Ablution (Wudu’)

Dawood ar-Raqqi has been reported as saying: “One day, I went to Imam Sadiq (AS) to ask him how to perform ablution correctly. The Imam (AS) said: ‘What God has made obligatory is to wash the face once. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) has added one more to it to mind for the weak people. Whoever washes his face three times, his prayer will become invalid.’ At this time, Dawood ibn Zurbi arrived and asked the same question. The Imam (AS) said: ‘Three times, three times and whoever does less than that, his prayer is not valid.’

My (Dawood ar-Raqqi) body started shivering. I was being almost tempted by Satan. Seeing a change of color in me, Imam Sadiq (AS) said: O Dawood, calm down! Which one is of unbelief, this order or the act of beheading?’

When we went out, we found that people had spoken ill of Ibn Zurbi before al-Mansoor ad-Dawaneeqi (the Abbasid caliph), accusing him of being heretic and associating with Imam Sadiq (AS). Ibn Zurbi was in an orchard near the orchard of al-Mansoor.

Al-Mansoor said to himself: “I will try him to see how he performs his ablution. If he does it like Ja’far ibn Mohammad (AS) which I do not approve, it will become evident that what they say about him is true. In that case, I will kill him.” Therefore, he waited for Ibn Zurbi to perform ablution. Ibn Zurbi did as Imam Sadiq (AS) had told him. Al-Mansoor sent someone to call him.

Dawood says: ‘When I went to al-Mansoor, he greeted me, saying: ‘O Dawood! They have said something wrong about you. The way you performed ablution was not like the purification by the heretics, so forgive me.’ Then he ordered a hundred thousand Dirhams to be given to him.’

Dawood ibn Zurbi and I went to see Imam Sadiq (AS). Zurbi said: my master, you save my life in this world. Thanks to you. We hope for paradise. The Imam said: ‘May God reward you and all the believers.’

Addressing Zurbi, the Imam said: ‘Tell Dawood ar-Raqqi what happened to you so that he will have no fear.’

Dawood Zurbi says: ‘I told him the whole story. The Imam (AS) said: ‘It was for this reason that I issued such a Fatwa for him, knowing that he may be killed.’ Then, the Imam said: ‘O Dawood ibn Zurbi! Wash your face twice

when performing ablution. Do not add, for if you add to it, your prayer will become invalid.’” [1]

The same story happened between Ali ibn Yaqteen and Imam Musa al-Kadhim (a.s.) who first ordered him to perform ablution like the opponents, and when the danger of Haroon ar-Rasheed (the Abbasid caliph) had gone, in a letter, he said: “O Ali ibn Yaqteen! Perform ablution as God Almighty has ordered… for the danger that we were afraid for you of has gone.” [2]

3. Prayer

Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (AS) has been reported by Ali (AS) ibn Yaqteen and Sheikh Sadooq as saying: “When dissimulating, it is valid to prostrate on clothes and carpets.” [3]

Imam Reza (AS) has been reported by Bazanti as saying: “In relation to Qunoot (supplicating Allah earnestly in the prayer), Imam Baqir (AS) has said: “You have an option to or not to recite Qunoot.”

Imam Musa al-Kadhim(AS) has said: “When you are in Taqiyyah, do not recite Qunoot, and I will be answerable for that.” [4]

Abdullah ibn Sinan reports: “I heard Imam Sadiq (AS) say: “I invite you to fear Allah. Never be tough to people, for you will be abased. God Almighty has said: “…you shall speak kindly to people.”” [5]  

Then the Imam said: “Visit their (non-Shia Muslims) patients, take part in their funerals, bear witness for and against them and perform prayers with them in their mosques.” [1]

Imam Sadiq (AS) has also been reported as saying: “Whoever performs prayer with them in the first line is like one who has performed prayer behind the Messenger of Allah (SAW) in the first line.” [2]

In another narration, we read that the Imam said to Isshaq ibn Ammar: “Take part in their prayer, for whoever performs prayer in the first line with them, is like one who has drawn the sword in the way of Allah.” [3]