text: when a bahai preforms obligatory prayers, what actions and absolutions are preformed?   the actions and ablutions that accompany the obligatory prayers changes based on the prayer (there are three obligatory prayers - one of which needs to be said every day).  what is consistent across the board is that there is a need to do ablutions - washing one's hands and face - before saying the prayer.  almost everything else is different.  finally, we are told there is a wisdom to these actions that is not obvious.  short obligatory prayer: 1.  perform ablutions 2.  face toward baha'u'llah's burial site in akka israel.  medium obligatory prayer: 1.  "whoso wisheth to pray, let him wash his hands, and while he washeth, let him say" 2.  "and while washing his face, let him say" 3.  "then let him stand up, and facing the qiblih (point of adoration, i.e., bahji, 'akká), let him say" 4.  "let him, then, bend down, with hands resting on the knees, and say" 5.  "then, standing with open hands, palms upward toward the face, let him say" 6.  "let him, then, be seated and say"  long obligatory prayer the number of things to list for the long obligatory prayer is quite long.  this list of the action required in order is below:  let him then kneel, and bowing his forehead to the ground, let him say:  let him then stand and say:  let him again raise his hands in supplication, and say:  let him then raise his hands, and repeat three times the greatest name. let him then bend down with hands resting on the knees before god -- blessed and exalted be he -- and say:  let him then stand and raise his hands twice in supplication, and say:  let him then raise his hands thrice, and say:  let him then kneel and, bowing his forehead to the ground, say:  let him then seat himself and say:  let him then stand erect and say:  let him then repeat the greatest name thrice, and bend down with hands resting on the knees, and say:  let him then rise and say:  let him then repeat the greatest name thrice, and kneel with his forehead to the ground, and say:  let him then raise his head, and seat himself, and say:  - baha'u'llah, prayers and meditations by baha'u'llah, p. 322