Perform Wudhu Correctly
extraced from Taleemul Haq, by Shabbir Ahmed E. Desai

WUDHU & GHUSL IS ALLOWED WITH THE FOLLOWING WATER

1. Rain water
2. Well water
3. Spring, sea or river water
4. Water of melting snow or hail
5. Water of a big tank or pond

WUDHU & GHUSL ARE NOT ALLOWED WITH THE FOLLOWING WATER

1. All unclean or impure water

2. Water extracted from fruit and trees

3. Water that has changed its color, taste and smell and becomes thick because something was soaked in it

4. Small quantity of water in which something unclean has fallen, eg. urine, blood, stool or wine or some animal had died after falling into it

5. Used water of Wudhu or Ghusl

6. Water left over after drinking by haraam animals, eg. dogs, pigs or animals of prey

7. Water which a cat drinks ummediately after eating a mouse is unclean

8. Water left by a person who has just drunk wine is unclean

THE NIYYAT (INTENTION)

• It is SUNNAT to make the niyyat for Wudhu
• For Wudhu, one should make the niyyat at heart that I am performing Wudhu to get rid of my need for Wudhu

PROCEDURE OF MAKING WUDHU

1. To wash one's hands, face and feet, etc. before performing Salaat is called Wudhu (or ablution). No Salaat is accepted without Wudhu.

2. One should sit on a high and clean place to perform Wudhu. Face the direction of the Holy Ka'ba Sharif if possible.

   Dua before commencing Wudhu

   Bismillah wal-hamdu lillah
   I begin with the name of Allah and all praises are due to Allah

3. Using clean water, first wash both hands upto the wrists three times.

4. Use a miswaak to clean the teeth, then gargle the mouth three times.

   * It is a Sunnat to make miswaak during Wudhu. By using a miswaak, the reward of a Salaat increases 70 times.

5. Thereafter, take water upto the nostrils three times with the right hand and clean the nose with the left hand.

6. Then wash your face three times. Wash from the hairy part of the forehead to below the chin and from one ear lobe to the other.

7. Then make khilal of the beard (passing of wet fingers through the beard.

8. Thereafter, wash the right hand, including the elbows, three times.

9. Then wash the left hand, including the elbows, thrice.

10. Then make khilal of the fingers (passing of wet fingers through the fingers of the opposite hand).

    Dua whilst making Wudhu

    Allaahumma aghfirli thanbi wa wassi'li fi dari wa barikli fi rizqi
    O Allah! forgive my sins and give expansion (abundance) in my home and grant me blessings in my sustenance

11. Thereafter, wet the hands and pass them over the head, ears and nape. This must be done once only. It is known as Masah.

    Wet the hands and fingers

    • Keep three fingers of each hand together (middle finger, ring finger and little finger)

    • Keep thumb and index finger raised (away)

    • Keep thumb, index finger and palm away from the head. Pass the three fingers from the forehead to the upper portion of the nape

    • Then place the palm on the sides of the head and bring forward to forehead

    • Then insert the front portion of the index finger into the openings of the ear

    • Then make Masah behind the ears with the inner part of the thumb

    • Make Masah of the nape with the back of the middle finger, ring finger and the little finger.

12. Then wash both the feet including the ankles three times. First the right and then the left foot.

    First wash the right foot, including the ankle, and make khilal of the toes beginning with the little toe of the right foot.

    Then wash the left foot, including the ankle, and make khilal of the toes completing at the little toe of the left foot.

    NOTE: Use LEFT hand for khilal of toes and washing of the feet.

    Dua after completing Wudhu

    (Kalima Shahadat) Ash-hadu anlaa ilaaha illallaahu wa ash-hadu anna muhammadan 'abduhoo wa rasoolu
    I testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is Allah's worshipper and messenger

    (Then recite) Allaahum-aj'alni min attawwabeena waj'alni min almutatahhireen
    O Allah! make me of the repenters and make me of the purified

    Also recite Surah Qadr

THERE ARE FOUR FARAAID (REQUIREMENTS) IN WUDHU

1. Washing the face from the forehead to the lower portion of the chin and from one ear lobe to the other

2. Washing of both the arms, including the elbows, once

3. Doing masah of a quarter of the head once

4. Washing of both the feet, including the ankles, once.

* If a Fardh is left out, the Wudhu is incomplete.

THERE ARE THIRTEEN SUNNATS IN WUDHU

1. Niyyat (intention)

2. Reciting of Bismillah

3. Washing of the hands thrice upto the wrists

4. Brushing the teeth by miswaak

5. Gargling three times

6. Passing water into the nostrils thrice

7. Khilal of the beard

8. Khilal of the fingers and toes

9. Washing of each part three times

10. Masah of the whole head once

11. Masah of both the ears once

12. Wudhu done systematically

13. Washing of each part one after the other without pause, so no part dries up before the Wudhu is completed.

* If a Sunnat is left out, the Wudhu is complete but the full Sawaab (reward) of Wudhu is not gained.

THERE ARE FIVE MUSTAHABS IN WUDHU

1. To begin from the right

2. To make Masah of the nape

3. Not to take assistance from anyone

4. To face the Qibla

5. To sit on a high and clean place.

* Carrying out a Mustahab act brings Sawaab (reward) but no sin if left out.

THERE ARE FOUR MAKROOHS IN WUDHU

1. To make Wudhu in a dirty place

2. To clean the nose with the right hand

3. To talk of worldly affairs

4. To do Wudhu against the Sunnat.

* Committing of a Makrooh act in Wudhu causes the full blessing of Wudhu to be lost, although the Wudhu will not have to be repeated.

THERE ARE EIGHT NAWAQIS IN WUDHU

1. Discharging of urine, stool or the coming out of anything from the private parts

2. Discharging of gases

3. Vomiting in mouthful

4. To fall asleep lying down or by resting the body against something

5. To faint due to some illness or any other reason

6. Becoming insane or going mad

7. Laughing aloud whilst in Salaat

8. Flowing of blood or matter from any part of the body.

* Any of these acts will nullify the Wudhu.

MASAA-IL PERTAINING TO WUDHU

1. If blood or matter does not move from the place of the wound or sore, Wudhu will not break. Wudhu will only break if the impurity flows out of the wound or sore.

2. If clots of blood come out of the nose while blowing it, Wudhu will not break. Wudhu will only break if the blood is in the fluid state.

3. If a pimple has to burst in the eye, then the Wudhu will only break if the fluid (that comes out of the pimple) flows out of the eye.

4. If the blood in the saliva is more than the saliva, Wudhu will break. Therefore, if one's saliva is reddish because of blood, Wudhu will break.

5. Blood appearing on a toothpick will not break Wudhu if the effect of the blood cannot be seen in the saliva.

6. Fluid from a paining ear will break the Wudhu, even if there is no sore or pimple in the ear.

7. Water which flows from the eyes because of the eyes paining will break the Wudhu.

8. If males fall asleep in the position of Sajdah, but do not topple over, Wudhu is not broken. However, if females fall asleep in the position of Sajdah, Wudhu will break.

   * The position of males and females in Sajdah differs in that females rest their stomach on their thighs and are not upright in the manner of men.

9. A doubt will not break Wudhu. One remembers that Wudhu was made, but cannot remember if the Wudhu was broken - in such a case of doubt the Wudhu will be considered valid.

10. During Wudhu one doubt whether a certain part was washed or not. In this case, that particular part should be washed. However, if such doubt occurs after the completion of Wudhu, then the Wudhu will be complete. No notice should be taken of the doubt.

11. After Wudhu, if one remembers well that a certain part was not washed, or Masah of the head was not made, then that part only should be washed or Masah should be made. There is no need to repeat the whole Wudhu.

12. It is not permissible to touch the Qur'an Sharif, tray, plate, etc. on which a verse of the Qur'an Sharif is written or engraved, without Wudhu.

13. It is Mustahab (preferable) to make Wudhu for each Salaat, even though one may be in the state of Wudhu. It is Mustahab only if at least two Rak'aats Salaat have been performed with the previous Wudhu. Thus if one did not perform any Salaat, it will not be permissible to perform fresh before that has either broken or at least two rak'aats Salaat have been performed.

14. If the four parts (that are Fardh to be washed in Wudhu) become soaked in the rain or have been washed by swimming or taking a bath, etc., then Wudhu will be valid, even if one had no intention of Wudhu.

15. While making Wudhu, one should take care not to strike the water against the face causing it to splash - to do so is Makrooh.

16. While making Wudhu, the eyes should not be closed so tightly that the water is prevented from moistening the eye-lashes or blocking the entry of water into the eye-wells. To do so is Makrooh-e-Tahrimi. If not entered the eye-wells, the Wudhu will be incomplete.

17. The mouth should not be closed tightly while making Wudhu. To do so is Makrooh-e-Tahrimi. If any part of the lips remain dry, the Wudhu will be incomplete.

18. Wudhu will not be valid if any substance, which does not allow water to seep though, sticks on any one of the four parts that are Fardh to be washed in Wudhu, eg. gum, paint, cutex (finger-nail paint), etc. If one realises after Wudhu that some gum or cutex has covered the finger-nail (for example), then the Wudhu will only be valid if the gum or cutex is removed and the finger-nail washed. There is no need to renew the Wudhu.

19. If removal of the ointment from a sore or wound is harmful, then it will not be necessary to remove it. If pouring water over the affected part is also harmful then merely make Masah of the affected part.

20. If the wound or sore is bandaged and one will experience difficulty in opening and tying the bandage for Masah purpose, or Masah on the affected part will be hardul, the Masah should be made over the bandage.

21. If this difficulty does not exist, then it will be necessary to open the bandage, plaster, etc., and make Masah on the affected part.

22. It is best to make Masah over the whole of the upper surface of the bandage, etc. It is Wajib to make Masah of more than half the bandage, etc. If only half or less than half the bandage was covered by Masah, the Wudhu will not be valid.

23. After making Masah, if the bandage, plaster, etc., comes loose and it is realised that the affected part has healed, then the Masah made will not be valid. It will now be necessary wo wash the particular part. It is not necessary to renew the Wudhu.

24. If the beard is thick, then i is not Fardh for the water to reach the skin under it during Wudhu. If the beard grows sparsely so that the skin under it can be seen, then it is Fardh for the water to reach the skin as well.

25. Liquid that comes out of the eye while yawning does not break Wudhu.

26. Finger-nails should be kept short. Dirt accumulates under long finger-nails. Wudhu and Ghusl will not be valid if the dirt is of such a nature that it does not allow water to seep through. It is also against Islamic hygiene and Tahaarat rules to keep long finger-nails and to allow dirt to accumulate under them.

BAD ODOR

The odor of cigarettes, cigars, raw onions, etc. is offensive to both the Musallies and the Malaa'ikah (angels). If one has smoked, then the mouth should be thoroughly washed before entering the Musjid.