Compiled through the Blessings of Ghaus ul Waqt

Huzoor Sayyidi Mufti-e-Azam Hind ؓ◌

By a humble servant of Allah

Muhammad Afthab Cassim al-Qaadiri
Razvi Noori

Published For
Free Distribution
By : IMAM MUSTAFA RAZA RESEARCH CENTRE
OVERPORT, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

1
 All Rights Reserved

No part of this publication may be produced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in

any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying or otherwise without the
prior permission of the Copyright Owner.

Title: The Sunnah Actions of Wudu [Hanafi]

Translator & Compiler: Muhammad Afthab Cassim al-Qaadiri Razvi Noori

The Publishers
Imam Mustafa Raza Research Centre
P.O. Box 70140, Overport, 4067 Durban, South Africa

Offices
28 Clayton Road, Overport, Durban
Tel/Fax: 031 2081045
Email: noori@noori.org
Website: www.noori.org

Contribute towards a noble course: For those brothers and sisters who wish to contribute
towards our humble efforts, our Banking Details are as follows:

Name : Imam Mustafa Raza Research Centre

Bank : Nedbank
Acc No : 2034044606
Branch : Sydenham
Code : 103409

Sponsor the Printing of a Book for Esaal-E-Sawaab

Contact us if you wish to sponsor the printing of a book for the Esaale Sawaab of the
marhooms in your family. Sponsor the printing of a book and send the Sawaab to your
marhoom family members. This is Sawaab-e-Jaariyah and a means of educating the Ummat.
Knowledge is Power!

2
 Compiler’s Note

All Praise is due to Allah, Durood and Salaams upon our Beloved Rasool  and
upon his Noble family, and Illustrious Companions, and upon the Ulama e Haq Ahle
Sunnat wal Jama’at, and all those who will follow the path of righteousness until
the last day.

By the Grace of Allah, The Mercy of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah  and blessings of

the Awliyah and Masha’ikh, especially my Beloved Shaykh e Kaamil Huzoor Sayyidi
Taajush Shariah ؓ◌ and my mentor Huzoor Sayyidi Muhad’dith e Kabeer, and the
blessings of my beloved parents, you have before you the booklet ‘The Sunnah
Actions of Wudu [Hanafi]’. This is a new project of the Imam Mustafa Raza Research
Centre, wherein booklets on simple yet important topics are extracted in a
simplified form, from Bahaar e Shariat, with additions from other blessed works
where needed with some explanations, and then presented to you the reader, for
simple and easy reading. The Sunnah Actions of Wudu have been put forth in a
simple question and answer style so that the reader quickly grasps the information
and also finds answers to basic questions which he or she may have had in their
minds. These books can also be beneficial to help guide our children and those new
to Islam, regarding the basics of Islam. This booklet is ‘Book Three’ in the
‘Purification Series’. I pray that the readers benefit from this and from the booklets
which are to follow in this series.

It is my sincere Dua that Almighty Allah, through the Wasila of Nabi Kareem 
blesses us all with firmness in Imaan and sincerity in A’maal. Aameen. Special
thanks to Brother Rukhsar Hussain Qaadiri Amjadi, Brother Faheem Moosa Qaadiri
Razvi and the student of Deen Janaab Ahmed Sabir Suliman Qaadiri Razvi, for
proofreading this document. Allah reward them all. Aameen

Sag e Mufti e Azam

Muhammad Afthab Cassim Qaadiri Razvi Noori
Imam Mustafa Raza Research Centre

3
 This book is Dedicated To

For The Esaal e Thawaab of my Beloved Mother

&

For The Esaal e Sawaab of Aashiq e Awliyah

Allah Exalt all the Marhooms of The Ahle Sunnat

with an Exalted Place in Holy Paradise. Aameen.

4
 ﷽

The Sunnah Actions of Wudu

Question: What is a Sunnah?

Answer: In simple terms, a Sunnah is the blessed practice of our Beloved

Nabi Hazrat Muhammadur Rasoolullah .

Question: How many categories of Sunnah are there, and what are they
called?

Answer: There are two initial basic categories of Sunnah. They are:

• Sunnat e Mu-akkadah
• Sunnat e Ghair-Mu-akkadah

Question: What is a Sunnat e Mu-akkadah?

Answer: Sunnat e Mu-akkadah is a practice which was regularly practised

by the Beloved Rasool  but He  occasionally omitted it, to show it as
permitted, in other words, so that it is not regarded as Fard.

Question: Can the Sunnat e Mu-akkadah be omitted, i.e. left out?

5
Answer: It should not be omitted without a valid reason, and to omit it, i.e.
leave it out is bad, and to practice it, is deserving of reward.

Question: What happens if one omits it habitually?

Answer: To miss it on the odd occasion earns one a warning of serious

consequences, and to leave it out habitually is deserving of punishment.

Question: What is Sunnat e Ghair Mu-akkadah?

Answer: It is something that the Beloved Rasool  practised, but not

regularly. However, if practised it earns one immense reward.

Question: Is one who leaves out the Sunnat e Mu-akkadah warned of

punishment?

Answer: No! The one who omits it is not deserving of punishment, but it is
indeed a means of blessing and reward to practice it.

Question: When performing Wudu, should we perform it with the

intention of attaining its reward?

Answer: It is essential to perform Wudu with the intention of attaining its

reward, and with the intention of fulfilling the command of Allah.

Question: What if one does not do this?

6
Answer: In such a case, the Wudu is valid, but one will not attain the
reward (Sawaab) for it.

Question: Should we pronounce the ‘Bismillah’ when making Wudu?

Answer: Yes, to commence by proclaiming the ‫‘ ﺴﻢ ﺍﷲ‬Bismillah’ is Sunnah.

Question: After that what should be done?

Answer: Commence by first washing each hand thrice up to and including

the wrists.

Question: When performing Wudu if there is only a large dish etc. and no
jug etc. to perform Wudu from, how should one perform the Wudu?

Answer: If only a large dish etc. is available and there is no smaller vessel
like a jug etc. in to which one can pour out the water, then in such a dire
situation, one should join together the fingers of the left hand and only
using those fingers, one should scoop out sufficient water to wash the right
hand up to the wrist thrice.

Question: Does this mean that one should only put in the fingers and not
the palms?

Answer: Yes. No portion of the palm should enter the water. One may then
put his or her right hand up to the area that has already been washed into

7
the water without any hindrance. He or she may then use the right hand
to scoop out water to wash the left hand.

Question: Does this apply even if the hand is impure, i.e. some impurity is
on it?

Answer: No! This ruling only applies when the hand is not polluted by any
Najaasat, i.e. impurity. Otherwise, it is not permissible at all to put the
polluted hand into the water. If one dips the polluted hand into the water,
it will cause the entire water to become impure.

Question: What if the water is in a small dish or if there is a jug etc.

available to pour the water into, can a person still put in his hand?

Answer: If the water is in a small vessel, i.e. a dish etc., or if the water is in
a large vessel, but there is also a small vessel like a jug etc. available, but
one still put his or her hand into the water without washing it, even if he
only dipped in the entire fingernail of one finger, all the water in that
vessel will be unsuitable for Wudu. It will be regarded as already used
water.

Question: Does this rule apply in all cases?

Answer: This ruling applies in the case where the part of the hand that was
dipped into the water was not washed at all before one dipped it into the
water. If he dipped in that portion of the hand, which had already been
washed before, and in the interim of it being washed and being dipped into
8
the water, no ‘Hadath’ occurred (i.e. no impurity was passed), then in such
a case, if only the portion which has been washed is put into the water, it
will not cause the water to be regarded as used water, even if he has to dip
the hand up to the elbow into the water.

Question: Who is a Junub?

Answer: A Junub is one in an impure state, requiring the compulsory ritual

bath to remove impurities.

Question: Is the rule of dipping the hand, alike for one who is not a Junub?

Answer: If one who is not a Junub has washed his or her hand up to the
elbow, then after that he or she is allowed to dip his or her hand up to the
armpit into the water because now there is no impurity remaining on his
hand.

Question: Then, what is the ruling about one who is a Junub?

Answer: The one who is a ‘Junub’ may only dip that part of the hand which
is above the elbow into the water, which he has already thoroughly
washed, because his entire body is regarded as being impure.

Question: What is a Miswak?

Answer: A Miswak is a small stick or twig used to clean the teeth.

9
Question: What is meant when we say, ‘perform Miswak’ and how is this
done?

Answer: To perform Miswak is to cleanse the teeth with a stick/twig by the

Sunnah method. One should perform ‘Miswak’ of the upper, lower, right
and left teeth at least thrice. When doing so, wash the Miswak every time.

Question: How should a Miswak be?

Answer: The Miswak should neither be too soft nor too hard. It is better
for the Miswak to be made from a ‘peelu’, olive, salvadora or margosa tree
or from any other bitter wood. It should not be from fruit trees or from
trees that bear sweet smelling flowers.

Question: What about the size of the Miswak. Is there any rule about this?

Answer: It should be as thick as the little finger in thickness, and not more
than one span in length. It should also not be so small that it becomes
difficult to use. It is reported that the shaitaan sits on a Miswak which is
more than one span in length.

Question: What should we do with the Miswak when it becomes old?

Answer: When the Miswak becomes old and not fit for use any longer, it
should either be buried or kept away in a safe place, avoiding it from falling
into an impure place.

10
Question: What is the reason for this?

Answer: This is because it is an instrument which is used to fulfil a Sunnat

and it must thus be treated with respect, and secondly because the water
or saliva from the mouth of a Muslim should not fall in an impure place.
This is why the Ulama have declared it inappropriate behaviour to spit in
the toilet.

Question: In which hand should the Miswak be held?

Answer: One should perform Miswak holding it with the right hand.

Question: What is the correct manner of holding the Miswak?

Answer: The Miswak should be held in a manner whereby the little finger
is at the base of the Miswak, and the remaining three fingers are above it,
and the thumb should be below the head of the Miswak. One should not
close, i.e. clench the fist when performing Miswak.

Question: What kind of strokes should one use when making Miswak?

Answer: Miswak should be performed with horizontal strokes on the teeth,

i.e. side to side, and not by performing vertical strokes.

Question: Can we perform Miswak while lying down?

11
Answer: One should not perform Miswak while lying down flat.

Question: What is the method of performing Miswak?

Answer: One should first clean the upper teeth on the right side, followed
by the upper teeth on the left side. After that clean, i.e. brush the lower
teeth on the right side, followed by the lower teeth on the left side.

Question: What should we do after performing Miswak?

Answer: Wash the Miswak, both before and after using it. It should not be
left lying down on the ground, but place it standing up, with the bristles
facing upwards.

Question: What happens if one does not have a Miswak?

Answer: In this case, one may use his fingers or a durable piece of fabric
to clean the teeth. Similarly, if one does not have any teeth, he should run
the fingers or a cloth over the gums.

Question: Is Miswak Sunnat for Namaaz, i.e. Salaah or Wudu?

Answer: Miswak is not Sunnat for Namaaz, but it is Sunnat for Wudu. Thus,
he who performs many Namaaz with a single Wudu will not be requested
to perform Miswak for each Namaaz, as long as there is no change in the
smell of the mouth, because if one has bad breath, then Miswak is deemed

12
Sunnat for every Namaaz. If one did not perform Miswak during Wudu, he
may perform Miswak at the time of Namaaz, i.e. before Salaah.

Question: What should one do after performing Miswak?

Answer: He should rinse the mouth with three handfuls of water, making
sure that the water passes through every nook and corner of the mouth
each time. If he is not fasting, he should also gargle, i.e. take water into the
upper throat.

Question: What should he or she follow this up with?

Answer: After that, using three separate handfuls of water, he or she

should suck in water thrice into the nostrils, in a manner whereby each
time, the water reaches the area of soft flesh inside the nose. If one is not
fasting then he should allow water to reach the root, i.e. end of the nostrils.
Both these actions should be done with the right hand, after that using the
left hand he should clean the nostrils.

Question: Should one perform Khilaal of the beard?

Answer: One should perform Khilaal of the beard when washing the face.

Question: When should one not perform Khilaal of the beard?

Answer: One should not perform Khilaal when in the state of ‘Ehraam’.

13
Question: How should one perform Khilaal i.e. wipe through or run the
fingers through?

Answer: The method of performing Khilaal is to thrust the fingers into the
beard from the direction of the throat, bringing them out from the front
with the upper part of the hands and not with the palm facing up.

Question: Do we only make Khilaal of the beard?

Answer: One should make Khilaal of the fingers and the toes.

Question: How should we make Khilaal of the toes?

Answer: When making Khilaal of the toes, do so using the little finger of
the left hand by first commencing with the little toe of the right foot and
ending with the big toe. After that make Khilaal of the left foot,
commencing with the big toe and ending with the little toe.

Question: What happens if water does not pass between the toes without
making Khilaal?

Answer: If the water is not able to pass between the toes without
performing Khilaal, then to perform Khilaal becomes Fard.

Question: What is meant by water reaching between the toes without

performing Khilaal?

14
Answer: Water reaching between the toes even without Khilaal is in the
sense when the toes are spread apart, and water is poured in, or in the case
where one dips his or her foot into a pond etc.

Question: How many times should each part be washed to fulfil the
Sunnah?

Answer: One must wash each part which requires washing thrice. On every
attempt, it should be washed so thoroughly that no area is left unwashed.
Otherwise, the Sunnat will not be fulfilled.

Question: If one washed a part in the sense wherein the first attempt only
part of it was washed, then in the second attempt, a bit more was washed
and then finally after the third attempt the entire part (limb) was washed,
then will that limb be regarded as having been washed once or thrice?

Answer: It will be regarded as only having been washed once.

Question: Will the Wudu be regarded as valid in the above situation?

Answer: The Wudu will be regarded as being valid, but it is ‘Khilaaf e

Sunnat’ i.e. it is contrary to the Sunnah to do this. It must be noted that it
is not the handfuls (amount) being used which counts, but what counts is
the washing of the entire part. It should be washed thrice, no matter how
many handfuls of water are used to fulfil this.

15
Question: What are the other Sunnats?

Answer: To make ‘Masah’ of the entire head and to make Masah of the ears
and ‘Tarteeb’, i.e. to follow sequence; in other words to wash the face then
the hands (up-to-the elbows) followed by the Masah of the head and then
to wash the feet finally.

Question: What if one performs Wudu contrary to the prescribed

sequence?

Answer: If one performs Wudu contrary to the prescribed sequence or

omits any other Sunnat then the Wudu will still be regarded as being valid.
However, to do this one or two times, i.e. occasionally is still not a good
habit, and if one makes it a habit to omit that action which is ‘Sunnat e Mu-
akkadah’, then he is in contempt and is regarded sinful for this.

Question: What is the ruling of the strands of the beard which fall under
the face area?

Answer: To make Masah of the strands of beard which fall under the area
of the face is Sunnat and to wash it is Mustahab, i.e. desirable
/recommended.

Question: How soon should each limb be washed?

Answer: To wash each limb, one after the other, whereby the limbs that
have already been washed, do not completely dry up is also Sunnat.
16
 A LIST OF SUNNATS OF WUDU
As Derived From The Laws Mentioned Above

• Niyyat (intention)

• Reciting the Bismillah

• Washing of the hands thrice up to the wrists

• Performing Miswak

• Rinsing the mouth thrice

• Sucking water into the nostrils thrice

• Using the right hand to put water into nostrils

• Using the left hand to clean the nostrils

• Khilaal of the beard, i.e. to pass wet fingers into the

beard

• Khilaal of the fingers and toes

17
• Washing of each part i.e. each limb thrice

• Masah of the entire head once

• Masah of both ears once

• Tarteeb i.e. to perform Wudu in the prescribed sequence

• Making Masah of the beard strands under the area of

the face, i.e. the hanging part of the beard

• Washing of each limb, one after the other without

delaying, so that no limb dries up before the next limb is
washed

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How Often Do We Pay Attention To The
Sunnats In Wudu, Making Sure We Perform
Them Thoroughly!

18