How To Perform Wudhu

How To Perform Wudhu ;The importance of being clean, wearing clean clothes and living in a clean place is not only important for ones health but equally important for his spiritual development. This is why the blessed Messenger # stressed: “Cleanliness is one half of religion.” And in another place said; “The key to Paradise is Salah and the key to Salah is cleanliness.” (Musnad Ahmad)
Quran
“Allah loves those who seek repentance and the clean people.” (Baqara 2:222)

In Fiqh cleanliness is divided into two types;
1. The major; The major cleanliness is taking a bath (Ghusl).
2. The minor; cleanliness is doing Wudhu. Before a person can stand before Allah he must do Wudhu as Allah says:

Quran (How To Perform Wudhu )

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُؤُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَينِ

“O believers! When you stand for the prayer wash your faces and your hands to the elbows and wipe your head and wash your feet to the ankles.”

(Maida 5:6)

 

The blessed Prophet said, “Allah does not accept the prayer of anyone of you
when he is unclean until he does Wudhu.” (Bukhari)
Wudhu is washing of the face, hands, feet and wiping of the head.
Ali reports that the blessed Prophet said, ‘In Wudhu there are four things that are compulsory, seventeen Sunnahs and seven Mustahabat. (desirable)’

Hadith

“Whoever makes Wudhu in the cold, he receives double reward.” (Tabrani

 

 

 

The Four Compulsory Acts In Wudhu: (How To Perform Wudhu )

1. To wash the whole 1 face once with clean water. The boundaries of the face, length wise are from the hairline above the forehead to the bottom of the chin and breadth wise, from one ear to the other.
2. Washing both hands up t to and including the elbows
3. To wipe quarter 3 of the head once. This means to wipe the head with a wet hand.
4. The 4Th washing of both feet upto and including the ankles.

Twelve Sunnahs in Wudhu

1. Steps of Wudhu:
   1. Intention (Niyyah): Make a mental intention to perform Wudhu for the sake of purity and worship.
   2. Bismillah: Begin by saying “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah).
   3. Washing Hands: Wash both hands up to the wrists three times, ensuring water reaches between the fingers.
   4. Rinsing Mouth: Rinse the mouth three times, swishing water around and spitting it out.
   5. Sniffing Water into the Nostrils: Sniff water into the nostrils three times and blow it out, using the left hand to remove the water.
   6. Washing Face: Wash the face three times from the hairline to the chin and from ear to ear.
   7. Washing Arms: Wash the right arm, then the left, from the fingertips to just above the elbows three times.
   8. Wiping Head (Masah): Wet hands and wipe the head, moving from the forehead to the back of the head and back to the front, once.
   9. Wiping Ears: Use the wet hands to wipe the inside and back of the ears once.
   10. Washing Feet: Wash the right foot, then the left, up to the ankles three times, ensuring water reaches between the toes.

Things to remember when doing Wudhu

Desirable acts in Wudhu

1. To face the Ka’bah.
2. To be seated on a high place so that water doesn’t splash on clothes.
3. To do Wudhu in a clean place.
4. To wipe the neck: Once only To wipe the neck with the back of the fingers of both hands.
5. Read Bismillah before every act.

The undesirable things in Wudhu

Once you know how to do Wudhu then remember not to do the following:

1. Not to be wasteful.
2. Not to splash water.
3. Not to talk.

The things that will break Wudhu

The following things will break Wudhu:

1. Going to the toilet.
2. Vomiting.
3. Injury that damages the skin so much that blood begins to flow.
4. When ears or the nose bleed. The same applies to the mouth when brushing the teeth, if blood flows.
5. Sleeping on ones side or back.
6. Fainting and becoming unconscious.
7. Laughing during the prayer but not outside the prayer.

Dua Upon completion of Wudhu recite:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ، اَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, He is alone and has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O’ Allah make me amongst the repenting and amongst the clean.
To pray two units after the Wudhu is Sunnah.

How To Do Tayammum (How To Perform Tayammum)

Tayammum (Dry Ablution)

Tayammum is a method of achieving ritual purity using clean soil or dust when water is not available or its use is harmful.

Steps of Tayammum:

1. Intention (Niyyah): Make a mental intention to perform Tayammum for purification and worship.
2. Bismillah: Begin by saying “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah).
3. Striking the Earth: Strike both hands lightly on clean soil, dust, or a similar natural surface.
4. Wiping Face: Wipe the face with both hands, ensuring full coverage.
5. Wiping Arms: Strike the earth again, then wipe the right arm up to the elbow with the left hand, and the left arm up to the elbow with the right hand.

Conclusion

Both Wudhu and Tayammum are essential practices that facilitate spiritual cleanliness and readiness for worship in Islam. Wudhu, with water, is the preferred method, but Tayammum provides an alternative in situations where water is unavailable or its use is impractical. Understanding and performing these rituals correctly is fundamental for the daily practice of a Muslim’s faith.