Wudu (Ablution)

Definition

Wudu (وضوء) is the Islamic act of ritual washing performed before prayer and other acts of worship. It is a prerequisite for the validity of salah and for touching the Quran.

Obligatory Acts of Wudu

According to the Quran (5:6), the four obligatory acts are: washing the face, washing the arms up to and including the elbows, wiping over the head, and washing the feet up to and including the ankles. The Hanafi school adds the intention (niyyah) as a condition rather than a pillar, while the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools count it as a pillar.

Sunnah Acts

The recommended acts include: saying Bismillah, washing the hands three times, rinsing the mouth (madmadah), sniffing water into the nose (istinshaq), washing each limb three times, wiping the ears, and following the prescribed order.

What Nullifies Wudu

Wudu is broken by: anything exiting from the front or back passages, deep sleep, loss of consciousness, touching the private parts directly (according to the Shafi'i school), and flowing blood or pus (according to the Hanafi school). The schools differ on some of these nullifiers based on their reading of the evidence.