Surah Al-Ma'idah — Verse 6
The Table Spread · 5:6 · 6/120
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًا فَٱطَّهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَـٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanooitha qumtum ila assalati faghsiloowujoohakum waaydiyakum ila almarafiqi wamsahoobiruoosikum waarjulakum ila alkaAAbayni wa-in kuntumjunuban fattahharoo wa-in kuntum marda awAAala safarin aw jaa ahadun minkum mina algha-itiaw lamastumu annisaa falam tajidoo maanfatayammamoo saAAeedan tayyiban famsahoobiwujoohikum waaydeekum minhu ma yureedu AllahuliyajAAala AAalaykum min harajin walakin yureeduliyutahhirakum waliyutimma niAAmatahu AAalaykumlaAAallakum tashkuroon
Translations of this verse 11
Saheeh International
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janābah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allāh does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.
M.A.S. Abdel Haleem
You who believe, when you are about to pray, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, wipe your heads, wash your feet up to the ankles and, if required, wash your whole body. If any of you is sick or on a journey, or has just relieved himself, or had intimate contact with a woman, and can find no water, then take some clean sand and wipe your face and hands with it. God does not wish to place any burden on you: He only wishes to cleanse you and perfect His blessing on you, so that you may be thankful.
Marmaduke Pickthall
O ye who believe! When ye rise up for prayer, wash you faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. And if ye are unclean, purify yourselves. And if ye are sick or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have had contact with women, and ye find not water, then go to clean, high ground and rub your faces and your hands with some of it. Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that ye may give thanks.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. 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, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favour to you, that ye may be grateful.
Mufti Taqi Usmani
O you who believe, when you rise for Salāh, (prayer) wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and make MasH (wiping by hands) of your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of major impurity, cleanse yourselves well (by taking bath). If you are sick, or on a journey, or if one of you has come after relieving himself, or you have had sexual contact with women, and you find no water, then, go for some clean dust and wipe your faces and hands with it. Allah does not like to impose a problem on you; He, rather likes to cleanse you and to complete His favour upon you, so that you may be grateful.
Al-Hilali & Khan
O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salât (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles. If you are in a state of Janâba (i.e. after a sexual discharge), purify yourselves (bathe your whole body). But if you are ill or on a journey, or any of you comes after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with women (i.e. sexual intercourse), and you find no water, then perform Tayammum with clean earth and rub therewith your faces and hands. Allâh does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour to you that you may be thankful.
Abul A'la Maududi (Tafhim)
Believers! When you stand up for Prayer wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles. And if you are in the state of ritual impurity, purify yourselves (by taking a bath). But if you are either ill, travelling, have satisfied a want of nature or have had contact with women and find no water then have recourse to clean earth and wipe your faces and your hands therewith. Allah does not want to lay any hardship upon you; rather He wants to purify you and complete His favours upon you so that you may give thanks.
Muhammad Asad — The Message of the Qur’an
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 travelling, 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. 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.
Rowwad · source edition
O you who believe, when you rise up for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows; wipe over your heads; and wash your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of major impurity, cleanse yourselves [by taking a bath]. But if you are ill, on a journey, or have relieved yourselves, or had sexual contact[11] with women and find no water, then purify yourselves with clean earth[12], and wipe your faces and hands therewith. Allah does not want to impose hardship on you, rather He wants to purify you and complete His favor upon you, so that you may be grateful.
Notes
[11] i.e., had sexual intercourse or seminal discharge. [12] This is the act of dry ablution or tayammum.
Noor International · source edition
(6) O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janābah,[245] then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women[246] and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allāh does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.
Notes
[245]- See footnote to 4:43. [246]- i.e., had sexual intercourse.
Hilali and Khan · source edition
6. O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salât (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles[3]. If you are in a state of Janâba (i.e. after a sexual discharge), purify yourselves (bathe your whole body). But if you are ill or on a journey, or any of you comes after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with women (i.e. sexual intercourse), and you find no water, then perform Tayammum with clean earth and rub therewith your faces and hands.[4] Allâh does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour to you that you may be thankful.
Notes
[3] (V.5:6) The superiority of ablution. And Al-Ghurr-ul Muhajjalûn (the parts of the body of the Muslims washed in ablution will shine on the Day of Resurrection and the angels will call them by that name) from the traces of ablution. Narrated Nu‘aim Al-Mujmir: Once I went up the roof of the mosque along with Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه. He performed ablution and said, "I heard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying, ‘On the Day of Resurrection, my followers will be called Al-Ghurr-ul-Muhajjalûn from the traces of ablution and whoever can increase the area of his radiance* should do so (by performing ablution in the most perfect manner).’ " (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.1, Hadîth No.138). *The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not increase the area more than what is washed of the body parts while doing ablution as Allâh ordered to be washed in the Qur’ân. [For details about Wudu (ablution), see Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.1, (The Book of Ablution)]. [4] (V.5:6) Strike your hands on the earth and then pass the palm of each on the back of the other and then blow off the dust from them and then pass (rub) them on your face: this is called Tayammum
Reason for Revelation Asbāb al-Nuzūl
Arabic source: al-Wāḥidī / al-Suyūṭī, via Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies (CC BY 4.0)
قال تعالى: {يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُوا وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى 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 وَلَكِنْ يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ (6)} [المائدة: 6].
150 - عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبيِّ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قَالَتْ: خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - فِي بَعْضِ أَسْفَارِهِ، حَتَّى إِذَا كُنَا بِالْبَيْدَاءِ أَوْ بِذَاتِ الْجَيْشِ انْقَطَعَ عِقْدٌ لِي، فَأَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - عَلَى الْتِمَاسِهِ، وَأَقَامَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُ، وَلَيْسُوا عَلَى مَاء، فَأَتَى النَّاسُ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصَّدِّيقِ، فَقَالُوا: أَلَا تَرَى مَا صَنَعَتْ عَائِشَةُ؟! أَقَامَتْ بِرَسُولِ اللهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - وَالنَّاسِ، وَلَيْسُوا عَلَى مَاءٍ، وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُمْ مَاءٌ!!
فَجَاءَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - وَاضِعٌ رَأْسَهُ عَلَى فَخِذِي قَدْ نَامَ، فَقَالَ: حَبسْتِ رَسُولَ الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - وَالنَّاسَ، وَلَيْسُوا عَلَى مَاءٍ، وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُمْ مَاءٌ! فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: فَعَاتَبَنِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَقَالَ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ أَنْ يَقُولَ، وَجَعَلَ يَطْعُنُنِي بِيَدِهِ فِي خَاصِرَتِي، فَلَا يَمْنَعُنِي مِنْ التَّحَرُّكِ إِلا مَكَانُ رَسُولِ اللهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - عَلَى فَخِذِي، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - حِينَ أَصْبَحَ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَاءٍ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللّهُ آيَةَ التَّيَمُّمِ فَتَيَمَّمُوا، فَقَالَ: أُسَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُضَيْرِ: مَا هِيَ بِأَوَّلِ بَرَكَتِكُمْ يَا آلَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ. قَالَتْ: فَبَعَثْنَا الْبَعِيرَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَصَبْنَا الْعِقْدَ تَحْتَه. واللفظ للبخاري ¬أخرجه البخاري برقم: 334، 336، 36672، 3772، 4583، 4607، 4608، 5164، 5250، 5882، 6844، ومسلم برقم: 367، والنسائي في الصغرى برقم: 310، والكبرى برتم: 299، 300، 11107، ومالك: 1/ 53 برقم: 120، وابن حبان برقم: 1300، 1317، وابن خزيمة برقم: 262، والبيهقي: 1/ 204، 223، وأبو يعلى برقم: 1629، والطبراني: 23/ 49 برقم: 129، والطيالسي برقم: 637، وإسحاق بن راهويه برقم: 966، وابن الجارود برقم: 121.¥.
151 - وجاء عَن ابْنِ عَبَّاسِ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ يَاسِرِ - رضي الله عنهم - شبيهًا به ¬أخرجه أبو داود برقم: 320، والنسائي برقم: 314، والبيهقي ت 1/ 208، وأبو يعلى برقم: 1632، 1633، والطيالسي برقم: 637، والطحاوي في شرح معاني الآثار: 1/ 111، وابن الجارود برقم: 121، وأحمد: 4/ 263، 320، والحديث صحيح.¥.