The Rites of Bath
As Performed by the Holy Prophet S.A.W.S.
Whenever you wish to take a bath, retire to an enclosure where privacy is ensured. It is most essential for Muslim men and women to guard their “sath’r” (private parts) from the view of others.
We know from Hadith that modesty is a cherished facet of Islami life.
Economy in the use of water is commended. The Prophet S.A.W.S. used just three “mudd’s”, measures, of water to have a thorough bath
First wash both hands and then wash the genitals and posterior as also any other part where any impurity is found or felt.
Declare your intent that you are performing the bath to cleanse yourself or it is a Friday bath.
It is obligatory for a Muslim to have a bath on Friday and attend the Juma’a prayer at the Masjid in congregation.
In the bath, perform Wudu just as we would before Salaah. The process is explained in the following chapter (titled Wudu).
It is important to clean the mouth thoroughly with water. If you are not on fast, gargle with water right upto the throat. Carefully draw in a little water into the nostrils and clean them properly.
If you are on a hard or stony surface, clean both feet also as in Wudu.
Now, with a little water in hand, rub each part of the body and remove dirt and sweat deposits. It is all right to use soap or herbal preparations for cleansing.
Now, pour water thrice over the head. Then thrice over the right shoulder. Finally, thrice over the left shoulder.
Make sure that water reaches and cleans every part of the body. Otherwise bath is not complete.
Even if a single hair remains dry or untouched by water, the purpose of the bath is not fulfilled.
Now, move from the place and wash both feet. If this had been done already (in Wudu), there is no need to do it all over again.
After the bath: If you find or remember that some part of the body has not been cleaned or remains untouched by water, or the mouth has not been gargled and cleaned with water, or the nostrils have not been cleaned with water, it would be enough to clean only those parts now with water. The bath would then be complete.
When the Ablution (Wudu) has been performed in the course of a bath as above, there is no need to perform it again for Salaah.
It was the Holy Prophet S.A.W.S.'s practice to perform two rakaah’s Salaah Sunnah after each Wudu as Thahiy’yathul Wudu.
In the busy schedule that modern executives have to meet, a bath is not skipped. When we combine Wudu with bath, as above, we can perform, within a few minutes of this, all the Far’d Salaah’s we have missed upto that moment (counting from our last audience in Salaah before Allah).
We are not exempted from Salaah under any circumstances. We pray to Allah before we leave for work. We secure His aid and protection and go on to perform our duties to the highest possible excellence. Salaah leads us to career triumph.
