Wudu(Ablution)
Definition of Wuḍūʾ
Linguistic Meaning
Wuḍūʾ linguistically means beauty, brightness, and cleanliness.
Technical (Islamic Legal) Meaning
In Islamic law, wuḍūʾ refers to a specific act of worship that involves washing certain parts of the body with water in a prescribed manner, accompanied by intention (niyyah).
The term “wuḍūʾ” is also used to refer to the water used for ablution itself.
Obligatory Acts (Farḍ) of Wuḍūʾ
The obligatory acts of wuḍūʾ are six, as established by the Qur’an and Sunnah:
Allah says:
“O you who believe! When you rise for prayer, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, wipe your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles.”
(Qur’an, al-Mā’idah 5:6)
The six obligations are:
- Intention (Niyyah)
- Washing the face
- Washing both hands and arms up to the elbows
- Wiping part of the head
- Washing both feet up to the ankles
- Performing the acts in the correct order
1. Intention (Niyyah)
Wuḍūʾ is an act of worship; therefore, intention is required.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Actions are judged by intentions, and each person will have what he intended.”
(Bukhārī & Muslim)
Meaning of Niyyah
- Linguistically: firm resolve
- Legally: intending in the heart to perform wuḍūʾ for the purpose of worship
The intention is made in the heart, not verbally.
Time of Intention
The intention is made at the beginning of wuḍūʾ, specifically when starting to wash the face.
2. Washing the Face
Allah says:
“Wash your faces.”
The face includes:
- From the hairline to the chin
- From ear to ear
Anything that grows naturally on the face—such as eyebrows, moustache, and beard—must be washed.
- If the beard is thin, water must reach the skin beneath.
- If the beard is thick, washing the outer part is sufficient.
3. Washing the Hands and Arms up to the Elbows
Allah says:
“And your hands up to the elbows.”
This includes:
- Fingers
- Palms
- Forearms
- Elbows
If any part remains dry—even a small area—wuḍūʾ is invalid.
4. Wiping Part of the Head
Allah says:
“And wipe over your heads.”
Wiping any part of the head is sufficient.
It is authentically reported that:
- The Prophet ﷺ wiped his head
- Sometimes wiped over his turban
- Sometimes wiped only part of his head
This establishes the permissibility of wiping a portion of the head.
5. Washing the Feet up to the Ankles
Allah says:
“And wash your feet up to the ankles.”
The ankles are included in washing.
The Prophet ﷺ warned severely against neglecting the heels and ankles, saying:
“Woe to the heels from the Fire!”
Any area of the feet left unwashed invalidates wuḍūʾ.
6. Performing the Acts in Order
The order mentioned in the Qur’anic verse must be followed:
- Face
- Arms
- Head
- Feet
The Prophet ﷺ consistently performed wuḍūʾ in this order, and there is no authentic report of him changing it.
Sunnah Acts of Wuḍūʾ (Recommended Practices)
Among the important Sunnah acts are:
- Saying “Bismillāh” at the beginning
- Washing the hands before starting
- Rinsing the mouth (madmaḍah)
- Sniffing water into the nose and blowing it out (istinshāq)
- Performing each washing three times
- Starting with the right side
- Rubbing the limbs while washing
- Continuity (not allowing long pauses between steps)
- Using a moderate amount of water
- Supplication after completing wuḍūʾ
Supplication After Wuḍūʾ
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever performs wuḍūʾ properly and then says:
‘Ashhadu an lā ilāha illa Allāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh’
the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him.”
Disliked Acts (Makrūh) in Wuḍūʾ
The following are disliked:
- Excessive use of water
- Washing more than three times
- Neglecting the Sunnah order intentionally
- Splashing water unnecessarily
- Performing wuḍūʾ while distracted without need
Nullifiers of Wuḍūʾ
Wuḍūʾ is nullified by five matters:
- Anything exiting from the front or back passages
(urine, feces, wind, blood, etc.) - Deep sleep in which awareness is lost
- Loss of consciousness (fainting, intoxication, insanity)
- Touching the private parts directly without a barrier (according to many scholars)
- Apostasy (may Allah protect us)
Allah says:
“Or one of you comes from relieving himself…”
(Qur’an, an-Nisāʾ 4:43)
Acts That Require Wuḍūʾ (Ritual Ablution)
1. Prayer (Ṣalāh)
Allah does not accept the prayer of a person who is in a state of ritual impurity (ḥadath) until he performs wuḍūʾ.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah does not accept the prayer of any one of you when he is in a state of impurity until he performs wuḍūʾ.”
(Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)
In another narration:
“No prayer is accepted without purification.”
Explanation:
All forms of prayer—obligatory (farḍ), voluntary (sunnah), and supererogatory—require wuḍūʾ. If wuḍūʾ is absent, the prayer is invalid.
2. Ṭawāf Around the Kaʿbah
Ṭawāf (circumambulation of the Kaʿbah) has the same ruling as prayer.
The Prophet ﷺ said, in meaning:
“Ṭawāf around the House is like prayer, except that you are allowed to speak during it; so whoever speaks, let him speak only good.”
Legal implication:
- Wuḍūʾ is required for ṭawāf.
- Speaking during ṭawāf is allowed, but only with good and appropriate words.
3. Touching and Carrying the Qur’an
Allah says:
“None shall touch it except those who are purified.”
(Qur’an, al-Wāqiʿah 56:79)
The Prophet ﷺ said, in meaning:
“None should touch the Qur’an except one who is in a state of purity.”
Conclusion:
- A person without wuḍūʾ should not touch the Qur’an directly.
- Reading from memory or looking at the text without touching it is permitted according to many scholars.
The Complete Manner of the Prophet’s Wuḍūʾ ﷺ
It is reported from ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet ﷺ performed wuḍūʾ as follows:
- He washed his hands three times.
- He rinsed his mouth and sniffed water into his nose.
- He washed his face three times.
- He washed his arms up to the elbows three times.
- He wiped his head.
- He washed his feet three times.
All actions were performed in order and thoroughly.
Acts That Nullify Wuḍūʾ
Wuḍūʾ is nullified by the following:
- Anything exiting from the front or rear private parts, such as urine, feces, wind, blood, etc.
- Deep sleep that causes loss of awareness.
- Light dozing while sitting firmly does not nullify wuḍūʾ according to some scholars.
- Loss of consciousness, such as fainting, intoxication, or insanity.
- Touching a woman, regarding which scholars differ:
- Some hold it nullifies wuḍūʾ.
- Others hold it does not, unless accompanied by discharge.
- Touching one’s private parts directly without a barrier (according to many authentic narrations).
Acts That Require Wuḍūʾ
Wuḍūʾ is required for the following acts of worship:
- Performing ṣalāh (prayer)
- Performing ṭawāf around the Kaʿbah
- Touching the Qur’an directly
Summary
- Wuḍūʾ is an essential condition for several acts of worship.
- Prayer and ṭawāf are not valid without purification.
- Touching the Qur’an requires wuḍūʾ.
- Wuḍūʾ may be nullified by specific actions, which a Muslim must be careful to avoid.
- Some matters involve scholarly disagreement; one should follow the school of thought they adhere to.
- Wuḍūʾ is a condition for prayer
- It has six obligatory acts
- It has many Sunnah practices that perfect it
- Neglecting any obligatory act invalidates wuḍūʾ
- Wuḍūʾ reflects both physical and spiritual purification