On the importance of wudhu and how to perform it correctly......

 

Allah's Messenger said, The key to Paradise is prayer
and the key to prayer is cleanliness (Ablution).

Tirmidhi, Transmitted Ahmad, Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah 

A desert Arab came to Allah's Apostle and asked
him about ablution. He demonstrated (washing each part of his body)
thrice, and then said: That is (the method) of the ablution.
And he who does more than this has done wrong, transgressed
the limit and has oppressed (himself).  
[Tirmidhi #417, Transmitted by Nasa'i, Ibn Majah,
and AbuDawud transmitted something to the same effect.]

Why did i choose to write about wudhu? It has a simple reason. It is about a story i heared once from a sister, which really amazed me. This sister told us about a family member of her who was working on the airport and witnessed there once how a non-muslim converted. She was working for the security forces of the airport and was called once to an incident in the waiting room. As she reached there she encountered two guys fiercely arguing with eachother. To find out what the fight was about she asked them to stop their arguments and telling her what was the reason of the quarrel. One of the guys turned to her and started to complain about the other guy who was obviously using the wash basin to perform his wudhu.

" How disgusting is this, he is washing his feed and rinsing his nose where im supposed to wash my hands before eating!!!!" and he kept on complaining about the other guys abolution. 

The security agent, herself a muslim, felt uncomfortable to judge in the sytuation, and tried to convince the non-muslim guy to calm down. Suddenly, the "culprit", the muslim guy came and asked the non-muslim guy: 

"May i ask you sir, how often the day you wash your hands?"

The non-muslim guy, surprised from the question, was thinking shortly, than he answered: 

"Well i guess around 2 max. 3 times the day."

"Well in that case my feets are cleaner than ur hands, as i wash them 5 times the day" -answered the muslim guy. 

The non-muslim guy kept confused quiet. The security agent could go back to her counter, the quarrel was over. Later on in her caffee-break, she saw the two men sitting in the airport-restaurant, peacefully talking with eachother, and she was satisfied. 

After a few months, again at the airport, she was controlling passports as a bearded muslim guy came to her and said: 

"Sister can you remember me? "

"I'm so sorry sir i see thousands of people here every day passing by....... " answered she confused. - "But if you could remind me somehow how did we meet??? "

"Sure........ can you remember that quarrel in the waiting room about the wudhu?"

"Sure........ how could i forget about that? But............ " - and than suddenly she realised........ the bearded muslim guy in front of her was the one who was complaining about the other guy performing his wudhuu. "How did this happen???"

"Well... can u remember the other guy too??? We were talking that day a lot... and we are still friends till now....... he is my menthor now, he brought me to the right path al hamdoulillah." 

When i heared this story i was soo amazed about. It made me clear how important it is to keep ourselves in wudhuu. In this sense, pls read the guide below carefull, and if you found yourselves neglecting your wudhu, or you performed it on a different way, please correct it.

 

Hadith - Bukhari 1:161, Narrated Humran

(The slave of 'Uthman) I saw 'Uthman bin 'Affan asking for a tumbler of water (and when it was brought) he poured water over his hands and washed them thrice and then put his right hand in the water container and rinsed his mouth, washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out. Then he washed his face and forearms up to the elbows thrice, passed his wet hands over his head and washed his feet up to the ankles thrice. Then he said, "Allah's Apostle said 'If anyone Performs ablution like that of mine and offers a two-rak'at prayer during which he does not think of anything else (not related to the present prayer) then his past sins will be forgiven.' " After performing the ablution 'Uthman said, "I am going to tell you a Hadith which I would not have told you, had I not been compelled by a certain Holy Verse (the sub narrator 'Urwa said: This verse is: 'Verily, those who conceal the clear signs and the guidance which we have sent down...)' (2:159). I heard the Prophet saying, 'If a man performs ablution perfectly and then offers the compulsory congregational prayer, Allah will forgive his sins committed between that (prayer) and the (next) prayer till he offers it.' "

The Noble Qur'an - Al-Mâ'idah 5:6

O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salât (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. If you are in a state of Janâba (i.e. had a sexual discharge), purify yourself (bathe your whole body). But if you are ill or on a journey or any of you comes from 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. Allâh does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour on you that you may be thankful.

The Noble Qur'an - At-Tauba 9:108

...And Allâh loves those who make themselves clean and pure (i.e. who clean their private parts with dust [i.e. to be considered as soap) and water from urine and stools, after answering the call of nature].

Wudu (Ablution): How to Perform

1. Say "Bismillah" (in the Name of Allah)
2. Wash hands 3 times
   • Use left hand to wash right hand, up to and including the wrist, 3 times.
   • Then, use right hand to wash left hand, up to and including the wrist, 3 times.
3. Rinse water in mouth 3 times
   • Cup right hand with water and put in mouth, then spit it out, 3 times.
4. Snuff water in nose 3 times
5. Wash face 3 times
6. Wash forearms 3 times
   • Wipe right forearm with left hand, all the way up to and including the elbow, 3 times.
   • Wipe left forearm with right hand, all the way up to and including the elbow, 3 times.
7. Wipe water over head/hair 1 times
   • It has been recorded that the Prophet used to wipe his head three different ways:
     1. Wiping all of his head. 'Abdullah ibn Zaid reported that the Prophet  wiped his entire head with his hands. He started with the front of his head, then moved to the back, and then returned his hands to the front.
     2. Wiping over the turban only.
        • Said 'Amru ibn Umayyah, "I saw the Messenger of Allah  wipe over his turban and shoes." (Related by Ahmad, al-Bukhari and Ibn Majah).
        • Bilal reported that the Prophet said, "Wipe over your shoes and head covering." (Related by Ahmad.)
        • 'Umar once said, "May Allah not purify the one who does not consider wiping over the turban to be purifying." Many hadith have been related on this topic by al-Bukhari, Muslim and others. Most of the scholars agree with them.
     3. Wiping over the front portion of the scalp and the turban. Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah said that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, made ablution and wiped over the front portion of his scalp, his turban and his socks. (Related by Muslim.) There is, however, no strong hadith that he wiped over part of his head, even though al-Ma'idah: apparently implies it. It is also not sufficient just to wipe over locks of hair that proceed from the head or along the sides of the head.
   • If you are a female and a non-mahram male (or any non-Muslim who you believe may describe you to others) may see you (such as in a public bathroom, etc.), do not remove your hijab or niqab... keep it on and wipe over it.
8. Wipe the inside and back of ears 1 time
   • Wash both ears at the same time
9. Wash feet
   • Wash right foot, including the ankle, with left hand, 3 times.
   • Wipe between each toe on right foot, with left hand pinky, 1 time.
   • Wash left foot, including the ankle, with right hand, 3 times.
   • Wipe between each toe on left foot, with right hand pinky, 1 time.
     • Once the Prophet remained behind us in a journey. He joined us while we were performing ablution for the prayer which was over-due. We were just passing wet hands over our feet (and not washing them properly) so the Prophet addressed us in a loud voice and said twice or thrice: "Save your heels from the fire."  [Bukhari 1:164, Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr]
     • "...and then he washed his feet up to the ankles."   [Bukhari 1.186, narrated Amr]
       
       
       Wudu: What Invalidates It
        
       If any of the following happen, you must perform wudu again before doing salah.  It is recommended  (but not mandatory) to always be in a state of wudu, so it is not necessary to wait until hearing the adhan (call to Salah) before performing wudu.  
     • Relieving oneself from the call of nature
       • O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salât (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. If you are in a state of Janâba (i.e. had a sexual discharge), purify yourself (bathe your whole body). But if you are ill or on a journey or any of you comes from 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. Allâh does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour on you that you may be thankful. [The Noble Qur'an 5:6]
     • Passing gas, i.e. breaking wind
       • Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Allah does not accept the prayer of a person who has released gas until he makes a new ablution." A person from Hadhramaut asked Abu Hurairah, "What does releasing gas mean?" He answered, "Wind with or without sound." [Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.]
       • Abu Hurairah also narrated that the Prophet said, "If one of you finds a disturbance in his abdomen and is not certain if he has released any gas or not, he should not leave the mosque unless he hears its sound or smells its scent." [Related by Muslim.]
       • 'Abbad ibn Tameem related that his uncle queried the Prophet about a person who feels something in his abdomen while praying. Said the Prophet , "He should not leave (the prayer) until he hears it or smells it."   [Related by Muslim, Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi.]
     • Sexual Relations
       • One must perform ghusl after sexual relations, i.e. when the male private part enters the female private part.
     • Touching one's private parts with no barrier (i.e. cloth) between the hand and organ
       • Busrah bint Safwan narrated that the Prophet  said, "Whoever touches his sexual organ cannot pray until he performs ablution."  [This hadith is related by "the five." At-Tirmidhi classified it as sahih and al-Bukhari called it the most authentic report on that topic. Malik, ash-Shaifi, Ahmad and others also narrated it.]
     In the event that you forget whether you have done wudu or not, err on the side of not re-performing wudu.... i.e. do not perform wudu again unless you are sure that you broke/invalidated it.
     Make wudu again if you experience anger.
     Hadith - Dawud, Narrated Atiyyah as-Sa'di
     AbuWa'il al-Qass said: We entered upon Urwah ibn Muhammad ibn as-Sa'di. A man spoke to him and made him angry. So he stood and performed ablution; he then returned and performed ablution, and said: My father told me on the authority of my grandfather Atiyyah who reported the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) as saying: Anger comes from the devil, the devil was created of fire, and fire is extinguished only with water; so when one of you becomes angry, he should perform ablution. 
     
     
     For ladies: please make sure before performing wudhu, you are not wearing nailpolish ( as it is covering your nails and it makes your abolution incomplete), and remove too much make up from ur skin before washing urself (once you have to pray outside of home, demakeup pads or tissues are doing a good service) . Henna don't need to be removed as it is goin into the skin, not covering it, you can use it without any fear.

     ---

     
     
     Wudu: What Doesn't Invalidate It
      
   • Drinking or Eating
     • The Messenger of Allah drank some milk and he did not rinse his mouth nor did he perform ablution, and he offered the prayer. [Dawud, Narrated Anas ibn Malik]
   • Kissing a mahram woman (such as your wife)
     • 'Aishah related that the Messenger of Allah  kissed her while he was fasting and said, "Kissing does not nullify the ablution, nor does it break the fast." [Related by Ishaq ibn Rahawaih and al-Bazzar with a good chain.  Evaluating its authenticity, 'Abdul-Haqq says, "I do not know of any defect in the hadith that could cause its rejection."]
   • Laughing
     • Laughing does not invalidate wudu. Laughing loudly during salah, however, does invalidate the salah.
   • Vomiting
   • Changing a baby's diaper
     • Just wash your hands after changing the diaper.
   • People with unusual circumstances (i.e. women with "prolonged flows of blood"), people who cannot control their urine, people with flatulence, and so on, should perform one ablution for each prayer whether their problem exists all or part of the time. Their prayers will be acceptable even while their problems are occuring.
   • Talking During Wudu
     
     
     Tayammum
     (Dry Wudu)
     
     When absolutetly no water is available, you should perform Tayammum (dry wudu)...
     
     
     Hadith - Bukhari 1:331, Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah
     ... The earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for praying and a thing to perform Tayammum, therefore anyone of my followers can pray wherever the time of a prayer is due.
     The Noble Qur'an 5:6
     O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salât (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. If you are in a state of Janâba (i.e. had a sexual discharge), purify yourself (bathe your whole body). But if you are ill or on a journey or any of you comes from 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. Allâh does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour on you that you may be thankful.
     
     
     This video is a great guidence for those who can memorise easier through visual effects: