What Is Wuḍoo' and Why Should It Be Done?
What Is Wuḍoo'?
Wuḍoo' is the Arabic word for ablution: a particular kind of ritual washing which a Muslim must perform in preparation for prayer and certain other acts of worship.
Whilst the term wuḍoo' refers to the actual act of washing, it is also used to refer to the state of purity which follows. In this sense, a person is said to be in "a state of wuḍoo'" (colloquially, this may be termed "having wuḍoo'"), i.e., they have completed their ritual washing and have done nothing that would remove them from the state of purity which follows it. Being removed from this state of purity is often referred to as "breaking" the wuḍoo'."
The Obligation of Wuḍoo' in the Qur'an and Sunnah:
Allah (the Most High) said:
"O you who believe! When you prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your arms to the elbows; wipe over your heads; and [wash] your feet to the ankles..." [The Qur'an: al-Mā'idah, 5:6]
Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say:
"Prayer is not accepted without purification, nor is charity accepted from illegally obtained wealth." [at-Tirmidhī: 1]
Ibn 'Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Indeed, I have only been ordered to make wuḍoo' when I stand for prayer." [Abū Dāwood: 3760]
"Allah does not accept any prayer without purification." [Ibn Mājah: 272]
Things That Break Wuḍoo'
- Every liquid or solid that is discharged from either the front or back passage, including urine, stool, blood, semen, pre-ejaculate, female ejaculate, discharge, etc.
- Breaking wind from the back passage.
- The private parts of a man and woman touching.
- Eating camel meat.
- Unconsciousness, deep sleep, and loss of bodily control.
- Touching the private parts, including the anus.
- Apostasy.
Things That Do Not Break Wuḍoo'
- Touching impurities (although you have to wash the impurities off).
- Vomiting (although it is recommended to make wuḍoo').
- Bleeding from other than the front or back passage, such as a nose bleed, or a wound (although it is recommended to make wuḍoo' when the blood is a large amount).
- Washing the dead body (although it is recommended to make wuḍoo')
- The feeling of breaking wind, when it is not accompanied by smell or sound.
How to Perform Wuḍoo'
1. Have the intention in your heart of performing wuḍoo', then mention Allah's name, saying: "Bismillaah" (meaning: "In the name of Allah")
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"There is no wuḍoo' for the one who does not mention Allah's name upon it." [Ibn Mājah: 399, at-Tirmidhī: 25, Abū Dāwood: 101]
2. Then, wash your hands, from the fingertips to the wrist, three times. This is a recommended action to prepare for the wuḍoo', and is not part of the wuḍoo' itself.
3. Scoop up a handful of water using your right hand, and sip some of the water into your mouth. While keeping the water in your mouth, sniff the rest of the water in your hand up your nostrils, then blow it out of the nose. Use your left hand to clean your nose, then gargle with the water which is in your mouth, swill it around, then spit it out. Repeat the same three times.
'Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"And he (the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) washed his mouth and nose using three handfuls of water." [Muslim: 235]
'Abd Khair said:
"We were sitting looking towards 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) - as he made wuḍoo' - 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 the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) - then this is his purification." [Reported by ad-Darimee]
4. Wash your face three times from right ear to left ear and from forehead to neckline, including washing and running fingers through the beard.
Ḥumrān ibn Abān narrated that:
'Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) called for water to make wuḍoo' and so mentioned the way in which the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made wuḍoo'. Humrān said: "Then he washed his face three times." [al-Bukhārī: 159, Muslim: 226]
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that:
The Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), when he made wuḍoo', 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 - Mighty and Majestic - has ordered me to do." [Abū Dāwood: 145]
5. Wash your right arm thoroughly from the fingertips, to just past the elbow three times, then do the same with your left.
Ḥumrān ibn Abān narrated that:
'Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) called for water to make wuḍoo' and so mentioned the way in which the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made wuḍoo'. Humrān said: "Then he washed his right arm including the elbow three times, then the left in the same way." [al-Bukhārī: 159, Muslim: 226]
Jābir narrated that:
"When the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made wuḍoo', he would pass the water over his elbows." [Reported by ad-Daaraqutni (1/15), al-Bayhaqee (1/56) and others - Ibn Hajar declared it to be fair].
6. Wet your hands, then wipe the wet palms over your head from the top of your forehead to the back of your head, and then back to the front again (without pouring any water over your head). Do not wipe your neck.
'Abdullah ibn Zayd al-Anṣāri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that:
"The Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wiped his head with his two hands, moving them forwards and backwards - beginning with the front of the head and (wiping) with them up to his nape then he returned them to the place from which he began." [al-Bukhārī: 185, Muslim: 235, at-Tirmidhī: 32]
7. Without taking any more water, pass the wet tips of index fingers into the grooves and holes of both ears and at the same time pass the wet thumbs behind the ears.
The Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"The two ears are a part of the head." [Reported by at-Tirmidhī: 37; Abū Dāwood: 134, Ibn Mājah: 444]
8. Finally, wash both feet to the ankles starting from the right, making sure that water has reached between the toes, over the ankles, and has covered the heels and all other parts of the feet.
Al-Mustawrad (may Allah be pleased with him) said,
"When the Prophet (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made wuḍoo', he would enter the water between his toes with his little finger." [Abū Dāwood: 148, at-Tirmidhī: 40, Ibn Mājah: 446].
The Du'a Upon Completing Wuḍoo'
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ، وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ المُتَطَهِّرِينَ
Transliteration: ash-hadu an laa ilaha ill-allaahu waḥdahu laa shareeka lahu, wa ash-hadu anna muḥammadan ‛abduhu wa rasooluhu, allaahum-maj-‘alnee mi-nat taw-waabeen, waj-‘alnee mi-nal mutaṭah-hir-reen
Translation: I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
O Allah, make me of those who return to You often in repentance and make me of those who remain clean and pure.