Cleanliness and dress

Islam advises that the Salah be performed in a ritually clean environment. When praying, the clothes that are worn and the place of prayer must be clean. Men and women each are directed to cover their bodies (awrah) in reasonably loose-fitting garments. A well-known tradition saying that "purity is half the faith" has direct correlation to Islam as the religion has incorporated and modified existing rules of purity in its religious system.

Ritual ablution

Before conducting prayers, a Muslim has to perform a ritual ablution.
The minor ablution is performed using water (wudu) or clean sand or dust (tayammum) when water is not available or not advisable to use such as due to sickness.
In Sunni Islam, wudu' consists of washing the hands, mouth, nose, face, arms, forehead and hair, ears and feet three times each in that order. Shi'i first wash their faces, then their arms, and then wipe their heads and feet with the moisture on their hands.

Tayammum consists of wiping only the hands and face with sand or dust. Wudu is considered to cleanse a Muslim in a permanent fashion such that it is only necessary to perform it again if an act breaking it has occurred. Tayammum, however, has to be performed before each Salah.

The major ablution (ghusl) is required when a person has had sexual intercourse, ejected semen, has had menstrual bleeding or is a new convert to the faith. Ghusl may also be performed voluntarily especially before Friday prayers.