Islamic Studies

Wudu | How To Perform Wudu (Ablution Islam) Step By Step

September 6, 2021
9:00 am

Cleanliness is an essential component for true Muslims. In Islam, it is a daily practice for Muslims to purify themselves and get rid of all types of impurities via what is known as Ablution Islam or Wudu.

To guarantee that this is done, we must first learn how to conduct this Wudu ( ablution ) correctly, step by step.

Learn all about Wudhu and how to teach it to your kids with this guide from Noor Academy!

What is the meaning of Wudu (Ablution Islam)?

( Wudu ) (Arabic: الوضوء‎ al Wudu ) is the Islamic ritual of washing, in its broadest sense, refers to the process of cleansing oneself. Muslims before prayer.
Muslims must be clean and wear good clothes before they present themselves before Allah.
start in the name of Allah, and begin by washing the right, and then the left hand three times.

Wudhu (Ablution Islam) is a practice that focuses on cleaning various areas of the body before Salah (prayer) and reading the Quran.
The mouth is then cleaned three times

Wudu ( Ablution in Islam )

Wudu is a type of ceremonial cleansing in Islam. It usually entails washing the mouth, arms, feet, hands, head, nose,

and other body parts with pure water. Overall in Islam, there are three types of ablution.

Fard (obligatory)

Fard Wudu (Ablution Islam) applies to Muslims who must complete the ablution as a matter of obligation, particularly before performing any prayer.

Muslims often conduct ablutions five times each day in order to fulfill the five obligatory Salah.

The Quran stated this rule:

“Believers! Do not draw near to the Prayer … until you have washed”

(Surah an-Nisa)

Wajib (not obligatory)

Wajib ablutions are optional; they are only required if you are able to do them.

A notable example of a wajib ablution is the one performed when doing circumambulation of the Holy Kaaba during Hajj.

Mandub (recommended)

The mandub ablutions are specific cleaning procedures performed before handling particular sacred scripture texts in Islam.

Mandub ablutions can also refer to the ones you do before going to bed or before waking up.

Benefits Of Wudu (Ablution Islam)

Aside from its religious significance, ablution has been scientifically shown to be beneficial.
It helps in the elimination of pathogens and disease-causing germs from the skin.
It also protects the tongue and throat from many types of irritation.
In addition, infections and inflammation are held in check in the nostrils.
Wudu (Ablution Islam) also helps to preserve skin structure by removing fatty or oily secretions from the skin.

How Do You Teach Children About Wudu?

The best way to teach children about wudu is performing one.

You don’t need an Islamic studies lesson plan for kids to do it.

Wudu is easy to perform and doesn’t require much effort.

As long as you have running water in your house, you can teach your kids wudu simply and easily.
Learning by practice is an efficient type of learning to ensure that your kids don’t forget what they’ve learned.
Pick a day when you have free time and prepare them to learn something new,
tell them about the purpose of wudu in Islam, and head to the toilet to perform it together.
If you don’t have the time to do this, you can always rely on Noor Academy to teach your kids the right way without leaving their house.
Also, if you want your kids to know more about other more complicated rituals of Islam,

sign up in Noor Academy’s Islamic studies for kids online courses and watch them learn the correct rituals with Noor kids;

Noor and Nora ( House of Quran )!

Steps of Wudu

Alt-text: ablution steps for kids

First, your children must perform proper Wudu (Ablution Islam). Take their hands in yours and do Wudu (Ablution Islam) step by step, asking them to imitate you.
The following are the actions you should take:

1- Make niyyah (intention)

There are no specific phrases or statements that must be uttered here. Creating a niyyah requires both the heart and the mind.

2- Say Bismillah

This is an important stage in the wudu-making process. Before we begin washing,
we must recite Bismillah. (In Allah’s Name.) You can say it quietly to yourself.

3- Wash Your Hands [Three Times]

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) instructed us to begin on our right side. That means you’ll have to wash your right hand three times,
from fingers to wrist. Ensure that the water reaches every portion of the hand. Then, with your left hand, perform the same motions three times.

4- Wash Your Mouth [Three Times]

Rinse your mouth three times with water while holding it in your right hand. This should be done properly to ensure that no food or dirt remains in your mouth.

5- Inhale Water Into Your Nostrils [Three Times]

Snort or inhale the water into your nose three times, then blow it out. You may hurt yourself if you inhale too much water,
so be cautious.

6- Wash Your Face [Three Times]

The whole face must be cleaned. That is, from ear to ear and from the top of your forehead to the base of your chin.
This technique should be repeated three times.

7- Wash Your Arms [Three Times]

From the fingertips to the elbow, wash your right arm three times. Make certain that no region is left dry.
Then, three times with your left arm, repeat the process.

8- Wipe Your Wet Hand On Your Head [Once]

This is done only once. Move your wet hands from the top of the head to the back of the head, and then back to the top of the head;
for women, a moist hand on the upper sections of hair is sufficient.

9- Clean Your Ears [Once]

Wipe the inside of your ears with your index fingers and the region behind your ears with your thumb using damp hands.
This is also only done once.

10- Wash Your Feet [Three Times]

We’ll also wash our feet three times, just as we did our hands. Begin with the toes of your right foot and work your way up to and include your ankle.
Make sure that water gets into every portion of the right foot, especially the region between the toes and the back of the ankle.
Repeat with the right foot three times, then with the left foot three times. If you’re wearing socks, gently wipe the top of your right foot with your right hand. This is done only once, and then the process is repeated with the left foot.

What does Quran say about Wudu (Ablution Islam)?

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قُمۡتُمۡ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغۡسِلُواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيَكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡمَرَافِقِ وَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِرُءُوسِكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡكَعۡبَيۡنِۚ وَإِن كُنتُمۡ جُنُبٗا فَٱطَّهَّرُواْۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰٓ أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوۡ جَآءَ أَحَدٞ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡغَآئِطِ أَوۡ لَٰمَسۡتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمۡ تَجِدُواْ مَآءٗ فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدٗا طَيِّبٗا فَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيكُم مِّنۡهُۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجۡعَلَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّنۡ حَرَجٖ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمۡ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتَهُۥ عَلَيۡكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ

6. O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salah (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles[1]. If you are in a state of Janâba (i.e. after a sexual discharge), purify yourselves (bathe your whole body). But if you are ill or on a journey, or any of you comes after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with women (i.e. sexual intercourse), and you find no water, then perform Tayammum with clean earth and rub therewith your faces and hands.[2] Allâh does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you and to complete His Favour to you that you may be thankful.

Where is Wudu (Ablution Islam) mentioned in the Quran?

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَارَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلَا جُنُبًا إِلَّا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىٰ تَغْتَسِلُوا ۚ وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَىٰ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا

You who believe! Do not approach the prayer when you are drunk, so that you will know what you are saying, nor in a state of major impurity–unless you are traveling–until you have washed completely. If you are ill or on a journey, or any of you have come from the lavatory or touched women, and you cannot find any water, then take for yourselves clean earth, wiping your faces and your hands. Allah is Ever-Pardoning, Ever-Forgiving.

How did Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) perform ablution?

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed it so that we could do like him. This is essential because Prophet Muhammad was Allah’s Messenger whose task was to deliver Allah’s message to mankind and show them how to practice it.

If people were to decide for themselves how to worship Allah, even though they all believed in His oneness, there would be as many ways of worship as there are people, and there would be as many groups as there are teachers and leaders.
But Allah wants believers to be one community, united by their faith and their worship, as well as by their sense of belonging to the divine faith. Hence, He sent them a messenger to teach them His revelations and the wisdom imparted to him by Allah.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) companions realized all this as well as their duty to communicate to other believers what they learned from the Prophet. Thus, we have many reports telling us how the Prophet performed every act of worship. Ablution, or wudhu, is required for prayer, and it counts as an act of worship.

the First hadith

the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) made sure that he was seen performing ablution by many of his companions so that they would show it to others. Humran ibn Aban who served Uthman ibn Affan, the third caliph, reports:

“I saw Uthman performing his ablution, and he poured water over his hands three times to wash them, before rinsing his mouth, blowing his nose, and washing his face three times. He then washed his right hand up to the elbow three times; then he washed his left hand likewise. He wiped his head before washing his right foot three times than his left foot in the same manner.
He then said that he saw Allah’s Messenger performing his ablution in the same way before saying: ‘Whoever performs ablution like I have done and follows that with praying two rak’ahs during which he concentrates fully on his prayer, will be forgiven by Allah all his past sins.”
(Related by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Al-Nassaie and Abu Dawood).

the second hadith

This is the most perfect form of ablution, washing every part that we are required to wash three times. Hence, the Prophet makes clear that such perfect ablution, followed by a perfect prayer in which the worshipper does not allow anything to distract him from his worship ensures forgiveness of past sins.
However, other companions of the Prophet tell us about different forms of ablution. “A man said to Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn Aasim, a companion of the Prophet: ‘Can you show me how the Prophet performed his ablution?’ Abdullah said that he could and he called for water to be brought to him.

poured water over his right hand, washing it twice. He followed that by rinsing his mouth and blowing his nose three times.

He washed his face three times, and his hands to the elbows twice.

wiped his head with both hands, taking them back and forth, starting with his forelock and taking his hands right to the back of his head and bringing them to where he started.

He then washed his two feet.”(Related by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Malik, Al-Nassaie and Abu Dawood). Another version of this Hadith specifies that he wiped his head once only.

The Third hadith

Another Hadith describing the Prophet’s ablution is reported by Ibn Abbas who says: “The Prophet performed his ablution, washing each part once only.” (Related by Al-Bukhari, Ahmad, Abu Dawood, and Ibn Majah). This means that he did not repeat the washing either twice or three times. He washed his face, hands, and feet once only.

The Fourth Hadith

Al-Mugheerah ibn Shubah reports: “The Prophet performed his ablution wiping the front of his head, his turban, and his inner shoes.” (Related by Al-Shafie, Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi).

The Fifth hadith

These Hadiths show that the Prophet did not perform his ablutions, in the same way, every time. He varied his performance in order to indicate that all these forms are acceptable. The first Hadith mentions that the Prophet washed every part three times. This is the most perfect way of ablution. The other Hadiths indicate that it is also valid to do less than this perfect way. Thus, if one washes each part twice, or even once, the ablution is complete and valid. One can offer his prayers with it, in the same way as if he washed three times.

The Sixth hadith

this Hadith gives us the evidence supporting the concession of wiping over one’s turban, rather than removing it in order to wipe his head. This applies to any head covering that one is wearing, but one needs to offer his prayer wearing the same headcover. It is also perfectly valid to wipe over one’s inner shoes. These were soft shoes that Arabs used to wear for protection against cold and wear their walking shoes over them. The concession thus applies to socks or any type of footwear.

Conditions for wiping over the socks or shoes

The validity of wiping over one’s socks or inner shoes depends on certain conditions. The first is that we should wear these after having performed ablution fully, including the washing of our feet. When we have done that, and we need to perform ablution a second or a third time, we can wipe over our socks, i.e. the top of our feet, passing our wet hands or fingers over any portion of the top of our feet. We can repeat this performance any number of times on the same day, except during travel when the time range is extended to three days. Should we take off our socks after having used this concession, we will need to wash our feet the next time we perform ablution. This concession is very useful these days, with many of us having to stay at work for many hours every day, where proper facilities for ablution are scarce, and washing feet presents a real difficulty.

How To Do Dry Ablution (Tayammum)

Islam is a practical faith, and Allah in His Mercy does not ask of us more than we can handle. If water is unavailable, or if one has medical reasons for which ablution with water would be harmful, one may perform a more minimal ablution with clean, dry sand. This is called “tayammum” (dry ablution)

Dry ablution is also called Tayammum. Islam legalized this for people who need to perform Salah where there’s no water available or the available water is unpure.

Here’s how you can perform tayammum:

locating a piece of land free of najasah (unclean elements). This might be any type of natural dust-collecting ground surface, such as rock or sand.
Make niyyah, or intention to make tayammum.
Recite “Bismillah.”
Place the hands on the ground.
Lift your hands and hit your hands together to verify that there is no dust on the surface of your palm.
With both hands, rub your face. The face extends from the right ear to the left, and from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin.
Make a fist and rub your hands together. The hands must be cleaned all the way up to the wrist bone.

To teach your kids the specific circumstances that Tayammum is allowed and prohibited in Islam, enroll them in Islamic studies lessons for kids in Noor Academy. Learning Islamic studies online for kids is your convenient way of upbringing your children on the right teachings of Islam.

Dua After Wudu

We read Shahadah and dua after ablution. We utter Shahada and dua after Wudu (Ablution Islam) to imitate Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He used to say:

“Ash-hadu anna la ilaha illal lahu wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh”

Following Shahadah, he (PBUH) would recite the following dua:

“Allahummaj’alni minat-tawwabeen wa ij-alnee minal mutatahireen”

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