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Wuduʾ (Arabic:الوضوء,romanized: al-wuḍūʼ,lit. 'ablution'[wuˈdˤuːʔ]ⓘ) is theIslamic procedure for cleansing parts of the body, a type ofritual purification, or ablution. The steps of wudu are washing the hands, rinsing the mouth and nose, washing the face, then the forearms, then wiping the head, the ears, then washing or wiping the feet, while doing them in order without any big breaks between them.
Wudu is an important part ofritual purity in Islam that is governed byfiqh,[1] which specifieshygienical jurisprudence and defines the rituals that constitute it. Ritual purity is calledtahara.
Wudu is typically performed beforeSalah or reading theQuran. Activities that invalidate wudu includeurination,defecation,flatulence, deep sleep, lightbleeding (depending onmadhhab),menstruation,postpartum status, andsexual intercourse.
Wudu is often translated as "partial ablution", as opposed toghusl, which translates to "full ablution", where the whole body is washed. An alternative to wudu istayammum or "dry ablution", which uses clean sand in place of water due to completewater scarcity or if one is suffering from moisture-induced skin inflammation or illness or other harmful effects on the person.
Qur'an 2:222 says "ForGod loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean."[2:222]
Qur'an 5:6 says "O believers! When you rise up for prayer, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, wipe your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles. And if you are in a state of full impurity, then take a full bath. But if you are ill, on a journey, or have relieved yourselves, or have been intimate with your wives and cannot find water, then purify yourselves with clean earth by wiping your faces and hands. It is not Allah's Will to burden you, but to purify you and complete His favor upon you, so perhaps you will be grateful."[5:6][2]
Wudu by itself ismustahabb, a recommended act (مستحب), but it becomes obligatory in special conditions such as prayer, reading theQuran,tawaf, etc.[3]
Wudu, in a hadith ofAbu Hurairah discussing theDay of Resurrection, said that Muhammad, when asked if he would be able to recognize Muslims, said, "Yes, you would have a mark which other people will not have. You would come to me with a white blaze on your foreheads and white marks on your feet because of the traces of ablution."[4]
Muhammad said that "Cleanliness is a part of faith."[5]
Abu Hurairah said, "I have heard the prophet (may peace be upon him) say, 'In a believer, adornment would reach the places where ablution reaches.'"[6]
Uthman stated that Muhammad said, "He who performed ablution well, his sins would come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails."[7]
Umar reported that Muhammad said, "No one among you does wuḍūʾ and does wuḍūʾ thoroughly – or adequately – and then testifies, 'There is no god but Allah Alone with no partner and I testify that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger', without the eight doors of the Garden being opened to him so that he can enter by whichever of them he wishes."[8]
The water of Wudu must bemuṭlaq, meaning pure or unmixed (not necessarily chemically pure). The name of a liquid that is normally regarded by individuals as water.[9]
Other acts performed during wuḍūʾ and the detailed acts of the wuḍūʾ can be classed into three types:
The obligation of the following actions is debated among the schools of fiqh, though if not deemed obligatory they are considered recommended:
It is not sufficient for one to pass wet hand over the feet. Under certain conditions, it can be done over slippers or traditional leather footwear calledkhuffayn.[10]
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Shi'a Muslims also believe the Qur'anic mandate for wuḍūʾ comes in the sixth ayat of al-Ma'idah. The āyah has been translated byMuhammad Habib Shakir.[11]
O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete His favour to you, that ye may be grateful.
— Al-Ma'idah 5:6[12]
There are a handful of recommended acts, but if omitted, the wuḍūʾ is still valid.
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Sunni Muslims generally perform the following:[13]
Arabic: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
transliteration: Ash-hadu "an la "ilaha "illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu wa "ash-hadu "anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa Rasuluhu.
translation: 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.}}
Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ
transliteration: Allahummaj 'alni minat-tawwabina waj'alni minal-mutatahhirin.
translation: O Allah, make me among those who turn to You in repentance, and make me among those who are purified.
Any part of the body that has not been washed, cleaned or dried improperly can be redone.
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Theoretically, one can perform one wuḍūʾ for Salah and this wudu would be considered valid for the rest of the day, unless you nullify it by certain means. Muslims believe that certain acts invalidate the wudu (often referred to as 'breaking wudu' and 'losing wudu'), although the Qur'an does not explain most of these, and rules differ among schools.
According to Sunni Islam, the following invalidates wudu:[14][13]
According to Shia theology, the following invalidate wudu:
Belching and vomiting do not invalidate wudhu; however, it is strongly recommended that the individual rinse his or her mouth following the latter. Bleeding is not considered to invalidate wudhu either, asJa'far al-Sadiq made it clear in Hadith that a bad wound is not caused to repeat wudhu. This concept further extends to parasites that may exit the body through the two extremities.[15] Cutting one's hair or nails does not invalidate wudhu but he or she should wipe the area with water.[15]
Muslims who are unable to perform the prevailing form of ablution due to skin disease, a disability, or a lack of clean water, etc. are recommended to perform tayammum, sometimes called 'dry ablution', using sand or dust instead of water.[18] Such ritual purity may also be accepted in cases in weather where it would be dangerous.[19]
Tayammum is also to be performed when one is defiled and could not perform ghusl.[20]
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