Introduction

INTRODUCTION Preface Verily all praise is for Allaah, we praise Him and seek His aid and ask for His forgiveness, and we seek refuge with Allaah from the evils of ourselves and our evil actions. Whomever Allaah guides there is none who can misguide him, and whomever Allaah misguides there is none who can guide him, and I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah Alone, having no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger. O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature his mate, and from them twain scattered countless men and women; reverence Allaah, through Whom you demand your mutual (rights) and (reverence) the wombs (that bore you): for Allaah ever watches over you. [Sooratun-Nisaa' ayah 1] O you who believe! Fear Allaah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islaam. [Soorat-ul-Aal-i-'Imraan ayah 102] O you who believe! FearAllaah, and (always) say a word did to the right that He may make your conduct whole and sound and forgive you your sins: He that obeys Allaah and His Messenger, has already attained the highest achievement. [Soorat-ul-Ahzaab ayaat 70-71] As for what follows: Verily the most truthful speech is the Word of Allaah and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and the worst of affairs are the novelties and every novelty is an innovation and every innovation is a going astray and every going astray is in the Fire. I desired to write this as a completion for the treatises which are in circulation amongst the people today - about the different fields - especially of worship such as Prayer and Fasting, etc. - which have made easier that which is difficult as regards religious rulings and being guided thereby, as it maybe difficult these days for some to read, research and extract these rulings from their places within the source books - either because of the ignorance of the Muslims or laziness or other worldly problems. I sincerely advise all the Muslims to read and research until they come to know and understand their true Deen - and I wished to write this in order to complete the series of the types of worship, especially since no one has particularized this topic in a treatise - except what occurs within the books of reference as we have explained - but I have not found this in the form of a treatise. My method for this treatise has been not to quote except what is authentic from the hadith of Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) - if Allaah wishes - ordering it according to the order of the Wudoo of Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and I have commented on some of the points about which there is difference of opinion - stating that which is correct therefrom in our view after replying to the other opinions. I ask Allaah to guide us to that which is proper - verily He is the One having authority over that and having the Power to do so.

THE DEFINITION OF WUDOO Wudoo in the Arabic Language: Wudoo is the action, and wadoo the water used therefor - and it is also a verbal noun; or they are two forms of the same word, both meaning the verbal-noun and maybe both referring also to the water used. Wudoo in the Sharee'ah: Wudoo is using clean and cleansing (Tuhoor) water upon certain body parts as Allaah ta'ala has prescribed and explained.

THE PRESCRIPTION OF WUDOO IN THE KITAAB AND SUNNAH: Allaah ta'ala says: 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 (wash) your feet to the ankles [soorat-ul-Maa'idah, 5:7]