Summary of the Adhkar of Wudu

Before Wudu

Before wudu, a Muslim says:

"بِسْمِ اللَّهِ".

Meaning: “In the name of Allah.”

After Wudu

After completing wudu, a Muslim says:

"أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ".

Meaning: “I testify that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, without partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.”

He may also add:

"اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ، وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ المُتَطَهِّرِينَ".

Meaning: “O Allah, make me among those who constantly repent and make me among those who purify themselves.”

The following is also reported from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, although hadith scholars differed over whether it is attributable to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him:

"سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ".

Meaning: “Glory and praise be to You, O Allah. I testify that none has the right to be worshiped except You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.”

No Specific Supplication for Each Limb

No specific supplication to be said while washing each limb during wudu has been authentically established from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Saying Bismillah at the Beginning of Wudu

What Is Said When Beginning?

When beginning wudu, a Muslim says:

"بِسْمِ اللَّهِ".

Meaning: “In the name of Allah.”

No additional wording is needed, and it is not prescribed to verbalize the intention because the intention resides in the heart.

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

"لَا صَلَاةَ لِمَنْ لَا وُضُوءَ لَهُ، وَلَا وُضُوءَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ".

Meaning: “There is no prayer for one who has no wudu, and there is no wudu for one who does not mention the name of Allah the Exalted over it.”

Narrated by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and Ahmad, and authenticated by al-Albani. Hadith scholars differed concerning the chains of the hadiths about saying Bismillah, while a group of hadith scholars strengthened some of them through their combined routes.

The Ruling on Saying Bismillah at the Beginning of Wudu

Scholars agreed that saying Bismillah at the beginning of wudu is prescribed, but they differed regarding its ruling:

1. The majority of scholars held that it is an emphasized Sunnah and that wudu remains valid without it.
2. A group of scholars held that it is obligatory when one remembers and is able, while excusing the person who forgets it or does not know its ruling.

A Muslim should therefore observe it and should not deliberately leave it. The wudu of someone who forgets to say Bismillah is valid, and he does not have to repeat it. If he remembers during wudu, he says, "بسم الله", meaning, “In the name of Allah,” and completes his wudu without starting again.

Intention and Supplications During Wudu

The Intention Resides in the Heart

Intention is a condition of wudu, but it is an action of the heart. A Muslim intends in his heart to remove ritual impurity or attain purification for prayer or a similar purpose, then mentions Allah’s name and begins wudu. He does not say, “I intend to perform wudu,” or use any other verbal formula for the intention, because this has not been established from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, or his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.

No Supplication Is Assigned to Each Limb

No specific supplication for the face, hands, wiping the head, or washing the feet has been authentically established from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. What some books circulate about assigning a particular supplication to each limb is not authentic from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, so it should not be made a regular act of worship.

A Muslim may remember Allah or make a general supplication in a clean place, but without connecting a particular formula or virtue to each limb when that has not been established in the Sunnah. It is better to focus on performing wudu thoroughly and following its prescribed manner.

The Two Testimonies After Wudu

Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

"مَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَتَوَضَّأُ فَيُبْلِغُ، أَوْ فَيُسْبِغُ، الوُضُوءَ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ، إِلَّا فُتِحَتْ لَهُ أَبْوَابُ الجَنَّةِ الثَّمَانِيَةُ، يَدْخُلُ مِنْ أَيِّهَا شَاءَ".

Meaning: “There is no one among you who performs wudu and completes it thoroughly, then says, ‘I testify that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah and that Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger,’ except that the eight gates of Paradise are opened for him, and he may enter through whichever of them he wishes.”

Narrated by Muslim.

The wording has also been reported as:

"أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ".

Meaning: “I testify that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, without partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.”

This dhikr affirms tawheed for Allah alone. The meaning of “La ilaha illa Allah” is that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah. It also testifies to Muhammad’s servitude and messengership, peace and blessings be upon him. He is neither raised above his proper status nor denied his due right; rather, he is obeyed and followed, and what he reported is affirmed as true.

Wudu and the dhikr after it are legislated means to attain the mentioned virtue, while the opening of the gates of Paradise and the reward are by Allah’s favor and mercy alone.

Reported Additions After the Two Testimonies

The Supplication for Those Who Repent and Purify Themselves

Al-Tirmidhi reported the following after the two testimonies:

"اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ، وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ المُتَطَهِّرِينَ".

Meaning: “O Allah, make me among those who constantly repent and make me among those who purify themselves.”

Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and authenticated with this addition by al-Albani. Al-Tirmidhi, however, explicitly stated that its chain is inconsistent, and more than one hadith scholar discussed whether this addition is established. Whoever says it follows the position of those who authenticated it, while whoever limits himself to the two testimonies has said the dhikr established in Sahih Muslim.

The supplication means that a Muslim asks his Lord to purify him inwardly through repentance from sins and outwardly from ritual impurities and physical filth, thereby combining purity of the heart with purity of the body.

Glory and Praise Be to You, O Allah

The following was narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, both as a marfu report attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and as a mawquf report stopping with Abu Sa‘id:

"مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَقَالَ: سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ، كُتِبَ فِي رَقٍّ، ثُمَّ طُبِعَ بِطَابَعٍ، فَلَمْ يُكْسَرْ إِلَى يَوْمِ القِيَامَةِ".

Meaning: “Whoever performs wudu and then says, ‘Glory and praise be to You, O Allah. I testify that none has the right to be worshiped except You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You,’ it is written on parchment, then sealed with a seal that will not be broken until the Day of Resurrection.”

Narrated by al-Nasa’i in al-Sunan al-Kubra, al-Hakim, and al-Tabarani. Ibn al-Mulaqqin authenticated its attribution to the Prophet, and al-Albani authenticated it through supporting routes. Al-Nasa’i considered the correct version to be the mawquf report from Abu Sa‘id, may Allah be pleased with him. There is no harm in saying it by following those who authenticated the marfu report or by following the established report from Abu Sa‘id, but it should not be placed on the same level as the hadith of the two testimonies established in Sahih Muslim.

The phrase “it is written on parchment and then sealed with a seal” means that the reward of this dhikr is recorded for the person on a document and sealed to preserve it until the Day of Resurrection.

May These Adhkar Be Combined?

A Muslim may combine the two testimonies, the supplication for those who repent and purify themselves, and this dhikr, as a group of scholars permitted. He may also limit himself to the two testimonies, which are the most authentic report in this subject.

The Time and Manner of the Dhikr After Wudu

When Is the Dhikr Said?

It is said immediately after completing wudu, and saying it promptly better preserves the Sunnah. It is not said before finishing the washing of the limbs because the hadith connects it to the completion of wudu.

If a Muslim performs wudu inside a room containing a toilet, he should delay the post-wudu dhikr until he leaves, preserving Allah’s remembrance from the place used for relieving oneself. In a separate washing area that contains no toilet, he says the dhikr there after completing wudu.

Does It Have a Specific Manner?

No authentic hadith establishes raising the hands, raising the index finger, facing the Qiblah, or raising the eyes toward the sky specifically for the post-wudu dhikr. A Muslim therefore says it without adhering to a manner that has not been established.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Verbalizing the intention before wudu.
2. Assigning an unauthenticated supplication to each limb washed during wudu.
3. Believing that omitting the post-wudu dhikr invalidates wudu.
4. Requiring people to say every reported formula or criticizing someone who limits himself to the two testimonies.
5. Repeating the adhkar of wudu a particular number of times without evidence.
6. Saying the post-wudu dhikr inside the place used for relieving oneself when it can be delayed until after leaving.
7. Believing that raising the hands or looking toward the sky is a required part of the dhikr.

Six Practical Steps

1. Intend wudu in your heart without verbalizing the intention.
2. Before beginning, say "بسم الله", meaning, “In the name of Allah.”
3. Perform wudu in the correct manner without assigning supplications to individual limbs.
4. After finishing, say the two testimonies.
5. If you wish, add: "اللهم اجعلني من التوابين، واجعلني من المتطهرين", meaning, “O Allah, make me among those who constantly repent and make me among those who purify themselves.”
6. If you wish, also say: "سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك، أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت، أستغفرك وأتوب إليك", meaning, “Glory and praise be to You, O Allah. I testify that none has the right to be worshiped except You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.”