Communicating

Now you may remember how to wash for prayer from Level 2,

but there's a lot more to the Wudhu than that.

Remember how we said that what breaks the Wudhu is going to the toilet?

Well, that is something about them that humans share with all the animals.

Every now and again, they are reminded of their animal nature

by the need to go to the toilet.

And they can't avoid it.

They can't pretend they don't need to go.

Well, they can,

but after a while they are going to go

whether they like it or not.

Their bodies make them do it.

Their need is so strong that they can't help themselves.

And they have to accept that.

So when muslims make wudhu they remember

how their animal bodies can so easily influence what they do.

But there's more to muslim washing than just Wudhu,

because there are other occasions in the muslim way of life

when more than simple Wudhu is needed.

Those are times when muslims wash all over,

a washing known as Ghusl.

Clearly washing in one way or another is central to the muslim way of life,

but there are occasions when no water is available,

so what happens then?

Well, that would certainly have been a more common occasion in Arabia

at the time of the Messenger

than you would expect here in Scotland,

but even in Scotland there may be times

when you find it impossible to get clean water.

And the Messenger showed us what to do at such times.

We cleanse ourselves with Tayammum.

We can use clean sand or clean dry earth

to cleanse ourselves in a simple way.

With Tayammum we remember

how earth can also be used to clean,

just as we use it to cleanse our drinking water.

But washing is really just the beginning,

as with that it is possible to make the Sala,

the action that the Messenger said is most pleasing to God.

And if pleasing God also pleases you,

it's always possible to make more Rakas

quite apart from the Fard Sala.

The Messenger regularly made extra prayers

alongside the essential prayers,

and those around him followed his example,

making Sunna prayers,

just as muslims will often do today.

And making the Sala doesn't have to be in the mosque all the time,

although making the prayer together has many great benefits,

and it is said that many blessings are received

for each step on the way to prayer in the mosque.

But one prayer in the mosque is considered so important

that in the Qur'an God says to hurry towards it,

the prayer when all the community join together each Friday,

the Jummah Prayer.

But then again, praying isn't something that you only do when you are making Sala,

whether you are in the mosque or not.

There are other kinds of prayers that you can make,

even while you are doing something else.

Like Dzikr, Remembering,

ways to remember God,

and Du'a, Calling,

crying out to God for help,

and crying out in gratitude.

When and why do we need to wash all over

How can we wash with dirt?

Can we make extra prayers if we want to?

What's special about Fridays

Are there different ways to remember God?

Can we ask God for what we want?