WUDHU (ABLUTION)

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu

One of the unique acts of worship that Allah has blessed us with that He did not bless any other nation with is wudhu. it was legislated right from the beginning of Islam. And Jibreel (AS) demonstrated to the Prophet of Allah how wudhu was to be done. Just as ghusl, wudhu (a requirement before performing Salaah) is only allowed with pure and clean water that hasn’t changed in smell, taste, fluidity (thickness) and color like rain water, well water, spring, sea, river, melted snow or hail, or water from a pond. All unclean water is not allowed for the purpose of wudhu or if it’s extracted from fruits and trees, water that small quantity of something unclean has fallen into it like urine, blood, wine or some dead animal had died and fallen into it. Water that was left over after drinking by haram animals i.e dogs and pigs or animals of prey. Water that a cat drunk immediately after eating a mouse and water that has been left a person who has just drunk khamr is also unclean.

In order to perform wudhu, a Muslim must have a sound mind, having reached the age of discernment and having intention to do wudhu. Wudhu is not valid on the part of a non-believer, an insane person or anyone who does not have the intention of performing wudhu because the intention can be just cooling off, for example. And it is makroo to speak whilst while doing wudhu, this does not mean not to speak or makroo in sharee’ah sense at all but it is preferred not to do it or rather not speak unnecessarily whilst doing wudhu, it can distract the individual. But if he speaks there is no blame on it.

It is also mustahabb for one to begin the wudhu from the right, to make a masah (wipe through) of the nape of the neck, not to take assistance from anyone, face the Qibla and sit on a high and clean place. To begin you must have niyyah (intention) in your heart and not spoken allowed to do wudhu; it is Sunnah to have niyyah (I am performing wudhu with the need to get rid of my need for wudhu). The following is the procedure for a complete wudhu In Sha Allah. All these were narrated in the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) and there is no difference between men and women in the way wudhu is done.

• Start In the Name of Allah and beginning washing the right then left hand up to the wrist three times.
• Rinse your mouth by swirling water, three times.
• Breathe in gently water through the nostrils, three times using the right hand then blow out using your left hand.
• Wash the face three times as well which includes everything from the top of the forehead to the chin, and up to your ears. A man should wash their beard since its part of the face by passing wet fingers through it.
• Wash the arms starting with the right one up to the elbow and including the hands up to the fingertips including the nails, then the left arm up to the elbow again.
• Wet your hands again and pass them from the beginning of the hairline and over the head and back to the place you started it is done once (masah). Regarding women, she can wipe either loose or braided from the front to her roots at the nape but she does not have to wipe the entire length of her hair.
• Clean the back of your ears and inside using damp hands also once. Insert the index finger in the ears, and using your (inner) thumb wipe behind the ears.
• And lastly, wash your feet starting with the right including the ankles not less. By using your hand wipe under your feet and heels and use the little finger to clean between your toes (khilal). After wash the left foot.
• It is mustahabb to say the kalmia, “Ash-hadu an laa illaha illa-Allah wahdahu laa shareeka la hu, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu” (I bear witness that there is no God except Allah alone with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). Then recite the dua for completing wudhu, “Allahuma-ja’lni min-attawwabeena waja’alni min-almutatahireena” (O Allah, make me one of those who repent and make me one of those who purify themselves.)

There are fardh (required or essential) in wudhu such as washing the face from the forehead to the lower chin and from earlobe to earlobe, washing both arms including the elbows, doing masah of the head and washing the feet including the ankles. Allah says in Al-Maidah (Q5:6) “O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salah (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbow, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to the ankles…” Sunnah parts of wudhu include, the niyyah, reciting Bismillah, washing the hands up to the wrists, brushing teeth with miswak and gargling the mouth, passing water through the nostrils, khilal of the beard, khilal of the fingers and toes, washing each part three times, masah of the ears and performance the wudhu systematically. Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing be upon him) said, "On the day of resurrection, my followers will be summoned 'Al-Ghurr Al-Muhajjalun' fro the traces of wudhu. Whoever can increase the area of his radiance should do so."

Ablution is nullified by urinating or long call, defecating almighty Allah says, “…or one of you comes from relieving himself,” thus proving that such an act obligates a new (purification), and releasing gas from the passing behind. Abu Huraira (RA) reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) saying, “Allah does not accept the prayer of a person who has released gas until he makes a new ablution.” A person asked Abu Huraira, “What does ‘releasing gas’ mean?” He answered, “Wind with or without sound.” (Bukhari and Muslim). Discharge from the genital, known as madhi either from a man (fluid) or a woman. The Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Make ablution upon noticing such discharge.” Concerning semen or mani, said ibn Abbas, “it requires ghusl and for mani and wadi (a thick white secretion discharge) after urination, wash your genital and make wudhu.” Thus especially for women it is advised to visit the washroom to check on any discharge before any salaah. When deep sleep happens and one is unaware of his surroundings. If a person does not keep his behind firmly seated on the floor while sleeping then he must make a new ablution or his backside is firmly on the ground. If his behind are kept firmly on the floor or standing then no new ablution is required. In a hadeeth of Anas, said “When the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) were waiting for him for the late night prayer until their heads began nodding up and down, (from drowsiness or  sleeping). Then they would pray without performing ablution.” (Abu Dawood and Tirmidhi). Loss of consciousness either due to insanity or fainting or some medicine, it does not matter if it is a short or long while. When one touches their private parts. Busrah bint Safwan narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever touches his sexual organ cannot pray until he performs ablution.” (Bukhari). Eating camel meat, because of the Hadeeth of Jaabir ibn Samurah who said that a man asked the Prophet, “Should we do wudhu after eating the camel meat?” He said, “Yes” (Muslim).

Acts that do not nullify wudhu include touching a woman. Aisha reported that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) kissed her while he was fasting and said, “Kissing does not nullify the ablution, nor does it break the fast.” And the scholars believe it does not matter if the woman is a mahram or whether it was done with feelings of desire or not unless anything is emitted as a result of that touching. Bleeding, this involves as a result from cupping, nose bleeding and regardless of the quantity. Al-Hassan says, “Muslims used to pray even while wounded.” (Bukhari). Vomiting, regardless of the quantity too, there is no hadith that states it nullifies wudhu.  

The prayer of a person is not accepted till he performs wudhu and it should be perfect and thorough. I believe salaah starts with wudhu and it should be thorough as the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) taught. If water cannot be found or is only left for domestic use like cooking and drinking, or when one is ill and cannot touch water then Tayammum becomes an alternative which does not require water. Firstly you have to spot a clean ground, recite in the Name of Allah, make niyyah, tap the ground or earth once and wipe the back of your right hand then left, then wipe your face with both hands. The same dua is recited after wudhu be recited after tayammum.

And Allah knows best.