The whole purification or "ghosl"
The partial purification or ablution "wudu".
I. THE WHOLE PURIFICATION "GHOSL" is the total washing of the body. It is prescribed after semen, coitus, semen emission, and after the cessation of menses and bleeding after childbirth. Its essential conditions are:

 The intention; should be declared that the proposed act is for purposes of purification.
 The total ablution of the body. If one part of the body does not get the water, even though very small, the "ghosl" is nullified and void.

II. THE ABLUTION It is prescribed before prayer. It should be preceded by the intention that the act is for the purpose of worship. Its acts are as follows:

Wash the hands up to the wrist thrice.
Rinse out the mouth thrice.
Clean the nostrils by sniffing water into each nostril thrice.
Wash the face from the forehead to the chin and from ear to ear thrice.
Wash the forearms up to the elbows thrice, beginning with the right.
Pass a wet hand over the whole of the head or partial thereof once.
Wash the feet up to the ankles thrice, first the right then the left.
HOW TO DO ABLUTION

Hands to be washed with water three times.
While washing the hands, water is to be applied between fingers.
The mouth is to be washed thoroughly with water three times.
While washing the mouth with water, the teeth are to be cleaned with the fingertip.
The nose is to be washed with water and blown three times.
The whole face is to be washed three times.
All parts of the face should be washed with water.
The right hand should be washed up to the elbow three times, then the left hand is to be washed up to the elbow three times. (To wash the arm thoroughly, this way shold be followed)
The head is to be wiped with water.
The ears are to be washed from the inside and the outside.
The right foot is to be washed up to the heel and ankle, then the left foot also to the head and ankle.
After doing this a person is ready to perform his prayers. No prayer can be performed without ablution.

Wiping Boots or Socks If socks or stockings are being worn, and they have been put on after performing an ablution, it is not necessary to take them off; the three fingers of the wet hand are to be passed over them. The same practice may be resorted to also in the case of boots. If the socks or the boots are then taken off, the ablution remains, provided the person washes his feet only. It is however necessary that the feet should be washed once in every twenty-four hours for non-travellers and in three days if a traveller.

The Nullification of Ablution A person can perfrom one prayer or more than on so long as his ablution is not nullified. If one's ablution is void, he should repeat the rites of ablution, if he wants to pray. The causes of its nullification are:

 Natural evacuation: includes the passing of urine, stools and wind. (In the first two cases cleaning with water after the use of toilet tissue is necessary).
 Losing one's reason by imbibing in drugs, alcoholic intoxicants, epilepsy, or by traumatic injuries, etc.
 The sound sleep, or when one sleeps reclining, but if one sleeps a short time standing or sitting down, his ablution will continue as valid. The reason for a fresh ablution after sound sleep is that one does not know if one has passed wind in that condition.

Tayammum Tayammum means resorting to earth when one is unable to find water in sufficient quantity for ablution or bath, or when one is unable to use it on account of illness or for fear of contracting disease. If water is available in such quantity as can barely suffice for drinking, it is permissible to resort to tayammum instead of ablution or bath.

The manner in which tayammum is performed is as follows. The hands should be struck on clean earth, then the dust should be shaken, then the face should be wiped with both hands, and once more this is done to the hands and arms up to the elbows.