as well as the full ritual bath (ghusl) and dry ablution (tayammum), He said: “Allah does not wish to place any hardship upon you; rather, He wishes to purify you—outwardly and inwardly, in both sense and substance—and to perfect His favor upon you, so that you may give thanks.” (al-Mā’idah 5:6)

Accordingly, whenever a person performs ablution he should keep this meaning in mind: that his ablution wipes away his sins, so that through it he seeks his reward from Allah. Allah alone grants success.

130 — Fourteenth narration: On his authority, from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who said: “The five daily prayers, one Friday to the next, and one Ramadan to the next are expiations for whatever occurs between them, provided the major sins are avoided.” Reported by Muslim.

131 — Fifteenth narration: On his authority, he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared: “Shall I inform you of something through which Allah erases sins and raises ranks?” They replied, “Indeed, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Perfecting ablution when it is difficult, taking many steps to the mosques, and waiting for one prayer after another—this is the ribāṭ.” Reported by Muslim.

[Commentary]
The author—may Allah the Exalted have mercy on him—said, relating from Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet ﷺ stated: “The five prayers, one Friday to the next, and one Ramadan to the next are expiations for whatever occurs between them, provided the major sins are avoided,” meaning that the prayers