ablution

ablution, in religion, a prescribed washing of part or all of the body or of possessions, such as clothing or ceremonial objects, with the intent of purification or dedication. Water, or water with salt or some other traditional ingredient, is most commonly used, but washing rituals involving blood or other bodily substances are occasionally found in the history of religions.

Examples

Jewish law requires ritual immersion of the whole bodies by women prior to marriage and after menstruation, as well as by new converts to Judaism. Washing of the hands after rising in the morning and cleansing before meals that include bread are also examples of ablution in Judaism. Roman Catholic priests (and priests of some Orthodox churches) celebrating the eucharistic liturgy prepare for the rite by washing of hands in the lavabo.In Eastern Orthodox traditions the rite of baptism includes the ceremony of chrismation in which chrism, a holy oil, is applied to specific parts of the child’s body and then washed away. Among some of the Brethren sects in the rural United States, ceremonial foot washing is performed on certain occasions.

Muslim piety requires that the devout wash their hands, feet, and face before each of the five daily prayers. Typically done with water, the use of sand is permitted where water is unavailable. The ritual ablution, called wuḍūʾ, consists of nine steps: (1) intending to perform the wuḍūʾ, (2) washing the hands to the wrists three times, (3) rinsing out the mouth and snuffing water into the nostrils three times, and (4) washing the face from the hairline to the neck, the chin, and the openings of the nostrils. (5) The beard (if there is one) is then combed with wet fingers, and (6) the hands and arms are washed up to the elbows three times. (7) The head—from the forehead to the nape of the neck, including the ears—is then rubbed with both hands, and (8) the feet, particularly the tops and including the ankles, are rubbed. Finally, (9) a Muslim recites a form of the shahādah, the profession of faith.

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Devout followers of Shintō rinse hands and mouth with water before approaching a shrine. Monks of the Theravada Buddhist tradition wash themselves in the monastery pool before meditation. The upper-caste Hindus bathe ceremonially in water before performing daily worship in the home.

Interpretations

Like most ritual acts, ablution may carry a wide range of meanings to those who perform it. The stain of ritual uncleanness may be felt to be as real as contamination with unseen germs is for the medically minded; the act of cleansing may be only a gesture, symbolic of desired purity of soul. Or, as Carl Jung and others have suggested in studies of unconscious elements in religious symbolism, both objective and subjective aspects may be fused in the ritual act.