Question of the day from my Islam Q & A series. Please share with family and friends especially kids. For more information and to browse questions on my website or sign up for my email list at:
Q: In order to pray you perform the ablution. Why do you do such a ritual? Can’t you pray without it?
A: Ablution with or without payer in itself is an act of worship. It is commended by God Almighty in Quran as a form of preparation to pray and prostrate in front of the God Almighty. It doesn’t only serve the purpose of attaining purification but also earns exceptional amount of blessings even before the start of the prayer.
For every activity in life, there are rules and regulations. Sometimes there are pre-requisites to the general requirements too. In Islām there are also some rules and regulations for the systems that God has legislated. In schools, each teacher has his requirements for every course that he/she teaches. Through their knowledge and wisdom they have designed the course and the requirement so that the students will be able to pass the course. The prayer (salat) in Islām has its rules and regulations. It has its spiritual and physical dimensions – spiritually any minor sins that have been accumulated since the previous ablution are cleansed and physically it removes and cleans the body from all types of impurities. Islām also encourages the use of a toothstick to clean our teeth and apply scent – all in preparation for the Believer to presents him/herself before the King of kings, God Almighty.