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Among the acts of worship pertaining to the body, or to both heart and body, as explained above, is the purification of clothing and bodies. In its original linguistic sense, purification means cleanliness and freedom from defilement. Thus, the Arabs used the term with reference to what is pure rather than impure, distinguishing between the two. An example is the saying of Allah, Almighty and Majestic:

“And purify your garments.” [al-Muddaththir: 4]

That is, cleanse your heart of sins and defilement. Another example is His saying:

“Allah only intends to remove impurity from you, O people of the household, and to purify you thoroughly.” [al-Ahzāb: 33]

That is, to keep you free and far removed from baseness and to raise your ranks. Likewise, His saying:

“Indeed, Allah has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you.” [Āl ʿImrān: 42]

This means that He has kept you free and far removed from what you were accused of, and raised your rank.

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Purification in Islamic law derives from this meaning. It falls into two categories: purification to remove impurity and purification to lift a state of ritual impurity.

Purification to remove impurity is defined as the removal of impurity. It is among the acts of worship pertaining to the body rather than the heart, since its performance does not require an intention. Opinions differ concerning it: some say it is obligatory, others that it is a sunnah practice, and others that it is an encouraged act. This is not correct according to the principles we have established. It has also been said that it is obligatory when one is able and remembers, but that the obligation is waived through forgetfulness, as in the rulings concerning speaking during prayer and covering one’s nakedness during it. This is incorrect, as we shall explain in its proper place, if Allah Most High wills.

As for purification to lift a state of ritual impurity, it is among the acts of worship pertaining to both body and heart, because it requires an intention according to the schools of Mālik and al-Shāfiʿī. It falls into three categories: a full ritual bath, ablution, and a substitute for both when one is unable to perform them, namely dry ablution. Some hold that, according to Mālik’s school, dry ablution cannot properly be described as a substitute for ablution