Quran Verses about Ablution and purification

10 ayahs · from 9 surahs

Allah commands wudu before prayer, a full bath for one in a state of major impurity, and tayammum with clean earth for the sick, the traveller, or one who finds no water, and forbids approaching prayer while intoxicated or impure. The verses also address menstruation, the rain Allah sends down to purify with, the command to clean one's clothes and purify the Kaaba, and state that Allah loves those who purify themselves.

Wudu, ghusl and tayammum

  1. يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنتُمۡ سُكَٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَعۡلَمُواْ مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلَا جُنُبًا إِلَّا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىٰ تَغۡتَسِلُواْۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰٓ أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوۡ جَآءَ أَحَدٞ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡغَآئِطِ أَوۡ لَٰمَسۡتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمۡ تَجِدُواْ مَآءٗ فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدٗا طَيِّبٗا فَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيكُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا ٤٣

    Yāʾayyuhal-ladhīna āmanū lā taqrabuṣ-ṣalāta wa antum sukārā ḥattā taʿlamū mā taqūlūna wa lā junuban illā ʿābirī sabīlin ḥattā taghtasilū, wa in kuntum marḍā aw ʿalā safarin aw jāʾa aḥadum minkum minal-ghāʾiṭi aw lāmastumun-nisāʾa falam tajidū māʾan fatayammamū ṣaʿīdan ṭayyiban famsaḥū biwujūhikum wa aydīkum, innallāha kāna ʿafuwwan ghafūrā.

    O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying1 or in a state of janābah,2 except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women [i.e., had sexual intercourse] and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allāh is ever Pardoning3 and Forgiving.

    Footnotes (3)
    1. The use of intoxicants was later prohibited completely. See 5:90-91.
    2. Literally, "distance." The state of one under obligation to perform ghusl (a complete bath) due to having had sexual intercourse or ejaculation.
    3. Literally, able to erase and remove sins completely, leaving no trace of them in the record of deeds.
  1. يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قُمۡتُمۡ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغۡسِلُواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيَكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡمَرَافِقِ وَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِرُءُوسِكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡكَعۡبَيۡنِۚ وَإِن كُنتُمۡ جُنُبٗا فَٱطَّهَّرُواْۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰٓ أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوۡ جَآءَ أَحَدٞ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡغَآئِطِ أَوۡ لَٰمَسۡتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمۡ تَجِدُواْ مَآءٗ فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدٗا طَيِّبٗا فَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيكُم مِّنۡهُۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجۡعَلَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنۡ حَرَجٖ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمۡ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتَهُۥ عَلَيۡكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ ٦

    Yāʾayyuhal-ladhīna āmanū idhā qumtum ilaṣ-ṣalāti faghsilū wujūhakum wa aydiyakum ilal-marāfiqi wamsaḥū biruʾūsikum wa arjulakum ilal-kaʿbayn, wa in kuntum junuban faṭṭahharū, wa in kuntum marḍā aw ʿalā safarin aw jāʾa aḥadum minkum minal-ghāʾiṭi aw lāmastumun-nisāʾa falam tajidū māʾan fatayammamū ṣaʿīdan ṭayyiban famsaḥū biwujūhikum wa aydīkum minh, mā yurīdullāhu liyajʿala ʿalaykum min ḥarajiw wa lākiy yurīdu liyuṭahhirakum waliyutimma niʿmatahū ʿalaykum laʿallakum tashkurūn.

    O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janābah,1 then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women2 and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allāh does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.

    Footnotes (2)
    1. See footnote to 4:43.
    2. i.e., had sexual intercourse.

Menstruation

  1. وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡمَحِيضِۖ قُلۡ هُوَ أَذٗى فَٱعۡتَزِلُواْ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فِي ٱلۡمَحِيضِ وَلَا تَقۡرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطۡهُرۡنَۖ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرۡنَ فَأۡتُوهُنَّ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ أَمَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّٰبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَطَهِّرِينَ ٢٢٢

    Wa yasʾalūnaka ʿanil-maḥīḍ, qul huwa adhan faʿtazilun-nisāʾa fil-maḥīḍi wa lā taqrabūhunna ḥattā yaṭhurn, fa idhā taṭahharna faʾtūhunna min ḥaythu amarakumullāh, innallāha yuḥibbut-tawwābīna wa yuḥibbul-mutaṭahhirīn.

    And they ask you about menstruation. Say, "It is harm, so keep away from wives1 during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves,2 then come to them from where Allāh has ordained for you. Indeed, Allāh loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves."

    Footnotes (2)
    1. i.e., refrain from sexual intercourse.
    2. By taking a complete bath (ghusl) .

Water for purification

  1. إِذۡ يُغَشِّيكُمُ ٱلنُّعَاسَ أَمَنَةٗ مِّنۡهُ وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ لِّيُطَهِّرَكُم بِهِۦ وَيُذۡهِبَ عَنكُمۡ رِجۡزَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ وَلِيَرۡبِطَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُمۡ وَيُثَبِّتَ بِهِ ٱلۡأَقۡدَامَ ١١

    Idh yughashshīkumun-nuʿāsa amanatam minhu wa yunazzilu ʿalaykum minas-samāʾi māʾal liyuṭahhirakum bihī wa yudhhiba ʿankum rijzash-shayṭāni waliyarbiṭa ʿalā qulūbikum wa yuthabbita bihil-aqdām.

    [Remember] when He overwhelmed you with drowsiness [giving] security from Him and sent down upon you from the sky, rain by which to purify you and remove from you the evil [suggestions] of Satan and to make steadfast your hearts and plant firmly thereby your feet.

  1. وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَرۡسَلَ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ بُشۡرَۢا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ رَحۡمَتِهِۦۚ وَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ طَهُورٗا ٤٨

    Wa huwal-ladhī arsalar-riyāḥa bushram bayna yaday raḥmatih, wa anzalnā minas-samāʾi māʾan ṭahūrā.

    And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy [i.e., rainfall], and We send down from the sky pure water

Allah loves those who purify themselves

  1. لَا تَقُمۡ فِيهِ أَبَدٗاۚ لَّمَسۡجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ مِنۡ أَوَّلِ يَوۡمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِۚ فِيهِ رِجَالٞ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُواْۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُطَّهِّرِينَ ١٠٨

    Lā taqum fīhi abadā, lamasjidun ussisa ʿalat-taqwā min awwali yawmin aḥaqqu an taqūma fīh, fīhi rijāluy yuḥibbūna ay yataṭahharū, wallāhu yuḥibbul-muṭṭahhirīn.

    Do not stand [for prayer] within it - ever. A mosque founded on righteousness from the first day1 is more worthy for you to stand in. Within it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allāh loves those who purify themselves.

    Footnotes (1)
    1. This description is of the Qubā’ mosque.

Cleaning clothes and the place of worship

  1. وَإِذۡ جَعَلۡنَا ٱلۡبَيۡتَ مَثَابَةٗ لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمۡنٗا وَٱتَّخِذُواْ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبۡرَٰهِـۧمَ مُصَلّٗىۖ وَعَهِدۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسۡمَٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيۡتِيَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلۡعَٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ ١٢٥

    Wa idh jaʿalnal-bayta mathābatal lin-nāsi wa amnaw wattakhidhū mim maqāmi ibrāhīma muṣallā, wa ʿahidnā ilā ibrāhīma wa ismāʿīla an ṭahhirā baytiya liṭ-ṭāʾifīna wal-ʿākifīna war-rukkaʿis-sujūd.

    And [mention] when We made the House [i.e., the Kaʿbah] a place of return for the people and [a place of] security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer. And We charged Abraham and Ishmael, [saying], "Purify My House for those who perform ṭawāf1 and those who are staying [there] for worship and those who bow and prostrate [in prayer]."

    Footnotes (1)
    1. A form of worship particular to the Kaʿbah consisting of going around it in circuits.
  1. وَإِذۡ بَوَّأۡنَا لِإِبۡرَٰهِيمَ مَكَانَ ٱلۡبَيۡتِ أَن لَّا تُشۡرِكۡ بِي شَيۡـٔٗا وَطَهِّرۡ بَيۡتِيَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلۡقَآئِمِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ ٢٦

    Wa idh bawwaʾnā liʾibrāhīma makānal-bayti al lā tushrik bī shayʾaw wa ṭahhir baytiya liṭ-ṭāʾifīna wal-qāʾimīna war-rukkaʿis-sujūd.

    And [mention, O Muḥammad], when We designated for Abraham the site of the House, [saying], "Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform ṭawāf1 and those who stand [in prayer] and those who bow and prostrate.

    Footnotes (1)
    1. See footnote to 2:125.
  1. وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرۡ ٤

    Wa thiyābaka faṭahhir.

    And your clothing purify

Touching the Quran in a state of purity

  1. لَّا يَمَسُّهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلۡمُطَهَّرُونَ ٧٩

    Lā yamassuhū illal-muṭahharūn.

    None touch it except the purified [i.e., the angels].