Purification and wudu
There is no prayer without purity. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Purity is half of faith.” (Muslim 223) Before praying, the body, clothes and place must be clean, and one must have wudu.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًۭا فَٱطَّهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءًۭ فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًۭا طَيِّبًۭا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍۢ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ٦Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanoo izaa qumtum ilas Salaati faghsiloo wujoohakum wa Aidiyakum ilal maraafiqi wamsahoo biru'oosikum wa arjulakum ilal ka'bayn; wa in kuntum junuban fattahharoo; wain kuntum mardaaa aw'alaa safarin aw jaaa'a ahadum minkum minal ghaaa'iti aw laamastumunnisaaa'a falam tajidoo maaa'an fatayammamoo sa'eedan taiyiban famsahoo biwujoohikum wa aideekum minh; ma yureedul laahu liyaj'ala 'alaikum min harajinw wa laakidy yureedu liyutahhirakum wa liyutimma m'matahoo 'alaikum la'allakum tashkuroonO you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:6
The four obligatory acts (fard) of wudu
- Washing the whole face once (from the hairline to below the chin, from ear to ear).
- Washing both arms up to and including the elbows.
- Wiping (masah) at least a quarter of the head.
- Washing both feet up to and including the ankles.
Wudu the Sunnah way — step by step
- Make the intention in your heart and say: بِسْمِ اللّٰهِBismillahIn the name of Allah
- Wash both hands up to the wrists three times, passing water between the fingers.
- Rinse the mouth three times; use a miswak if you can.
- Put water into the nose three times and clean it with the left hand.
- Wash the whole face three times; pass wet fingers through the beard.
- Wash the right arm, then the left, up to the elbows, three times each.
- Wipe the whole head once with wet hands, then the ears and the back of the neck.
- Wash the right foot, then the left, up to the ankles, three times each, cleaning between the toes.
- Finish with the testimony: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُAshhadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhI bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, without partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.The eight gates of Paradise are opened for whoever says it. (Muslim 234)
What breaks wudu
- Anything leaving the front or back passage (urine, stool, wind…).
- Blood or pus flowing from the body (Hanafi school).
- Vomiting a mouthful (Hanafi school).
- Sleeping lying down or leaning against something.
- Losing consciousness or sanity.
- An adult laughing aloud in a prayer with ruku‘ and sujud (Hanafi school).
Renewing wudu while you still have it is recommended and rewarded. Using little water is Sunnah — the Prophet ﷺ made wudu with very little.