The Reason for Ablution

النَّبِيُّ ص لَمَّا أَنْ وَسْوَسَ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلَى آدَمَ ع- دَنَا مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا فَذَهَبَ مَاءُ وَجْهِهِ‌[1] ثُمَّ قَامَ وَ مَشَى إِلَيْهَا وَ هِيَ أَوَّلُ قَدَمٍ مَشَتْ إِلَى الْخَطِيئَةِ ثُمَّ تَنَاوَلَ بِيَدِهِ مِنْهَا مَا عَلَيْهَا فَأَكَلَ فَطَارَ الْحُلِيُّ وَ الْحُلَلُ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ‌[2] فَوَضَعَ آدَمُ يَدَهُ عَلَى أُمِّ رَأْسِهِ وَ بَكَى فَلَمَّا تَابَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيْهِ فَر

Hadith.127 - A group of Jews came to the Messenger of Allah (sw) and asked Him about various matters. Among the questions they asked was: ‘Tell us, O’ Muhammad, why these four parts are washed in ablution when they are the cleanest parts of the body?' The Prophet (sw) replied: "When Satan whispered to Adam (as), he app

وَ كَتَبَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسَى الرِّضَا ع إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ فِيمَا كَتَبَ مِنْ جَوَابِ مَسَائِلِهِ‌ أَنَّ عِلَّةَ الْوُضُوءِ الَّتِي مِنْ أَجْلِهَا صَارَ عَلَى الْعَبْدِ غَسْلُ الْوَجْهِ وَ الذِّرَاعَيْنِ وَ مَسْحُ الرَّأْسِ وَ الْقَدَمَيْنِ فَلِقِيَامِهِ‌[3] بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَ اسْتِقْبَالِهِ إِيَّاهُ بِجَوَارِحِهِ الظَّاهِرَةِ وَ مُلَاقَاتِهِ بِهَا الْكِرَامَ الْكَاتِبِينَ‌[4

Hadith.128 - Abu Al-Hasan Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha (as) wrote to Muhammad ibn Sinan in response to his questions: "The reason for wudu (ablution), for which it has become obligatory for a servant to wash the face and arms, and to wipe the head and feet, is to prepare to stand before Allah (swt) Almighty, to face Him