The Wudhu (Ablution) Explain In Detail

Ablution is the cleansing of certain parts of the body before doing certain acts of worship. 
 The Ablution consists of pillars, obligatory and preferable acts for its perfection. We shall discuss in a very simple way how the ablution is done. 

 

Allah The Almighty says
‘O 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….’ [Surah Al Maa’idah :6]
 
 The conditions of Ablution. – If these are not put into consideration, then one cannot start the ablution.

1- Being a Muslim
  For every worship to be accepted, the first criteria is to be a Muslim, to submit oneself to Allah and affirm the testimony of faith.

2- Being mentally sound and having discretion.
An insane person is one who is not stable mentally. He may not know what is right and what is wrong or not in the right frame of mind. For any worship to be accepted, the person needs to be fully conscious of what he is doing. We may include here a young child that cannot distinguish between right and wrong because of his immaturity or young age.

3- Intention
Every worship consists of an intention. If the intention for washing is not for prayer, then this is not called an Ablution. Someone may not just enter the bathroom and rinse himself under the water and pray after it. An intention of worship has to be there in the heart (not verbally) and then wash the recommended parts. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, ‘Verily, every deeds is according to the intention and everyone will get what they intended for….’ [Al Bukhari & Muslim]

4- Pure and Legal obtained water.
The water used for Ablution has to be pure and lawfully acquired. Stagnant water that are contaminated or water with impurities should not be used for ablution, likewise stole water shouldn’t be used either.

5- Removing what may prevent water from penetrating the skin.
The parts that needs to be washed in ablution needs to get the water reach the skin of the organ. Failing to do this, the ablution is not valid such as thick paints, wax, nail polish, tattoos etc..,

 

 

The Obligatory (pillars) of Ablution.

These are acts that has to be done in order for the ablution to be sound. The acts are taken from the verse ‘O 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….’ [Surah Al Maa’idah :6]

1-      Washing the face completely once, which includes rinsing the mouth and nose.

2-      Washing the arms up to the elbows, once.

3-      Wiping the entire head, including the ears.

4-      Washing both the feet up to ankles, once.

5-      These must be done in order, so one washes the face first, then the arms, then wipes the head, then washes the feet, because the did ablution in this order.

6-      This must be done continuously, i.e., the parts of the body must be washed one after the other with no lengthy interruption between washing one part and the next making sure that no parts of the body are left to dry before washing the next parts.

 
 The Sunan of Ablution.

 These acts are desirable, if they are done, one will be rewarded and if they are left out, the wudhu is still valid but the reward is decreased.

1-      Saying the ‘Basmala’. (Bismillah)

2-      Washing the hands three times.

3-      Washing the mouth, nose and face three times.

4-      Inserting one’s wet fingers through the thick beard.

5-      Starting washing the organs by the right side first and then left.

6-      The Siwaak (The wooden stick which is used to clean the mouth – made from the Arak root tree.
 It is used when the mouth is being washed during the Ablution according to the best scholarly opinion.
 
 The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said , ‘Were it not that it would cause hardship for my ummah, I would have instructed them to use the siwaak with every wudoo’. [Ahmad]

 

1)      To leave out any of the Sunan actions.
Washing the parts more than three times or add anything that is not mention in the ablution of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ such as wiping the neck or the shoulders.
 
 2) Speaking while performing the ablution.
It is better to remain quiet while performing the ablution, one may speak in case of necessity.
 
 3) To perform ablution in a state of nakedness.
Thought it does not nullify the ablution, it is preferable to perform it with the ‘awrah covered.
 
 4) Wastage of water.
It is against the sunnah to waste water while purifying oneself.
  It is narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas that the Prophet ﷺ passed by Sa‘d when he was doing wudoo’, and he ﷺ said, “What is this extravagance, O Sa‘d?” He said: Can there be any extravagance in wudoo’? He ﷺ  said, “Yes, even if you are on the bank of a flowing river.” [Ahmad and Ibn Maajah]
 

The Nullification of Ablution.
 
1) Anything that comes out from the two private parts such as passing out wind, urination, stools, menstruation blood or any sexual discharge.

2) Unconsciousness
The absence of the mind such as being unconscious, coma, insane etc …

3) Heavy sleep
A kind of sleep that makes you unaware of what is happening around you. If you are aware if what’s going on around you by just closing your eyes, then the ablution is not nullified.

4) Touching lady (wife) with desire.
If someone touches his wife with desire, then he has nullified his ablution. If he has touch or kiss without any desire, then his ablution is not nullified as reported by Aisha that the Prophet ﷺ used to kiss his wives before prayer but he ﷺ would not renew his ablution. [An-Nasai]

5) Touching the private part.
Touching the private part with naked hand breaks the wudhu. If it is touched with a cloth, then the wudhu is not nullified. The Prophet ﷺ said “Whoever touches his private part, let him do wudoo’. [Abu Dawood]
 
Does touching the private part of an infant breaks the wudhu? 
According to the most correct view, A mother’s wudoo’ is not invalidated if she touches the ‘awrah of her infant, because this is something that happens a great deal, yet there is no report from the Prophet ﷺ to indicate that he instructed the womenfolk of the Sahaabah to renew their wudoo’ every time they needed to touch their children’s private parts, even though mothers often need to do so (when washing and bathing their children and so on).

6) Eating camel’s meat.
The Prophet ﷺ was asked, Should I do wudoo after eating camel meat? He said, Yes. The person said: Should I do wudoo after eating mutton? He said, If you wish.[Muslim]
 
  

How to perform a complete ablution.
 
1- Intention. (In your heart)
 2- Tasmiyah - Saying Bismalah
3- Wash the hand up to the wrist three times.
4- Rinse the mouth and the nose three times. Preferable to wash both mouth and nose at the same time with the same handful of water. 
5- Then ash the face three times. (making sure that water reaches the whole face – from the upper part of the forehead until the lower part of the chin).
6- Then wash the hands until the elbows three times. 
7- Wet both of your palms and wipe the head including the ears. – pass your wet palms as from the forehead until the back of your head and then return it back in the same position, and then insert the index fingers in your ear and wipe the back of your ear with the thumb.
8- Lastly wash your feet until above the ankles thrice.
9- Recite the supplication of after wudhu which is 

'Ash-hadu 'an laa 'ilaaha 'illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu wa 'ash-hadu 'anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa ra. sooluhu

I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger.

"اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ".

Allaahummaj'alnee minat-tawwaabeena waj'alnee minal muta-tah hireen

O Allah, make me among those who turn to You in repentance, and make me among those who are purified.
 
 
 

 Written & Compiled by
 Imaam Ayaz Housee.