Wudu is the Islamic act of washing parts of the body using water. Muslims are required to be clean in preparation for ritual prayers. The Quran says “For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.”
Muslims are also required to be clean when handling and reading the Qur’an. The Qur’an says “Which none shall touch but those who are clean” . Purification of the body and clothes is called Taharah. Prophet Mohammed said that “Cleanliness is half of faith” To have Taharah for the body, one should do either ghusl or Wudu.
Cleanliness (Taharah) is an important precondition of Islamic worship. Wudu is an essential part of Cleanliness.
Salah(prayer) is not valid without Wudu’ or Tayammum(dry Ablution).
The Qur’anic mandate for wudu comes in the sixth ayat of sura 5 (Al-Ma’ida):
“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.”
Allah says in the Qur’an :
“Surely Allah loves those who turn to Him and those who care for cleanliness” (2:22).
The Noble Qur’an – At-Tauba 9:108
And Allâh loves those who make themselves clean and pure (i.e. who clean their private parts with dust [i.e. to be considered as soap) and water from urine and stools, after answering the call of nature].
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, “Allah does not accept prayer without purification ” (Sahih – Muslim and others)
Click here for the Dua for Wudu (Ablution)
Steps for performing wudu:
1.Making Niyyah (Intention) for Wudu
Before starting the actions of wudu, it is necessary to make niyyah. Make niyyah that the act of performing wudu is for the purpose of purity only. Niyyah should be made in the heart because it is an action of the heart and not of the tongue. Niyyah by words is not approved by the Prophet (Peace be upon him).
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Verily the actions are by intention and there is for everyone only what he intended”(Sahih – Fath-ul-Baaree and Muslim)
2.At-Tasmiyyah (Mentioning Allah’s Name)
After niyyah, start wudu by saying aloud or silently:
“Bismillah”
(In the Name of Allah)
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “There is no wudu for him who does not mention Allah’s name upon it.” (Sahih – Ibn Maajah, At-Tirmithee, Abu Dawood, and others)
3.Washing Hands Up to the Wrist:
Start by using the left hand to wash the right hand up to the wrist making sure that no part of the hand is left dry, especially between each finger. Repeat three times. Then use the right hand to wash the left hand up to the wrist making sure that no part of the hand is left dry, especially between each finger. Repeat three times.
Humran (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that he called for water to make wudu and washed his hands three times… then said, “I saw Rasoolullah (peace be upon him) make wudu just as I have made wudu.” (Sahih – Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
4.Washing Mouth
Take water into the right hand and wash the mouth by moving the water around inside the mouth making sure to reach the back of the throat. Repeat three times.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “When you make wudu then wash your mouth.” (Sahih – Al-Baihaqee)
5.Sniffing Water Into the Nose and Then Ejecting It
Put water into the right palm, sniff the water into the nose and breath it into its backmost part, then eject the water from the nose with the fingers on the left hand. Repeat three times.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “When one of you makes wudu then let him enter water into his nose, then expel it.” (Sahih – Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood)
Abd Khair said, “We were sitting looking towards Ali (Radi Allahu anhu) – as he made Wudu – and he entered into his mouth a handful of water with his right hand and washed his mouth and nose, then expelled it from his nose with his left hand – he did that three times, then said, ‘Whoever would like to see the way of purification of Rasoolullah (peace be upon him) – then this is his purification.’ (Sahih – Ad-Daarimee)
Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) said, “If anyone of you performs ablution he should put water in his nose and then blow it out and whoever cleans his private parts with stones should do so with odd numbers. And whoever wakes up from his sleep should wash his hands before putting them in the water for ablution, because nobody knows where his hands were during sleep.”Volume 1, Book 4, Number 163:
6.Washing the Face
Wash the face, from ear to ear, and forehead to chin making sure that no part of the face is left dry. Repeat three times.
Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala said, “O you who believe! When you intend to offer prayer, wash your faces and your hands (fore-arms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles…” (Al-Ma’idah 5:6)
7.Running Water Through the Beard with the Fingers
Take a handful of water into the right hand and enter it below the chin and rub it through the beard making sure to get all the way down to the roots of the hair.
Anas (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him), when he made wudu, used to take a handful of water and enter it below his chin and rub it through his beard and said, “This is what my Lord – the Great and Exalted – has ordered me to do.” (Sahih – Abu Dawood, Al-Baihaqee, Al-Haakim)
