact or the duration for the validity of Mas-ha is over?

  Under both these situation it is enough to wash the feet and put on the socks. It is, however, desirable (Mustahab) to do the ablution afresh.

Q.   What should a person on journey do if he returns home only one day and night after he undertook the Mas-ha on socks?

  He should take off the and start with a new ablution and a fresh Mas-ha.

Q.   What should a person on-station do if he starts on journey after he undertook his Mas-ha at home?

  If he starts on journey before a day and night is over he may keep the socks on and continue doing the Mas-ha for three days and three nights. If, however, he starts on his journey after the completion of one day and night he must put off the socks and begin with a fresh Mas-ha.

Q.   What will be the position if the socks are torn a little at several places?

  We must see whether the combined circumference of the tear is equal to three toes in width. If so, Mas-ha is not allowed to be made. If it is less, Mas-ha is allowed. If, however, only the combined tear of the two socks is equal to the width of three toes while the tear of each individual sock is less than that, the Mas-ha is allowed to be done.

DESIRABLES OF ABLUTION

MORE ABOUT THE DESIRABLES OF ABLUTION

Q.   Is it Masnun or Mustahab to begin the ablution from the right side?

  Some of the religious scholars hold it as Sun-nah while the others regard it as Mustahab.

Q.   How must one do the Mas-ha on (the back of) the neck?

  The neck should be wiped with the back of fingers of both hands. It is a Bid’ah (innovation in religion) to perform the Mas-ha of the throat.

Q.   What are other observances in the ablution?

  There are a number of observances in ablution e.g.,

             i.        Putting the wet tip of the small finger into the earholes;

           ii.        Performing ablution before the time for Salat;

         iii.        Rubbing parts of the body before washing them;

          iv.        Moving about the ring or ringlet in one’s finger;

            v.        Talking no worldly things;

          vi.        Avoiding violent splash of water on the face;

        vii.        Not pouring too much water;

      viii.        Reciting Tasmi’ before washing every part;

          ix.        Sending Salat on the Prophet (peace be on him) after ablution;

            x.        Reciting the Kalimah of Shahadah followed by the following prayer after ablution;

AL-LAHUM-MAJ’ALNI MINAT-TAW-WABINA WAJA’ALNI MINAL-MUTATAH-HIRIN

          xi.        Drinking the water left after ablution in the standing posture;

        xii.        Offering two rak’kahs of Salat after ablution as Tahi-yat-ul-wudu (thanks giving for the ablution) and so on.

SUNNAH IN ABLUTION

MORE ABOUT THE SUN-NAHS IN ABLUTION

Q.   How it if one is performs ablution without intention?

  If one does not have an express intention for ablution but water drips through all the parts of his body necessary to be washed in ablution, either by falling into a river or by standing in rain water, ablution may be deemed to have been performed. He will of course be denied the reward from Al-lah meant for ablution.

Q.   How to make intention for ablution?

  Making intention means making up one’s mind. One should, at the time of ablution, make up one’s mind that he is doing the ablution in order to remove uncleanness, secure cleanness and be able to say the prayers in the right manner. This very thought or affirmation in mind is considered for the ablution.

Q.   Is it necessary to express the intention in words?

  No, it is not necessary. But there is no harm in saying it either.

Q.   In what terms should one affirm the intention for re-ablution if one is already in a state of ablution?

  He should only have the intention to secure additional reward and virtue from Al-lah for reinforcing his ablution.

Q.   Must one say the whole of Tasmi’ in ablution?

  It is equally permissible whether one recites:

BISMIL-LAHIR-RAHMANIR-RAHIM

or

BISMIL-LAHIL-‘ALIY-YIL-‘ADHIM VALHAMDU LIL-LAHI ALA DINIL-ISLAM

or

Bismillahi wal-hamdu lil-lahi

Q.   How is it to brush one’s teeth (with a tooth-stick)?

  Brushing the teeth (doing miswak) is an emphasized Precept (Sun-nah-Mu’akidah) of the Prophet (peace be on him). It has manifold advantages. The brush should be the piece of branch or root of a tree bitter in taste such as the root of ‘Piloo’ or the branch of ‘Neem’. The tooth-stick should not be longer than the breadth of a span. The brush should be washed before and after use. First the teeth on the right side those on the left should be brushed. They should be brushed thrice using fresh water each time.

Q.   What about gargling?

  Gargling is the Prophet’s Precept in ablution and bath. But no gargling should be done if one is fasting. Only rinsing should be done with help of the right hand.

Q.   How should one pass water into one’s nostrils?

  One should hold water into one’s scooped right hand close to one’s nose then exhale it up (but care should be taken not to exhale up the water so powerfully that it reaches the brain). If one is fasting, he should not exhale the water up through the nostrils with the help of his hand. Gargling and putting water into the nostrils are both emphasized Precepts of the Prophet (peace be on him).

Q.   Bungling which part of the beard with the fingers is the Prophet’s Precept?

  Bungling the lower and middle hair of the beard is the Prophet’s Precept. It is however obligatory to wash the beard adjoining the skin of the face.

Q.   How should one intercross one’s fingers?

  The intercrossing of the fingers should be done in such a manner that the fingers of one hand should be put into those of the other and given a shake. The toes should be wetted by crossing the little finger of the left hand into them. The process should be started with the little toe of the right foot and ended on the little toe of the left.

Q.   How must one perform the Mas-ha of the entire head?

  Wet both your hands with water and put them on both sides of the forelocks and take your palms including the fingers together across the head down to the back of the hair and bring them back in the same order. Take care that the whole of the head is thus crossed over.

Q.   Must one use fresh water for the Mas-ha of the ear?

  No, the water taken for the Mas-ha of the head will do. Mas-ha of the head will do. Mas-ha of the inner side of the ear should be done with the first finger (the fonger of Shahadah). The outer part of the ear should be wiped with the thumbs.

COMMANDED ACTS IN ABLUTION

MORE ABOUT THE COMMANDED ACTS IN ABLUTION

Q.   What should be the minimum limit for washing that may qualify for the term?

  The minimum required limit is to pass enough water on a limb to allow a drop of water or two to trickle down it. Less than this will not do. For example, if a person merely passes wet hands over the face or puts so little water on his face that no drop trickles down it, the face will not be considered to have been duly washed. Consequently, ablution will be incomplete.

Q.   How many times should one wash the limbs meant for washing in ablution?

  Washing once is obligatory. To do it thrice is Masnun (precept of the Prophet, peace be on him). To perform it more than three times is Makruh (undesirable and forbidden).

Q.   What parts of the face are commanded to be washed in ablution?

  It is obligatory to wash the face from hair-roots of the forehead down to the lower side of the chin and from the tip of the right ear to that of the left.

Q.   Will the ablution be valid if a certain part, however small, which is commanded to be washed is left dry?

  Even if a hair-thin spot of a particular limb is left dry, ablution will not be deemed as valid.

Q.   If a person has six fingers in one of his hands, is it obligatory to wash even this extra finger?

  Yes, it is obligatory. Similarly, any additional growth within a part or limb whose washing is obligatory must also be washed.

Q.   What does Mas-ha (the act of wiping) mean?

  Wiping out a part of the body with wet hands is known as Mas-ha.

Q.   Must a person wet the palms of his hand afresh to perform the Mas-ha of the head or the previous moisture still extant on the hands will do?

  It is better to wet the palms afresh. But it does not matter much if one simply performs the Mas-ha with the moisture still extant. But once the wet palms have been used for one Mas-ha, the same cannot be used for the Mas-ha of any other part of the body. Similarly, the Mas-ha is not valid if one wets one’s palms with any other part already washed or wiped with wet hands.

Q.   If rain drops fall on one’s bare head and a person causes the rain drops to spread across the head, will the Mas-ha be considered to have been performed?

  Yes, it would be considered as performed.

Q.   Is it obligatory to wash the inside of the eye sockets?

  No, it is not obligatory to wash the inside of the eye sockets, or of the nose or the mouth.

Q.   Is it compulsory to re-do the Mas-ha if one has got one’s head shaved, or to rewash the nails if they have been cut after ablution?

  No.

Q.   In case the wrist of a person below the elbow is missing, is it necessary to wash the remaining part?

  Yes, so long as the elbow or some other portion below it is intact, it must be washed.