Wudu and purity
๐ 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.
ููุง ุฃููููููุง ุงูููุฐูููู ุขู
ููููุง ุฅูุฐูุง ููู
ูุชูู
ู ุฅูููู ุงูุตููููุงุฉู ููุงุบูุณููููุง ููุฌููููููู
ู ููุฃูููุฏูููููู
ู ุฅูููู ุงููู
ูุฑูุงูููู ููุงู
ูุณูุญููุง ุจูุฑูุกููุณูููู
ู ููุฃูุฑูุฌูููููู
ู ุฅูููู ุงููููุนูุจููููู๐คฉ Did you know?
- The Prophet ๏ทบ did wudu with one โmuddโ 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: โPurity is half of faithโ (reported by Muslim).
๐ Find out more
๐ How do I do wudu?
I make the intention and say โBismillahโ (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.
๐ After wudu
When I finish I say: โI 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.
๐ก 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.
๐ฏ 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.
๐ 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
๐ฑ 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 โPut the steps in orderโ game to check you know the order.
๐งฉ 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?
๐ Read next
- ๐ The five pillars of Islam
- โจ The six pillars of faith
- ๐ง Prayer
- ๐ Ramadan and fasting
- ๐คฒ Zakat and charity
- ๐ Hajj and Umrah
- ๐ Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha
- ๐ Friday
- ๐คฒ Du'a
- ๐ Hijri months
- ๐ The Qur'an
- ๐ The Prophet Muhammad ๏ทบ
- ๐ The mosque, the house of God
- ๐ฌ Honesty
- ๐ค Trustworthiness
- ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐ง Kindness to parents
- ๐ Mercy and kindness to animals
- ๐งผ Cleanliness is part of faith
- ๐๏ธ Being good to neighbors
- ๐ฝ๏ธ Table manners
- ๐ Greetings and smiles
- โต The story of Noah (Nuh)
- ๐ฅ The story of Abraham (Ibrahim)
- โญ The story of Joseph (Yusuf)
- ๐ The story of Moses (Musa)
- ๐ The story of Jonah (Yunus)
- ๐ฑ Patience