Ablution may refer to the practice of removing sins or diseases through the use of ritual washing, or the practice of using ritual washing as one part of a ceremony to remove sin or disease.

Ablution in the Hebrew Bible

Israelites in the Hebrew Bible did not believe that ablution could literally wash away sin or disease. However, they did believe that God commanded them to use certain ablution ceremonies in a number of circumstances.

• When a person was initiated into a higher state: e.g., when Aaron and his sons became priests, they were washed with water previous to their investiture with the priestly robes (Lev. 8:6).

• Before the priests approached the altar of God, they were required to wash their hands and their feet.

• Ablution was part of the procedure for removing ritual impurity . Eleven forms of this are prescribed in Leviticus 12-15.

• Ablution was used as one part of a legal proceeding, symbolizing that a person was not guilty of a crime. For example, the elders of the nearest village where some murder was committed were required, when the murderer was unknown, to wash their hands over the expiatory heifer, and in doing so to say, "Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it" (Deut. 21:1-9).

Ablution in Judaism

See the article on Ablution in Judaism.

Ablution in Christianity

The Christian practices of baptism and foot-washing are instances of ablution.

Pilate declared himself innocent of the blood of Jesus by washing his hands (Matt. 27:24). This act of Pilate may not, however, have been borrowed from the custom of the Jews. The same practice was common among the Greeks and Romans.

The Pharisees carried the practice of ablution to great excess, thereby claiming extraordinary purity (Matt. 23:25). Mark (7:1-5) refers to the ceremonial ablutions. The Pharisees washed their hands "oft," more correctly, "with the fist" (R.V., "diligently"), or as an old father, Theophylact, explains it, "up to the elbow." (Compare also Gospel of Mark 7:4; Lev. 6:28; 11: 32-36; 15:22) (See Washing.)

Ablution in Islam

In Islam, Wudu or ablution is observed by Muslims preceding each prayer, if one is in a state of impurity. Physical cleanliness before Allah (God) is deemed a necessity and purification is intended for not only one's soul, but body as well. One must wash the face, feet, hands, ears, arms and other bodily regions prior to prayer recitation and prostrations. If footwear remains clean but the ablution becomes invalid, one is allowed to just gently pass wet fingers on the upper part of the foot garment, but the other prerequisites still must be carried out. Ablution remains valid for up to twenty-four hours (or in case of a journey, three days) and is nullified if blood, pus or vomit is drawn, if one urinates, passes wind or stool, or falls into deep sleep. If clean or sufficient quantities of water are unavailable, worshippers are allowed to use clean sand or earth on the face and hands. Cleansing oneself is also committed before one touches the Holy Qur'an, the authoritative holy text for Muslims. A full body ablution, ghusl, is carried out after sexual intercourse, the termination of a woman's menstrual cycle or when one first becomes a Muslim.

Ablution references in literature

In Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, there is a reference to ablution. "Out, out damned spot", cries Lady Macbeth, unable to cleanse her guilt by washing her hands.