Wuḍūʾ (Arabic: ‫ الوضوء‬al-wuḍūʼ [wʊˈdˤuːʔ]) is the Islamic procedure for washing parts of the

body, a type of ritual purification. Wudu involves washing the hands, mouth, nostrils, arms,
head and feet with water and is an important part of ritual purity in Islam. What activities require
wuḍūʾ,
Wuḍūʾ is typically done inpreparation for formal prayers (salat) and also before handling and
reading the Qur'an.
Wuḍūʾ is often translated as "partial ablution", as opposed to ghusl ("full ablution"), washing the
whole body, or tayammum ("dry ablution"), replacing water with sand or dust due to its scarcity,
its harmful effect on the person or some other reason.[3] Purification of the body and clothes is
called taharah.
Basis in Quran and hadith
The Qur'an says "For God loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep
themselves pure and clean."[4] In regard to Muslims being required to be clean when handling
and reading the Qur'an, the Qur'an says "Which none shall touch but those who are clean."[5]
The Islamic prophet Muhammad said that "Cleanliness is half of faith".[6]
Water requirements
Acts of wudū
There are four fard (obligatory) acts. If one of these acts is omitted, it must be returned to and
then the succeeding acts completed.
There are other acts that are performed during wuḍūʾ (coming from the sunnah of Islamic
prophet Muhammad and Sunni Islamic scholars) and the detailed acts of the wuḍūʾ can be
classed into 3 types:
Farā'id according to Sunni Muslims
According to Sunni Muslims, the Qur'anic mandate for wuḍūʾ comes in the sixth ayat of sura 5.
The ayat has been translated by Muhammad Muhsin Khan, Rashad Khalifa, Abdullah Yusuf Ali,
Pickthal and Maulana Muhammad Ali as follows. Note that these scholars' translation refer to
washing the feet.
O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to
the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state
of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you
cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water,
then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah
doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete His favour to
you, that ye may be grateful.
— Al-Ma'ida, Sura 5, Ayah 6[7]
Washing the face thrice.
Washing both the arms including the elbows thrice.
Performing masah of one-fourth of the head.
Washing both the feet once up to and including the ankles. It's not sufficient for one to pass wet
hand over the feet or shoes.
Narrated by Abd-Allah ibn Amr: "...we were just passing wet hands over our feet (not washing
them thoroughly) so he addressed us in a loud voice saying twice or thrice, 'Save your heels
from the fire.'."
Narrated by 'Ubaid Ibn Juraij: "...and he used to perform ablution while wearing the shoes (i.e.
wash his feet and then put on the shoes)."
Narrated by Yahya Al-Mazini: " 'Can you show me how Allah's Apostle used to perform
ablution?' ...and washed his feet (up to the ankles)."
Narrated by 'Amr: "...and then he washed his feet up to the ankles."
Narrated by Humran: "...and washed his feet up to the ankles..."
Narrated by 'Amr bin Yahya: "...and washed his feet up to the l
Muslims performing ablution prior to Salat or other prayers
According to Shia Muslims the Qur'anic mandate for wuḍūʾ comes in the sixth ayat of sura 5.
The ayat 6
O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to
the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of
ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you
cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water,
then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah
doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete His favour to
you, that ye may be grateful.
— Al-Ma'ida, Sura 5, Ayah 6[7]
Washing the face once.
Washing both the arms including the elbows once.
Wiping one fourth of the head.
Wiping both the feet once up to and including the ankles
Sunnah
Sunnah (optional - practised by Muhammad and according to Sunni Hadiths) acts.
Reciting bismillah.
Intention of performing wuḍūʾ.
Washing both the hands up to the wrists 3 times.
Rinsing the inner mouth 3 times
Sniffing water and blowing it out 3 times
Washing of face 3 times
Washing of arms up to elbow 3 times
Wet your hands with water then starting from the front part of your hair rub it down to the back of
your hair once.
Wipe both the ears once.
Wipe the nape with the back of your fingers - hanafi.
Wash both feet 3 times.
Passing of wet fingers between fingers and toes.
Passing of wet fingers into the beard.
Brushing the teeth, preferably with a miswak.
Wudu is done systematically.
Washing of each part one after the other without pause, so no part dries up before wudu is
completed.
Washing each limb thrice.[13]
Performing wudu towards the Qiblah.
Mustahabbāt (recommended acts) Edit
A handful of mustahabb (recommended) acts that are considered to make the wuḍūʾ better. If
one of these acts is omitted, the wuḍūʾ is still considered valid.
Reciting the shahadah after the ablution.
During wuḍūʾ one should not engage in worldly talk.
Choosing a clean place for ablution.
Not wasting water in ablution.
Starting from the right side and then the left.
Muslims who are unable to perform the prevailing form of ablution, due to skin disease, a
disability or lack of clean water, etc. are recommended to perform tayammum, sometimes called
"dry ablution", using sand or dust instead of water. Such an alternative form of ritual purity may
also be accepted in cases where one fears the acquisition of hypothermia in cold weather
Tayammum
Wuḍūʾ description in Hadith
wuḍūʾ in Hadith Abu Hurayra, in reference to the Day of Resurrection, reported that
Muhammad, when asked if he would be able to recognise Muslims, said, "Yes, you would have
a mark which other people will not have. You would come to me with a white blaze on your
foreheads and white marks on your feet because of the traces of ablution."
Abu Hurayra said, "I have heard prophet (may peace be upon him) say. In a believer adornment
would reach the places where ablution reaches."
Uthman ibn Affan stated that Muhammad, said, "He who performed ablution well, his sins would
come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails."
'Umar ibn al-Khattab reported that Muhammad said, "No one among you does wuḍūʾ and does
wuḍūʾ thoroughly – or adequately – and then testifies, 'There is no god but Allah Alone with no
partner and I testify that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger', without the eight doors of the
Garden being opened to him so that he can enter by whichever of them he wishes."