عربي

 How to Make Wudu Correctly Step by Step

All praise is for Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.

Wudu is the key to prayer and one of the greatest acts of purification in Islam. Prayer is not valid without it when a person is in a state of minor ritual impurity. The religion has given great importance to wudu because it prepares a Muslim to stand before Allah, purifies the outward body, and reflects obedience to the command of Allah.

This explanation of wudu is based on the Book of Allah, the authentic Sunnah of His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, and the understanding of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah according to the way of the Companions رضي الله عنهم and those who followed them in righteousness.

Allah says:

"O you who believe, when you rise to pray, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, wipe your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles." [Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:6]

And the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"Allah does not accept the prayer of one of you when he breaks his wudu until he performs wudu." Agreed upon.

What is wudu?

Wudu is using pure water on specific body parts in a specific manner with the intention of worshipping Allah. It is a condition for the validity of prayer, tawaf, and other acts of worship that require purification.

Before you begin wudu

Before starting wudu, a Muslim should pay attention to the following:

  1. Make the intention for wudu in the heart.

  2. Make sure the water is pure.

  3. Remove anything that prevents water from reaching the skin, such as thick polish or similar substances.

  4. Say the name of Allah at the beginning by saying: Bismillah.

Step One: Say Bismillah

Begin wudu by saying: Bismillah. There are narrations about this, and many scholars considered it legislated at the beginning of wudu, while some strongly emphasized it.

Step Two: Wash the hands three times

Wash both hands three times at the beginning of wudu. This is from the sunnahs of wudu reported from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Step Three: Rinse the mouth and nose

Rinse the mouth by putting water into it, moving it around, and spitting it out. Then inhale water gently into the nose and expel it. The sunnah is to do this three times.

This step is part of complete purification, and the description of rinsing the mouth and nose is established in the wudu of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Step Four: Wash the face three times

Wash the face three times. The limits of the face are from the usual hairline to the bottom of the beard and chin in length, and from ear to ear in width.

If the beard is light and the skin beneath it is visible, water must reach beneath it. If it is thick, then washing the outer part is sufficient, while passing the fingers through it is recommended.

Step Five: Wash the arms up to the elbows three times

Wash the right arm up to and including the elbow three times, then the left arm in the same way three times. The elbows must be included in the washing.

Step Six: Wipe the head and ears

Wipe the head once by passing the hands from the front of the head to the back, then returning them to where you started. Then wipe the ears with the remaining moisture on the hands.

The ears are considered part of the head, so both the inner and outer parts should be wiped.

Step Seven: Wash the feet up to the ankles three times

Wash the right foot up to and including the ankles three times, then the left foot in the same way three times. Take care to ensure that water reaches between the toes and all parts of the feet.

The ankles are included in the washing, and they are the two protruding bones at the bottom of the lower leg.

Order and continuity in wudu

Wudu must be done in the order mentioned in the verse and established in the Sunnah: face, then hands, then wiping the head, then washing the feet.

It is also important that the acts be continuous, meaning that a person should not leave a long gap between one part and the next without excuse until the previous limb dries in normal circumstances.

The obligations of wudu

Among the most important obligations of wudu are:

  • the intention

  • washing the face

  • washing the hands up to the elbows

  • wiping the head

  • washing the feet up to the ankles

  • following the proper order

  • continuity

The sunnahs of wudu

Among the sunnahs of wudu are:

  • saying Bismillah

  • washing the hands at the beginning

  • rinsing the mouth and nose

  • washing three times

  • beginning with the right before the left

  • passing the fingers through a thick beard and between the fingers and toes

  • saying the supplication after finishing wudu

What do you say after wudu?

It is prescribed to say after finishing wudu:

Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh

And it is also authentically reported to add:

Allahumma aj'alni min at-tawwabin, waj'alni min al-mutatahhirin

What breaks wudu?

Among the most well-known things that break wudu are:

  • anything that exists from the private parts, such as urine, stool, or wind

  • deep sleep

  • loss of reason through insanity, unconsciousness, or intoxication

  • eating camel meat, according to the stronger view

There are some issues in which the scholars differed, but these are among the most well-known nullifiers of wudu.

Common mistakes in wudu

  • rushing and not washing the limbs properly

  • leaving parts of the face, hands, or feet dry

  • neglecting the heels and between the toes

  • wiping only part of the head in an incorrect manner

  • wasting too much water

The virtue of wudu

Wudu is a great act of worship. Among its virtues is that it expiates sins and raises ranks.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"When the Muslim servant, or the believing servant, performs wudu and washes his face, every sin that he looked at with his eyes leaves with the water..." Narrated by Muslim.

And he صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"My nation will come on the Day of Resurrection with bright faces and limbs from the traces of wudu." Agreed upon.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wudu

Do I have to wash the limbs three times?

No. What is obligatory is to wash each limb once while ensuring the water reaches all of it. But the sunnah is often to wash the washed limbs three times.

Is wiping the head done three times?

The sunnah in wiping the head is to do it once, unlike the face, hands, and feet, which are washed.

What if I am unsure whether my wudu was broken?

The basic rule is that purity remains. A person does not move from certainty to doubt. So whoever is certain that he had wudu and then doubts whether it was broken remains upon his purification.

Can I make wudu while wearing nail polish?

If the polish prevents water from reaching the nail, it must be removed before making wudu.

Conclusion

Correct wudu is an act of worship that may look simple outwardly, but it is great in meaning and effect. It is one of the greatest gates of purification and preparation for prayer. Every Muslim should learn the wudu of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and take care to complete it in the legislated way.

So make wudu carefully, avoid rushing and negligence, and remember that you are purifying yourself for the worship of Allah. This outward purification is also one of the means to inward purification, by the permission of Allah.