O People who Believe ! When you wish to stand up for prayer , wash your faces , and your hands up to the elbows , and pass wet palms over your heads and wash your feet up to the ankles ; and if you need a bath , clean yourselves thoroughly ; and if you are sick or on a journey , or one of you returns from answering the call of nature , or you have cohabited with women , and you do not find water , then cleanse ( yourself ) with clean soil therefore stroke – your soiled palms over your faces and your hands with it ; Allah does not will to place you in hardship , but He wills to fully purify you and complete His favour upon you , so that you may be grateful .