Section
Here, the intention means one of two things: either the resolve to remove the state of minor ritual impurity, or the resolve to perform something for which purification is obligatory—such as the prayer, circumambulating the Kaʿbah, or touching a copy of the Quran.

He may also intend an act for which ablution is recommended, such as Qur’an recitation[1], remembrance of Allah, giving the call to prayer, sleeping, dispelling doubt, calming anger, refraining from sinful speech, sitting in a mosque, teaching sacred knowledge, or eating.

Whenever he intends any of these, his minor impurity is lifted. It does no harm if his tongue slips and utters words other than what he intended, nor if he entertains doubts about the intention or about an obligatory element after completing an act of worship. Should he doubt the intention in the midst of the act, however, he must begin anew.

Section on the Manner of Ablution
He begins by forming the intention, then pronounces the basmalah, washes his hands, rinses the mouth, and inhales water into the nostrils. He then washes his face from the customary hairline; merely washing the outer hair of the beard suffices only when the beard is so sparse that the skin beneath is visible. Next he washes his arms together with the elbows. A small amount of dirt beneath a fingernail[2] or the like is overlooked. He then wipes the entire outer surface of his head—from the facial boundary[3] to what is called the nape, including the white area above the ears—and inserts his index fingers into