4. [an-Nisa, Medina 92]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا
الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ
لاَ
تَقْرَبُواْ
الصَّلاَةَ
وَأَنتُمْ
سُكَارَى
حَتَّىَ
تَعْلَمُواْ
مَا
تَقُولُونَ...
4: 43. O ye who believe! approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say,
C562. The reference is either to a state of intoxication or to a dazed state of mind on account of drowsiness or some other cause. Or perhaps both are implied.
Before the prohibition of intoxicants altogether was promulgated, it was at least unbecoming that people should come to prayers in such a state. For prayers it is only right that we should collect our whole minds and approach Allah in a spirit of reverence.
“Prayers” (Salah) here may mean “a place of prayer,” a Mosque:
the resulting meaning would be the same
... وَلاَ جُنُبًا إِلاَّ عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىَ تَغْتَسِلُواْ...
nor in a state of ceremonial impurity (except when traveling on the road), until after washing your whole body
... وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاء أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّن الْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لاَمَسْتُمُ النِّسَاء...
- 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,
... فَلَمْ تَجِدُواْ مَاء فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ ...
and ye find no water,
then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands.
C563. The strictest cleanliness and purity of mind and body are required, especially at the time of prayer.
But there are circumstances when water for ablutions is not easily obtainable, especially in the dry conditions of Arabia, and then washing with dry sand or clean earth is recommended. Four such circumstances are mentioned: the
- two last when washing is specially required;
- the two first when washing may be necessary, but it may not be easy to get water.
For a man, when he is ill, cannot walk out far to get water, and a man on a journey has no full control over his supplies.
In all four cases, where water cannot be got, cleaning with dry sand or dry earth is recommended. This is called Tayammum.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا ﴿٤٣﴾
For Allah doth blot out sins and forgive again and again.
4: 43
Asad O you who have attained to faith! Do not attempt to pray while you are in a state of drunkenness [note 54], [but wait] until you know what you are saying; not yet [while you are ] in a state requiring total ablution [note 55], until you have bathed – except if you are traveling [and are unable to do so]…………
Pickthall O ye who believe! Draw not near unto prayer when ye are drunken, till ye know that which ye utter, nor when ye are polluted, save when journeying upon the road, till ye have bathed. And if ye be ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have touched women, and ye find not water, than go to high clean soil and rub your faces and your hands (therewith). Lo! Allah is Benign, Forgiving.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ la_ takrabus sala_ta wa antum suka_ra_ hatta_ ta'lamu_ ma_ taqu_lu_na wa la_ junuban illa_'a_biri sabilin hatta_ tagtasilu_, wa in kuntum marda_ au 'ala_ safarin au ja_'a ahadum minkum minal ga_'iti au la_mastumun nisa_'a falam tajidu_ ma_'an fa tayammamu_ sa'idan tayyiban famsahu_ bi wuju_hikum wa aidikum, innalla_ha ka_na'afuwwan gafu_ra_(n).
[[ Ali’s notes - 562 The reference is either to a state of intoxication or to a dazed state of mind on account of drowsiness or some other cause. Or perhaps both are implied. Before the prohibition of intoxicants altogether was promulgated, it was at least unbecoming that people should come to prayers in such a state. For prayers it is only right that we should collect our whole minds and approach Allah in a spirit of reverence. (4.43)
563 The strictest cleanliness and purity of mind and body are required, especially at the time of prayer. But there are circumstances when water for ablutions is not easily obtainable, especially in the dry conditions of Arabia, and then washing with dry sand or clean earth is recommended. Four such circumstances are mentioned: the two last when washing is specially required; the two first when washing may be necessary, but it may not be easy to get water. For a man, when he is ill, cannot walk out far to get water, and a man on a journey has no full control over his supplies. In all four cases, where water cannot be got, cleaning with dry sand or dry earth is recommended. This is called Tayammum. (4.43) ]]
[[ Asad’s note 54…………some of the commentators assume that this ordinance represented the first stage of the total prohibition of intoxicants, and has been, consequently, “abrogated” by the promulgation of the law of total abstinence from all intoxicants [5:90]. However quite apart from the fact that the doctrine of “abrogation” is entirely untenable (see surah 2, note 87), there is no warrant whatever for regarding the above verse as a “first step” which has become redundant, as it were, after total prohibition was ordained………signifies any state of mental disequilibrium which prevents man from making full use of his intellectual faculties……….
Note 55 – I.e. after sexual intercourse. ,,,,,,,,,,because of immersion in sexual passion.]]
Note 57 – This symbolic ablution, called “tayammum”, consists in touching the earth, or anything supposed to contain dust, with the palms of one’s hands and then passing them lightly over face and hands. Whenever water is not within reach – or cannot be used because of illness – the “tayammum” takes the place of both the total ablution after sexual intercourse (ghusl) and the partial ablution before prayers (wudu).]]
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5. Surah Al-Ma'idah (The Repast)
Medina Period
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ إِذَا
قُمْتُمْ إِلَى
الصَّلاةِ...
5: 6. O ye who believe!
when ye prepare for prayer,
... فاغْسِلُواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُواْ بِرُؤُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَينِ ...
- wash your faces,
- and your hands (and arms) to the elbows;
- rub your heads (with water);
- and (wash) your feet to the ankles.
C702. These are the essentials of Wudu, or ablutions preparatory to prayers, viz.,
1. to bathe the whole face in water, and
2. both hands and arms to the elbows,
3. with a little rubbing of the head with water (as the head is usually protected and comparatively clean), and
4. the bathing of the feet to the ankles.
In addition, following the practice of the Prophet, it is usual first to wash the mouth, and the nose before proceeding with the face, etc.
... وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُواْ ...
If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body.
Ritual impurity arises from sex pollution.
... وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاء أَحَدٌ مَّنكُم مِّنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لاَمَسْتُمُ النِّسَاء ...
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,
... فَلَمْ تَجِدُواْ مَاء فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ...
and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands.
C704. This is Tayammum, or wiping with clean sand or earth where water is not available.
I take it that this substitute is permissible both for Wudu and for a full bath, in the circumstances mentioned.
... مَا يُرِيدُ اللّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍ ...
Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty,
... وَلَـكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهَّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٦﴾
but to make you clean, and to complete His favor to you, that ye may be grateful.
Asad’s Version:
5: 6 O you who have attained to faith! When you are about to pray, wash your face, and your hands and arms up to the elbows, and pass your [wet] hands lightly over your head, and [wash] your feet up to the ankles.
And if you are in a state requiring total ablution, purify yourselves. But if you are ill, or are traveling, or have just satisfied a want of nature, or have cohabited with a woman, and can find no water – then take resort to pure dust, passing therewith lightly over your face and your hands.
5:6 ......God does not want to impose any hardship on you, but wants to make you pure, and to bestow upon you the full measure of His blessings, so that you might have cause to be grateful.