of Nekounam, (Session 1050)
Surah Al-Ma'idah, like a brilliant gem within the Holy Quran, encompasses rulings that, like life-giving veins, regulate the religious and social life of the believers. This Surah, centred around rational, devotional, and social injunctions, presents a comprehensive framework for a faithful existence. The sixth verse of this Surah, devoted to the rulings of purity and establishing prayer, stands as a mirror reflecting both outward and inward purity before the eyes of the believer. This treatise, through a profound examination of this verse and reflection upon its meanings and rulings, endeavours to articulate the spiritual essence and latent wisdom of this divine speech in a lucid and dignified language. What follows is an exploration into the depths of this verse, emphasising the importance of purity, intention, and sincerity in worship, which, like a clear stream, irrigates the heart and soul of the believer.
Surah Al-Ma'idah, one of the Medinan Surahs of the Holy Quran, was revealed towards the latter part of the life of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and holds a distinguished position among the Quranic chapters due to its focus on legal, rational, and ethical rulings. This Surah, akin to a comprehensive book, encompasses rulings ranging from covenant fidelity and dietary prohibitions to social interactions with the People of the Book. This diversity testifies to the comprehensiveness of the Holy Quran in presenting a paradigm for the believers life. The sixth verse of this Surah, which is the focal point of this treatise, addresses the rulings of purity and the establishment of prayer, acting as a key that opens the doors of worship to the believers.
The rulings within Surah Al-Ma'idah can be categorised into three groups: rational, devotional, and social. The rational rulings, such as fulfilment of covenant, are based upon human intellect and harmonise with innate human nature. The devotional rulings, like the rulings of purity and dietary prohibitions, are contingent upon the Divine Will and require submission and obedience. The social rulings, such as interaction with the People of the Book, guide interpersonal and social relationships among believers. This diversity renders Surah Al-Ma'idah a comprehensive framework for organising religious and social life.
One of the prominent points in reviewing devotional rulings, such as the prohibition on consuming blood, is the historical absence of deep scientific analyses. Instead of rational and investigative exploration of these rulings, sometimes only superficial recitation and acceptance have sufficed. This approach, like a shadow over the light of Divine wisdom, has hindered the illumination of the profound meanings of these rulings in the minds. The necessity of scientific and rational re-examination of these rulings is akin to a call for reviving the spirit of religion within society.
The sixth verse of Surah Al-Ma'idah, like a radiant jewel, contains the rulings of purity and establishing prayer. This verse, addressing the believers, emphasises the necessity of outward and inward purity before entering the sacred precincts of worship.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُوا ۚ وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَىٰ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ مِنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَٰكِنْ يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
O you who have believed, when you stand up to pray, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet up to the ankles. And if you are in a state of major impurity (junub), purify yourselves. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from relieving himself or you have touched women and do not find water, then perform tayammum with clean soil and wipe your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to place hardship upon you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favour upon you that you may be grateful.
The verse begins with the address O you who have believed, which acts as a summons to all those encompassed within the realm of faith. This address includes not only the true believers but also those whose faith may be superficial. This inclusiveness serves as an open door inviting all towards worship and purity; however, the condition for entry into this precinct is outward and inward cleanliness.
The sixth verse regards purity as an essential condition for establishing prayer. This purity is like a clean garment that prepares the soul and body of the believer to appear before the Divine Presence. Without purity, prayer resembles a bird without wings, incapable of soaring towards spiritual heavens. This emphasis manifests the profound connection between outward and inward purity in worship.
The verse introduces washing the face and hands up to the elbows and wiping the head and feet up to the ankles as the pillars of ablution (wudu). These rulings, which are elaborated upon in Islamic jurisprudence, serve as a precise guide directing the believer on the path of purification. Washing the face resembles cleansing the mirror of the heart from the dust of worldly distractions, and wiping the head and feet is a sign of humility before Divine Majesty.
The word كَعْبَيْنِ in the verse refers to the protruding bone of the ankle. This part of the verse clearly indicates that wiping the feet up to this point suffices, and there is no requirement to wash the entire foot, contrary to certain non-Shiite traditions. This precision in explicating the ruling acts as a delineation clearly defining the boundaries of purity.
The verse makes ghusl obligatory in the state of junub. This ghusl is necessary not only for physical cleanliness but also for restoring psychological and spiritual balance. Junub resembles a storm disrupting the order of ones existence, and ghusl, like pure rain, returns tranquillity to the body and soul.
In circumstances where water is unavailable or its use is impractical, such as illness or travel, the verse substitutes ablution and ghusl with tayammum using clean soil. This flexibility is like a mercy that keeps the doors of worship open even in the most difficult conditions. Clean soil (صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا) symbolises the simplicity and accessibility of Divine rulings.
The verse describes the soil for tayammum as طَيِّب, which refers not only to its purity from impurity but also to its permissibility and spiritual cleanliness. This distinction functions as a separation between outward purity and inward sanctity, both of which are conditions for Divine worship.
The verse, by the phrase Allah does not intend to place hardship upon you, emphasises that the purpose of the purity rulings is not to impose difficulty but to purify body and soul and complete Divine favour. This Divine mercy is like a stream that guides the believer towards gratitude and nearness to God.
Examining the rulings of purity and worship in the sixth verse offers an opportunity to reflect on religious understanding and its challenges. This section addresses critiques related to traditional and superficial approaches to religion.
One of the fundamental criticisms is the transformation of religion into mere externals and faades. When worship, such as prayer, is performed without sincere intention and inward purity, it resembles an empty shell devoid of spiritual essence. This critique invites reconsideration of intention and sincerity in worship.
Prayer performed with unlawful earnings or without inward purity
