Wudu

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Wudu (often translated as "ablution") is the Muslim act of washing parts of the body, in clean water, as a part of the preparation for ritual worship, Salah. Wudu is often translated as "partial ablution," as opposed to ghusl, or "full ablution."

The ideal form is done with water. The Muslim first silently makes the niya or intention to perform wudu and cleanse himself of his impurities. He begins by saying bismillah ("In the Name of Allah(God)"). The actions of wudu follow:

1. Wash the right hand up the wrist three times, then the left hand.
2. Suck water into the mouth and spit it out three times.
3. Gently put water into the nostrils with the right hand, pinch the top of the nose with the left hand to exhale the water.
4. Wash the face (from the hairline on the forehead to where facial hair begins and ear to ear).
5. Wash the entire right arm, including the hand, three times, then the left arm three times. The Muslim should wash up to a point slightly above the elbow.
6. Wet hands and starting with your hands flat on the top of your head near the hairline, wipe them to the back of the head where hair ends and come forward. This is only done once.
7. With wet fingers, place thumbs at backs of ears, use index finger on curves of ear and middle finger to wash the ears. This is only done once
8. Starting with the right foot, wash both feet including the ankles.

Theoretically one can do one wudu for fajr salaat and be okay for the rest of the day, but certain things invalidate the ablution. They are:

1. "When urine, stool, gas, blood and anything which comes out of the 2 private parts is discharged."
2. Deep sleep.
3. "Losing one's mind or reason by ingesting intoxicants, drugs, or for any other reason..."
4. "Touching, with bare hands, one's own sexual organs with lust."
5. Touching a member of the opposite sex, according to Shafi'i, see below.

Hence, most Muslims perform wudu several times a day. If water is unavailable or the amount available is insufficient, one may perform tayammum, or "dry ablution."

1. "Strike both hands lightly on pure earth, rock, or sand.
2. Wipe the face once.
3. Wipe the hands (to the wrists) as if you were washing them."

Islamic Law on Wudu

The Qur'anic mandate for wudu comes in verse 6 of sura 5 (Al-Ma'ida):

"O you who believe! when you rise up to prayer, wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you are under an obligation to perform a total ablution, then wash (yourselves) and if you are sick or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy, or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth and wipe your faces and your hands therewith, Allah does not desire to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you, so that you may be grateful."

Abu Hanifa interpreted "touched the women" to mean sexual intercourse, whereas Shafi'i interpreted it literally, meaning one must make wudu after making physical contact with a member of the opposite sex.

The additional actions performed in Wudu not mentioned in the Qur'an (e.g. washing the nose and mouth), come from the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.

References

• Dr. Mamdouh N. Mohamed. Salaat: The Islamic Prayer from A to Z. 2003.

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