Prophetic tradition, with regards to wudu, is also ecologically friendly, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) repeatedly encouraged water conservation, even if abluting from a running river.
Ibn Majah related that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "There is a shaytan (devil) for ablution called `walhan’, meaning greedy, avoid the waste of water."
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also encouraged doing ablution before going to bed. This same ritual is also encouraged by Yoga experts who say that washing important motor and sensory organs such as the hands, arms, eyes, legs, mouth and genitals before sleep using cool water relaxes the body preparing it for a deep sleep.
Research finds Ablution Stimulates the Biological Rhythms of Your Body
In an article titled "Muslims Rituals and their Effect on the Person’s Health", Dr. Magomed Magomedov, assistant to the department of the Man’s General Hygiene and Ecology in the Daghestan State Medical Academy, speaks about how ablution stimulates the biological rhythms of the body and specifically Biological Active Spots (BASes), very much like the idea behind Chinese reflexotherapy. Man’s internal organs, in their turn, present a no less sophisticated bio-energetical whole; they all have indissoluble multi-channel bilateral connections with the skin, which hosts special spots, whose functions resemble those of buttons on "control" and " recharge boards" responsible for particular organs. These spots are called biologically active spots (BASes).
While pointing out to the similarities between ablution and the science of Chinese reflexology in his fascinating article, Dr. Magomedov also states the main different points. To become a doctor in reflexology, he says, one has to take a 15 to 20 year course of study, incomparable with the simple learning techniques of ablution.
In another comparison, reflexotherapy was primarily used to cure diseases and very rarely for prevention, while, as we shall see, ablution has many preventive benefits. There was also a negative side to reflexotherapy, he says, one that is not found in ablution; a patient was exposed to traumas since doctors used cauterisation. (Cauterization is a medical term describing the burning of the body to remove or close a part of it.)
"The majority of the most powerful BASes are being washed during the Muslim ritual. It is not the doctor, who had studied for many years, who does it, but every Muslim by himself. Besides, praying five times a day obliges a Muslim to take the preventive measures against diseases beforehand."
According to Dr. Magomedov, Chinese medicine says that there are more than 700 BASes, and sixty-six of them have quick reflex therapy effects and are named the drastic (or aggression or antique or prime-elements) spots.
Out of these sixty-six spots, sixty-one of them are located in zones required for Wudu while the other five are located between the ankle and knee.
THE FACE: When the face is washed during Wudu, it "recharges" such organs as the intestines, stomach and bladder, in addition to having a positive effect on the nervous and reproductive systems, says Dr. Magomedov in his findings, adding that the BAS responsible for the osseous system, intestine, nervous system, lumbar area, stomach, pancreas, gall-bladder, thyroid gland, solar plexus and others are situated on the right leg, another area reached during Wudu.
THE LEGS: When a Muslim washes his left leg, the BAS responsible for the work of the pituitary gland is stimulated.This gland is located in the brain and regulates the functioning of the endocrine glands and controls growing.
THE EARS: In the ear’s cochlea are hundreds of BASes that "harmonize the work of almost all organs, decrease high blood pressure and relieve tooth and throat pain."Ear ablution is considered Sunna (Prophetic tradition). Washing the ear helps rid them from wax accumulation, which may cause ear infections as well as affecting the inner ear, which eventually causes body imbalances.
Another aspect that Dr. Magomedov stresses on is that Prophetic tradition emphasized the importance of massaging and applying pressure during ablution, which is something that has a scientifically-grounded explanation.
Dr. Magomedov said that his studies were triggered by his solemn belief that the five-time-a-day Muslim prayers were bound to have not only an "indisputable spiritual effect" but were also bound to "have a purely physical healing effect as well."
Preventive Cleansing explained in Mukhtar Salem’s Book
From a non-alternative medicine perspective, author Mukhtar Salem’s book, titled ‘Prayers: a Sport for the Body and Soul’, speaks about the health benefits of every aspect of ablution. He does not speak about the BASes in one’s body, but nevertheless, he describes the preventive benefits of ablution.
THE SKIN: Ablution, he says, helps prevent skin cancer. This is his explanation: the areas that are washed during ablution are the parts of the body that are most prone to be exposed to pollution, whether it is pollution from the internal secretions of the body on to the skin surface, such as sweat, or whether it is external. Ablution, removes this ‘pollution’ five times a day, and hence maintains a clean outside layer of skin, which in turn helps the cells underneath to function properly.
Also, washing with water helps invigorate the ends of the blood vessels, as well as the nerves and glands that are near the skin surface, and hence helps them perform their functions efficiently.
Salem adds that research has proven that one of the main reasons behind skin cancer is that the skin is exposed to chemicals, especially petro-chemicals, and that the best way to prevent skin cancer is by constantly removing these chemicals.
THE MOUTH: The obvious reason behind washing the mouth during ablution, Salem says, is to remove the food particles, which could cause teeth and gum problems. That is also one of the reasons why siwak (brushing one’s teeth) is also encouraged before ablution.
THE NOSTRILS: When washing one’s nostrils, one is also performing a preventive health measure as the germs trapped in the nostrils are removed and do not pass on to the respiratory system.
According to a study conducted by a team of doctors in Alexandria University, the Prophetic tradition, which urges the exaggeration of washing the nostrils by introducing the water in the nostril then blowing it out, positively affects the inner coating of the nostrils. Those who carried out the washing in the correct form had clean, shiny nostrils with no dust clinging to the small hair inside. However, those who did not perform ablution had light coloured, greasy nostrils and their nostril hairs fell off easily.
THE FACE: Repeated washing of the face invigorates the facial skin cells and helps prevent early wrinkles as well as having a cleansing effect on the inside of the eyes, which prevents eye infections, says Salem.
THE FEET: The Prophetic tradition of encouraging one to wash between the toes while washing the feet, is also extremely important, says Salem, as it prevents the foot, which in our modern times is trapped most of the day inside shoes, from acquiring athlete’s foot.
Over all, he adds, ablution also has an exercising effect on all the muscles involved in its movement, which are thus being stimulated five times a day or even more according to repetition.
Performing Wudu extinguishes the Fire of Anger
We are also encouraged to make ablution while being in a state of anger for the cooling and refreshing effect of the water, as we are told that anger is from the devil who is made out of fire and can therefore be put off by water.
