F2 – Prayer is not accepted without Wudu (Ablution)

Ibn ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: Indeed I heard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم say:

Allaah does not accept Prayer without purification, nor Sadaqah (Charity) from illegally attained wealth. [Muslim].

The method of how to perform Wudu is narrated in the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم 

The person performing wudu must have the intention of purifying himself and removing impurity. The intention should not be spoken out loud for place of intention is in the heart. This applies to all acts of worship.

He should say Bismillaah.

Then he should wash his hands three times

Then he should rinse his mouth three times, swirling the water around inside his mouth, and rinse his nose three times, blowing the water out and using the left hand to remove the water from his nose.

He should wash his face three times, from the hairline to the jawbone and chin, and from ear to ear. A man should wash the hair of his beard because it is part of the face. If his beard is thin he has to wash it inside and out, and if it is thick and covers the skin, he should wash the surface of it only and run his wet fingers through it.

Then he should wash his arms up to the elbows three times. The arm extends from the fingertips, including the nails, to the lower part of the upper arm. It is essential to remove anything stuck to the hands before washing them, such as dough, mud, paint, etc, that could prevent the water from reaching the skin.

Then after that he should wipe his head and ears once with fresh water, not with the water left over from washing his arms. The way in which the head is to be wiped is that you put your wet hands at the front of your head and bring them to the back of your head, then bring them back to the place where you started. Then put your index fingers in your ears and wipe the back of the ears with your thumbs. With regard to a woman’s hair, she should wipe it whether it is loose or braided from the front of her head to the roots of the hair at the nape of her neck, but she does not have to wipe the entire length of her hair.

Then he should wash his feet three times up to the ankles, namely the bones at the bottom of the leg.

The evidence for performing wudu in the manner prescribed above is the hadeeth narrated by Humraan the freed slave of ‘Uthmaan, who said that ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) called for water to do wudoo’. He washed his hands three times, then he rinsed his mouth and nose, then he washed his face three times, then he washed his right arm up to the elbow three times, then he washed his left arm likewise. Then he wiped his head, then he washed his right foot up to the ankle three times, then he washed his left foot likewise. Then he said, “I saw the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم doing wudoo’ as I have done it, then the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “Whoever does wudoo’ as I have done it, then prays two rak’ahs in which he focuses completely on his prayer, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Muslim)

The conditions for acceptance of Wudu

The conditions for acceptance of wudu are: being Muslim, being of sound mind, having reached the age of discernment and having the intention of doing wudoo’. Wudoo’ is not valid on the part of a kaafir, an insane person, a small child who has not yet reached the age of discernment or one who does not have the intention of doing wudoo’

The water must also be pure (taahir), for impure (naajis) water cannot be used for wudoo’. One must also remove anything that could prevent water from reaching the skin and nails, such as nail polish.

It is prescribed to say Bismillaah according to the majority of scholars, but they differ as to whether it is obligatory or Sunnah. If one remembers to say it, it may be said either at the beginning of wudoo’ or during it.

There is no difference between men and women in the way wudoo’ should be done.

Dua to be recited after Wudu

It is mustahabb to say, when one has completed wudoo’:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاََ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

(مسلم:٢٣٤ وصححه الألباني في سنن ابن ماجة:٤٧٠)

اَللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

(صححه الألباني في سنن الترمذي:٥٥)

“Ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluhu (I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah alone with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah),” because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“There is no one among you who does wudoo’ and does it properly and does it well, then he says, ‘Ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluhu,’ but the gates of Paradise will be opened to him and he may enter through whichever of them he wishes.” (Narrated by Muslim).

A report narrated by al-Tirmidhi adds: “Allaahumma ij’alni min al-tawwaabeena wa’j’alni min al-mutatahhireen (O Allaah, make me one of those who repent and make me one of those who purify themselves).” (Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood)

Things that nullify Wudu

The things that nullify wudu are as follows: