Tafsir of verse 6
Al-Mukhtasar
O you who believe in Allah, follow His Messenger and practice His laws, when you intend to stand up to offer the prayer and you are in the state of minor ritual impurity, then perform ablution by washing your faces and then your hands together with the elbows, then wiping your heads and finally washing your feet together with the ankles. If you are in the state of major ritual impurity, then take a full bath. If you are sick and you fear that the sickness will get worse or the healing will be delayed, or if you are on a journey even though you are not sick, or if you are in the state of minor ritual impurity, such as after going to the toilet, or in a state of major ritual impurity, such as after having had sexual intercourse, and you do not find water to purify yourselves with, despite having searched for it, then make use of the ground by striking it with your hands and then wiping over your faces and then wiping your hands with it. Allah does not wish to make the laws difficult for you by forcing you to use water that may lead to harm or difficulty. He has therefore given you a substitute when this is not possible due to sickness or the lack of water. This is a completion of His favour on you, so that you give thanks for such favour and are not ungrateful.
Tafsir of the whole Surah Al-Ma’idah
Other translations of verse 6
O you who believe, when you rise up for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows; wipe over your heads; and wash your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of major impurity, cleanse yourselves [by taking a bath]. But if you are ill, on a journey, or have relieved yourselves, or had sexual contact11 with women and find no water, then purify yourselves with clean earth12, and wipe your faces and hands therewith. Allah does not want to impose hardship on you, rather He wants to purify you and complete His favor upon you, so that you may be grateful.
Notes
[11] i.e., had sexual intercourse or seminal discharge.
[12] This is the act of dry ablution or tayammum.
O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salât (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles3. If you are in a state of Janâba (i.e. after a sexual discharge), purify yourselves (bathe your whole body). But if you are ill or on a journey, or any of you comes after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with women (i.e. sexual intercourse), and you find no water, then perform Tayammum with clean earth and rub therewith your faces and hands.4 Allâh does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour to you that you may be thankful.
Notes
[3] (V.5:6) The superiority of ablution. And Al-Ghurr-ul Muhajjalûn (the parts of the body of the Muslims washed in ablution will shine on the Day of Resurrection and the angels will call them by that name) from the traces of ablution.
Narrated Nu‘aim Al-Mujmir: Once I went up the roof of the mosque along with Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه. He performed ablution and said, "I heard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying, ‘On the Day of Resurrection, my followers will be called Al-Ghurr-ul-Muhajjalûn from the traces of ablution and whoever can increase the area of his radiance* should do so (by performing ablution in the most perfect manner).’ " (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.1, Hadîth No.138).
*The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not increase the area more than what is washed of the body parts while doing ablution as Allâh ordered to be washed in the Qur’ân. [For details about Wudu (ablution), see Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.1, (The Book of Ablution)].
[4] (V.5:6) Strike your hands on the earth and then pass the palm of each on the back of the other and then blow off the dust from them and then pass (rub) them on your face: this is called Tayammum
O ye who believe! When ye rise up for prayer, wash you faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. And if ye are unclean, purify yourselves. And if ye are sick or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have had contact with women, and ye find not water, then go to clean, high ground and rub your faces and your hands with some of it. Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that ye may give thanks.
O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favour to you, that ye may be grateful.
O you who believe! when you rise up to prayer, wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you are under an obligation to perform a total ablution, then wash (yourselves) and if you are sick or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy, or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth and wipe your faces and your hands therewith, Allah does not desire to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you, so that you may be grateful.
O you who have believed, when you rise up for prayer, then wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads, (Or: "part of" the head) and (wash) your legs to the ankles. And in case you are ritually unclean, (i.e., from the emission of semea or "for women" sexual discharge) then totally purify yourselves; and in case you are sick or on a journey, or (in case) any of you has come up from the privy, or you have had contact with women, yet you cannot find water, then have recourse to good (i.e. a mounting place, high and dry) soil (and) so wipe (most of) your faces and hands with (some) of it. In no way does Allah indeed will to make any restriction for you, but indeed He wills to purify you and perfect His favor on you, indeed, that possibly you would thank (Him).
