๐Ÿ•Œ Islamic education

Wudu and purity

๐Ÿ“– In short

Before we pray we do wudu: we wash our faces, hands and feet with clean water and wipe our heads. Wudu makes us pure and clean as we stand before God, and takes away tiredness and laziness.

ูŠูŽุง ุฃูŽูŠูู‘ู‡ูŽุง ุงู„ูŽู‘ุฐููŠู†ูŽ ุขู…ูŽู†ููˆุง ุฅูุฐูŽุง ู‚ูู…ู’ุชูู…ู’ ุฅูู„ูŽู‰ ุงู„ุตูŽู‘ู„ูŽุงุฉู ููŽุงุบู’ุณูู„ููˆุง ูˆูุฌููˆู‡ูŽูƒูู…ู’ ูˆูŽุฃูŽูŠู’ุฏููŠูŽูƒูู…ู’ ุฅูู„ูŽู‰ ุงู„ู’ู…ูŽุฑูŽุงููู‚ู ูˆูŽุงู…ู’ุณูŽุญููˆุง ุจูุฑูุกููˆุณููƒูู…ู’ ูˆูŽุฃูŽุฑู’ุฌูู„ูŽูƒูู…ู’ ุฅูู„ูŽู‰ ุงู„ู’ูƒูŽุนู’ุจูŽูŠู’ู†ู
Surat al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread), verse 6

๐Ÿคฉ Did you know?

  • The Prophet ๏ทบ did wudu with one โ€œmuddโ€ of water, about as much as two cupped hands can hold.
  • We can wash each part once, twice or 3 times, and all are correct.
  • If we can't find water, or it would harm us, we do tayammum with clean earth instead of wudu.
  • The Prophet ๏ทบ said: โ€œPurity is half of faithโ€ (reported by Muslim).

๐Ÿ”Ž Find out more

๐ŸŒŸ How do I do wudu?

I make the intention and say โ€œBismillahโ€ (in the name of God), then wash my hands, rinse my mouth and nose, then wash my face, then my arms up to the elbows, then wipe my head and ears, then wash my feet up to the ankles. I always start with the right.

๐Ÿ” After wudu

When I finish I say: โ€œI bear witness that there is no god but God, alone with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.โ€ The Prophet ๏ทบ told us that sins leave with the water of wudu.

๐Ÿ’ก When do I do wudu again?

My wudu lasts until something breaks it, like going to the toilet or falling into a deep sleep. Then I do wudu again before praying.

๐ŸŽฏ Don't waste water

The Prophet ๏ทบ did wudu with only a little water. So we open the tap a little and close it when we finish, even when there's plenty of water.

๐Ÿ“š Key words

Purity
The cleanliness that gets us ready for prayer
Elbow
The joint in the middle of the arm
Tayammum
Wiping the face and hands with clean earth when there is no water

๐ŸŒฑ Put it into practice today

Today, do wudu with one of your parents in front of the mirror and count the steps together. Then try the โ€œPut the steps in orderโ€ game to check you know the order.

๐Ÿงฉ Test yourself

1 What do we say at the start of wudu?

2 How far up do we wash the arms in wudu?

3 What do we do if there's no water?

๐Ÿ“š Read next

๐ŸŽฎ Try it yourself