skills/sistani-guidance/references/books/worship/pages-013-024.md

# Summary of the Rules of Worship

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## PDF PAGE 13

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13 | S u m m a r y  o f  t h e  R u l e s  o f  W o r s h i p
1. Wuḍū (Ablution)
Issue 11: Wuḍū consists of six parts:
1. Washing the face: In wuḍū, it is obligatory to wash from the
top of the forehead (where the hair usually grows) to the bottom
of the chin in length, and in terms of width, the area covered
between the middle finger and the thumb when the face is washed
with an open hand should be washed.
Issue 12: As a precautionary measure, it is obligatory to wash the
face from top to bottom. If the face is washed from the bottom or
the middle, the wuḍū would be problematic. However, it is not
necessary to be extremely precise in washing the face; it is
sufficient to pour water on the top of the face and let it flow to
the sides, even if it forms a curved line.
Issue 13: The water must be poured on the face with the intention
of wuḍū, and it does not matter how the water is poured on the
face. Whether the water is poured on the face with the palm and
spread by rubbing, or the face is placed under a tap and water runs
from top to bottom, or the face is immersed in a basin of water,
as long as the face is washed from top to bottom.
Issue 14: It is obligatory that water reach the intended part of the
face without any obstruction. However, a person with a bandage
is an exception; for someone with a wound, sore, or fracture
covered with a bandage, it is sufficient to wipe the bandage with
a wet hand instead of washing the covered part. It is not necessary
to remove the bandage if it causes harm or extreme hardship.
2. Washing the right arm: The area to be washed extends from
the elbow (the joint connecting the upper arm and the forearm) to
the fingertips.
Issue 15: Washing the hand must start from the elbow and end at
the fingertips. Starting from the fingers or the middle of the hand
towards the elbow is not permissible.
Issue 16: The water must be poured on the hand with the
intention of wuḍū, using any of the methods mentioned for
washing the face. It is also obligatory that water reaches the skin
of the hand without any obstruction. Therefore, a woman using
```

## PDF PAGE 14

```text
nail polish for adornment, a worker using oil, or a painter with
paint on his hands must ensure that anything preventing water
from reaching the hands is removed before performing wuḍū. A
person with a bandage on his right hand is an exception, similar
to the rule for washing the face.
3. Washing the left arm: The left arm should be washed in the
same way as the right arm as mentioned above.
4. Wiping the front part of the head: The area extends from the
top of the head to the top of the forehead. It is sufficient to wipe
an area as wide as one finger, although it is better to wipe an area
as wide as three closed fingers.
Issue 17: It is not obligatory to wipe the skin of the head; it is
permissible to wipe the hair in that area as long as the hair does
not extend beyond the front part of the head when combed or
pulled.
Issue 18: The wiping must be done with the moisture remaining
on the hand from the wuḍū. It is preferable to use the moisture
from the palm of the right hand. If the hands are completely dry
due to heat or other reasons, it is permissible to take moisture
from the beard and use it for wiping. Using new water for wiping
is not permissible unless it is impossible to maintain enough
moisture for wiping even with repeated wuḍū.
Issue 19: If there is an obstruction between the wiping hand and
the part being wiped, the wiping is invalid, even if the obstruction
is thin and does not prevent moisture from reaching the wiping
area. A person with a bandage is an exception, and wiping over
the bandage (jabīra) is sufficient.
5. Wiping the right foot: The obligatory length extends from the
tips of the toes to the protrusion on the foot, but as a precautionary
measure, it should extend to the ankle (the joint between the leg
and the foot). In terms of width, it is sufficient to wipe an area
that can be called wiping, even if it is the size of the width of one
finger.
Issue 20: Wiping the foot must be done with the moisture
remaining from the wuḍū, in the same manner as wiping the head.
It is preferable to wipe with the right hand, although wiping with
the left hand is also permissible.
```

## PDF PAGE 15

```text
15 | S u m m a r y  o f  t h e  R u l e s  o f  W o r s h i p
Issue 21: If there is an obstruction between the wiping hand and
the part being wiped, the wiping is invalid, except if the
obstruction is a bandage, as mentioned in the rules regarding
wiping the head.
6. Wiping the left foot: The left foot should be wiped in the same
way as the right foot, and it is preferable to wipe with the left
hand, although wiping with the right hand is also permissible.
Issue 22: Conditions for Wuḍū include:
1. Having the intention to perform wuḍū with the intention of
complying with Allah's orders.
2. The water for wuḍū must be pure; wuḍū with impure water is
invalid.
3. The water for wuḍū must be lawful; wuḍū with usurped water
is invalid.
4. The water for wuḍū must be unmixed (not mixed with other
substances like rose water).
5. The body parts involved in wuḍū must be pure at the time of
washing or wiping.
6. Using water for wuḍū should not be forbidden by religious law;
otherwise, tayammum (dry ablution) is obligatory.
7. The order must be followed, starting with washing the face,
then the right hand, then the left hand, followed by wiping the
head, then wiping the right foot, and then the left foot. As a
precaution, the left foot should not be wiped before the right foot,
although wiping both feet simultaneously is permissible.
8. The acts of wuḍū should be continuous without long
interruptions, and a short delay is acceptable. If an interruption
like running out of water or forgetting occurs, the next act should
be done before the previous parts dry.
9. The person performing wuḍū must do it himself, but if unable,
he may seek assistance for parts he cannot perform. In such cases,
the wiping must be done with his own hand, and if this is
impossible due to disability, the helper can take moisture from his
hand and use it for wiping.
Issue 23: Acts that invalidate wuḍū include:
1. Urination.
```

## PDF PAGE 16

```text
2. Defecation.
3. Passing gas from the rear.
4. Sleep that overcomes the senses, making one unable to see,
hear, or perceive. Conditions that cause loss of intellect like
insanity and unconsciousness are treated like sleep.
5. Menstrual bleeding, which has its own rules as will be
mentioned later.
6. Sexual intercourse, which invalidates wuḍū, although only
ghusl (ritual bath) is obligatory as will be explained later.
Issue 24: An exception to the invalidation of wuḍū by urination,
defecation, or passing gas is in the case of a disease where the
person cannot restrain himself. Such a person is called "always
impure" (dāʾim al-ḥadath). If these actions occur continuously
without enough time for wuḍū and part of the prayer, he should
perform wuḍū and pray, ignoring what happens during the prayer
due to the illness. This person remains in a state of purity until
another invalidating agent occurs.
Issue 25: Performing wuḍū is obligatory for prayer and any act
of worship that requires purity from minor impurity. It is
impermissible for someone without wuḍū to touch any part of the
Quran's script, and as a precaution, he should also avoid touching
God’s name (Allah) and His specific attributes.
2. Ghusl (Bathing)
 Issue 26: Methods of Performing Ghusl
Ghusl can be performed in two ways: Immersive and sequential.
1- Immersive (irtimasī) Ghusl: It is sufficient to immerse the
entire body in water at once.
2- Sequential (tartībī) Ghusl: One must wash the head and neck
first, then the right side of the body, and finally the left side. In
most types of ghusl (except ghusl for the deceased, which will be
explained later), it is permissible after washing the head and neck
to wash the rest of the body either all at once or gradually, without
necessarily observing the order between the right and left sides.
```

## PDF PAGE 17

```text
17 | S u m m a r y  o f  t h e  R u l e s  o f  W o r s h i p
It is important to note that if one uses a shower for ghusl, (in the
event that he was already under the shower) the obligatory
precaution is that he should step out from under the shower before
washing the head and before washing the body, then start washing
that part.
 Conditions for the Validity of Ghusl
Issue 27: The conditions for the validity of ghusl are the same as
those for wuḍū, which have been previously explained. They
include: Intention (niyyat), using pure and permissible water,
ensuring the body parts are clean, and performing ghusl oneself
if possible. Additionally, there should be no religious impediment
to using water, such as illness. There are two main differences
between ghusl and wuḍū:
1. In ghusl, it is not necessary to wash the head, neck, or body
from top to bottom.
2. Observing continuity (muwālāt) is not required in ghusl.
Therefore, one can wash the head and neck first and then wash
the rest of the body after a period of time, even if it is long.
 Rules for Ghusl with Bandages (Ghusl Jabīra)
Issue 28: The rules for ghusl with bandages are similar to those
for wuḍū with bandages, with the following exception: if there is
a wound or boil under the bandage, the person has the option to
perform ghusl by wiping over the bandage or to perform
tayammum. If the bandage covers a fracture, wiping over the
bandage is obligatory.
Causes Requiring Ghusl
Issue 29: The circumstances that necessitate ghusl include:
a. Janābah (state of major ritual impurity due to sexual activity),
b. Menstruation (Hayḍ),
c. Postnatal bleeding (Nifās),
d. Irregular bleeding (Istihāḍa),
e. Death,
f. Touching a dead body.
```

## PDF PAGE 18

```text
A) Janābah
 Causes of Janābah
Issue 30: Janābah occurs in two ways:
1. Ejaculation of Semen discharged either through sexual
intercourse, or nocturnal emission, or otherwise. Semen is a thick,
viscous fluid that is typically milky white but can sometimes
appear yellowish or greenish. It has a distinct odor similar to
dough. It usually exits the body in spurts at the climax of sexual
pleasure, followed by a sense of relaxation1.
   If a fluid exits the body and there is doubt whether it is semen,
it is considered semen if it meets all three criteria of pleasure,
spurting, and bodily relaxation. If all or some of these signs are
not present the fluid will not be treated as semen. For someone
who is ill, it is sufficient if the fluid exits with pleasure to be
considered semen.
The aforementioned signs apply to men. As for women, the fluid
that exits the vagina at the climax of sexual pleasure (orgasm) is
also considered semen, whether it exits during sleep or
wakefulness.
2. Sexual Intercourse: Janābah is caused by the penetration of
the male glans (the head of the penis) into the female vagina or
anus, which causes janābah for both partners even if ejaculation
does not occur.
Acts Requiring Ghusl Janābah
Issue 31: To perform acts such as prayer, which require purity
from major ritual impurity, Ghusl Janābah is obligatory. Several
things are prohibited for a person in the state of Janābah:
1. Touching the text of the Holy Quran.
2. Touching the name of Allah and other names and attributes
specific to Him, such as Creator, based on obligatory precaution.
3. Reciting verses that require prostration, including verse 15 of
Sūrah al-Sajdah, verse 37 of Sūrah Fuṣṣilat, verse 62 of Sūrah an-
Najm, and verse 19 of Sūrah al-ʿAlaq.
1 Relaxation here means that the body is slackened for a while.
```

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19 | S u m m a r y  o f  t h e  R u l e s  o f  W o r s h i p
4. Staying in a mosque or entering it even for placing or taking
something. It is also, based on obligatory precaution, not allowed
to place something in a mosque while passing through it or from
outside the mosque.
A person in Janābah may pass through a mosque by entering
from one door and exiting from another, except for Masjid al-
Ḥarām and Masjid al-Nabawī, which are prohibited for a person
in Janābah to pass through. The holy shrines of the infallibles,
peace be upon them, and the those of the Imams (peace be upon
them) are, based on obligatory precaution, treated as other
mosques.
B) Menstruation (Hayḍ)
Issue 32: Menstruation is a type of blood that women recognize
and usually occurs at regular monthly intervals. This blood is
typically warm, red or slightly blackish, and comes out with a
little pressure and a burning sensation. A woman is considered
menstruating when this blood is discharged from her body.
Issue 33: Menstrual blood starts to appear after completing nine
lunar years (approximately equivalent to eight years, eight
months, and twenty days in the solar calendar) and stops after
completing sixty lunar years (approximately equivalent to fifty-
eight years and eighty days in the solar calendar). The rules of
menstruation do not apply to any blood seen before the age of
nine or after sixty.
Issue 34: The minimum duration of menstruation is three days
(72 hours) from the onset and must be continuous. If it starts at
night, it must continue until the evening of the third day. The
maximum duration is ten days. The blood must flow continuously
for the first three days and nights.
Issue 35: There are two types of menstruating women:
1. Women with regular cycles: Those who have regular menstrual
cycles.
2. Women without regular cycles: Those who do not have regular
cycles.
Women with regular cycles can be categorized into three types:
1. Those with both a regular time and duration.
2. Those with a regular duration but not a regular time.
```

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3. Those with a regular time but not a regular duration.
Women without regular cycles can also be categorized into three
types:
1. Those experiencing their first menstruation.
2. Those with irregular cycles (muḍṭaribah) i.e., women with
disordered cycle of menstruation.
3. Those who have forgotten their cycle pattern.
For details on the rules for menstruating women, refer to the
relevant jurisprudential texts.
 Issue 36: A menstruating woman cannot perform prayers,
fasting, or circumambulation (ṭawāf) of the Kaʿba. She must
make up the missed fasts during Ramaḍān but is not required to
make up the missed prayers.
Divorce during menstruation (except in specific cases) is invalid.
It is prohibited for her husband to have vaginal intercourse with
her while she is menstruating. All acts prohibited for a person in
Janābah, as mentioned in Issue 31, are also prohibited for a
menstruating woman.
 Issue 37:  After the menstruation period ends, it is obligatory for
a woman to perform ghusl to engage in acts requiring purity from
major ritual impurity, such as prayer.
C) Postnatal bleeding (Nifās)
Issue 38: Nifās is the blood a woman sees during or after
childbirth due to the delivery, and in this state, the woman is
called Nufasāʾ. Nifās has no minimum duration; it can last only
for a moment, and the maximum duration is ten days. If bleeding
continues beyond ten days and the woman has regular menstrual
periods, such as five days, she will treat those days as the days of
her usual cycle, and the remaining days will be considered as
Istiḥāḍa (irregular bleeding). If she does not have a regular
menstrual cycle, the duration of Nifās is considered ten days, and
the remaining days are treated as Istiḥāḍa.
Issue 39: The obligations, prohibitions, and other rules for a
woman in Nifās are the same as for a menstruating woman. The
difference is that it is prohibited, based on obligatory precaution,
to recite verses with obligatory prostrations, to pass through the
Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Ḥarām) and the Mosque of the
```

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21 | S u m m a r y  o f  t h e  R u l e s  o f  W o r s h i p
Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), to enter other
mosques except for passing through, and to place anything in
these mosques.
Issue 40: After being cleansed from Nifās blood, it is obligatory
for a woman to perform the Ghusl of Nifās for acts such as prayer,
which require purification from major ritual impurity (al-ḥadath
al-akbar).
D) Istiḥāḍa (Irregular Bleeding)
Issue 41: Istiḥāḍa is blood a woman sees that is neither
menstruation nor Nifās nor blood from a wound, pus, or injury.
This blood, unlike menstrual blood, is usually yellow and thin,
without heat or burning sensation, and when a woman sees this
blood, she is called mustaḥāḍa.
Issue 42: Istiḥāḍa is of three types:
1. Kathīra (excessive): The blood covers the cotton placed in the
vaginal area, seeps through, and soils the sanitary pad.
2. Mutawassiṭa (medium): The blood penetrates into the cotton
(or pad etc.), even partially, but does not soak the sanitary pad on
the outer side.
3. Qalīla (light): The blood only soils the surface of the cotton
without soaking through.
Issue 43: For a woman in excessive Istiḥāḍa, it is obligatory to
perform three ghusl: one for the morning prayer (Fajr), one for
the noon (Ẓuhr) and afternoon (ʿAṣr) prayers if performed
consecutively, and one for the evening (Maghrib) and night
(ʿIshā) prayers if performed consecutively. If there is a gap
between these prayers, a separate ghusl is required for each
prayer.
Issue 44: For medium Istiḥāḍa, it is obligatory to perform
ablution (wuḍū) for each prayer, and the obligatory precaution is
to perform one ghusl daily before all wudu.
Issue 45: For light Istiḥāḍa, it is obligatory to perform wudu for
each obligatory or recommended prayer.
Issue 46: After the cessation of bleeding, the mustaḥāḍa woman
must purify herself before praying. For light or medium Istiḥāḍa,
purification requires wudu, while for excessive Istiḥāḍa, ghusl is
required. A woman in the state of Istiḥāḍa cannot touch the
```

## PDF PAGE 22

```text
writing of the Quran with any part of her body before obtaining
purification (wuḍū or ghusl), but after purification, she may do so
as long as the prayer has not ended. The rules applicable to a
menstruating woman, such as the prohibition of sexual
intercourse during bleeding days and the prohibition of entering
and staying in a mosque, or placing anything in a mosque, and
the prohibition of reciting verses with obligatory prostrations, do
not apply to a mustaḥāḍa woman.
E) Death
Issue 47: It is obligatory to perform the ritual washing (ghusl) for
a deceased Muslim or someone treated as a Muslim, even for a
miscarried fetus if it is at least four lunar months old. In fact, the
obligatory precaution is that even if the fetus is less than four
lunar months but its body is fully formed, it should be given the
ritual washing. The deceased should first be washed with water
mixed with lotus leaves (sidr), then with water mixed with
camphor, and finally with pure water. For more details, refer to
Islamic Laws.
F) Touching a Dead Body
Issue 48: If someone touches a dead human dead body after it
has turned cold and before it has been fully washed, he must
perform ghusl for touching it (ghusl mass-al-mayyit). This ruling
applies whether the deceased is Muslim or non-Muslim, and
whether the touch is with moisture or without it. This ghusl is
obligatory for performing acts that require purification from
minor ritual impurity (ḥadath al-aṣghar) such as prayer and
touching the writing of the Quran, but it is not required for
entering or staying in mosques or reciting verses with obligatory
prostrations.
Recommended Ghusls
It has been clarified in the introductory paragraphs that
recommended Ghusls are not prescribed to remove major or
minor ritual impurity but are intended to better prepare
individuals for certain acts of worship. Examples include ghusl
for wearing the iḥrām1 or entering sacred places like Mecca or
Medina, and for specific times such as Fridays and the nights of
1 Iḥrām here refers to the state of ritual consecration of pilgrims during ḥajj
and d.
```

## PDF PAGE 23

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23 | S u m m a r y  o f  t h e  R u l e s  o f  W o r s h i p
Qadr in the holy month of Ramaḍān. Notably, recommended
Ghusls that are proved to be mustaḥab can suffice for wuḍū, and
if someone has a major impurity, he can rely on the recommended
ghusl for acts requiring purification without needing another
ghusl.
3. Tayammum
Issue 49: Tayammum as a substitute for ghusl or wuḍū is valid in
seven cases:
1. When the person does not have enough water for wuḍū or
ghusl.
2. When water is available but the person cannot reach it, either
because he is unable to (due to age, paralysis, etc.) or accessing
it would involve committing a forbidden act (such as using water
from a usurped container).
3. When the person fears that using the available water for wuḍū
or ghusl would result in himself or someone dependent on him
becoming thirsty if the water is insufficient for both drinking and
purification.
4. When time is short, making it impossible to perform wuḍū or
ghusl and still pray within the prescribed time.
5. When obtaining or using water for wuḍū or ghusl would cause
excessive hardship that is generally unbearable.
6. When using water for wuḍū or ghusl would conflict with
another obligatory act of equal or greater importance (e.g., if the
body or clothes are impure and there is only enough water for one
act, the water should be used to purify the body or clothes and
tayammum should be performed instead of wuḍū or ghusl).
7. When using water for wuḍū or ghusl would cause harm, such
as worsening a disease or causing an illness, or making an illness
difficult to heal.
Issue 50: Tayammum can be performed on anything considered
"earth," such as soil, sand, and stones, provided some of it sticks
to the hands. Tayammum on a smooth stone without dust on it is
not valid as a measure of obligatory precaution.
Issue 51: The procedure for tayammum involves:
1. Striking or placing both palms on the ground simultaneously.
```

## PDF PAGE 24

```text
2. Wiping the forehead, and the obligatory precaution is that it
should include the sides of the forehead with both palms covering
from the hairline to the eyebrows and the upper part of the nose.
3. Wiping the entire back of the right hand with the left palm,
from the wrist to the fingertips.
4. Wiping the entire back of the left hand with the right palm,
from the wrist to the fingertips.
Issue 52: Conditions for tayammum are:
1. The person must be excused from performing wuḍū or ghusl as
detailed in Issue 49.
2. Tayammum must be performed with the intention of obeying
Allah.
3. The substance used for tayammum must be pure, permissible,
and not mixed with anything that invalidates tayammum (e.g.,
wood shavings).
4. Wiping the parts of tayammum should be done from top to
bottom based on obligatory precaution.
5. The person should not perform tayammum unless he despairs
of his excuse being resolved before the prayer time ends if
tayammum is for a fixed-time obligation like prayer.
6. If possible, the person must perform tayammum himself.
7. The actions of tayammum should be performed consecutively,
without interruption.
8. There should be no barrier between the wiping part (palms) and
the wiped parts (forehead and back of hands).
9. The forehead should be wiped before the right hand, and the
right hand before the left hand.
Issue 53: If a person performs prayer with tayammum due to an
excuse and the excuse is resolved before or after the prayer time
ends, it is not necessary to repeat the prayer.
Issue 54: If a person who has performed tayammum instead of
ghusl due to an excuse experiences a minor ritual impurity (ḥadth
aṣghar), the tayammum that replaced ghusl remains valid. In this
case, the person should perform wuḍū if possible; otherwise, he
should perform tayammum instead of wuḍū.
```