Practice · Purification
Ablutions (Wudu)
Wudu is the ritual purification required before every prayer. Here is how to perform it, step by step, according to the prophetic tradition.
Intention (Niyya)
Form in your heart the intention to perform ablutions to purify yourself for prayer. There is no need to say it aloud.
Say "Bismillah"
Begin by saying "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah).
Wash the hands (3 times)
Wash both hands up to the wrists, three times, starting with the right hand and going between the fingers.
Rinse the mouth (3 times)
Take water in the right hand, rinse the mouth then spit it out, three times.
Clean the nose (3 times)
Gently sniff a little water into the nostrils then expel it with the left hand, three times.
Wash the face (3 times)
Wash the entire face, from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin and from ear to ear, three times.
Wash the forearms (3 times)
Wash the right arm from the fingertips to the elbow included, three times, then do the same with the left arm.
Wipe the head and ears (once)
With wet hands, wipe over the head from front to back and back again, and wipe the inside and outside of the ears, once.
Wash the feet (3 times)
Wash the right foot up to the ankle included, three times, going between the toes, then the left foot.
What invalidates ablutions
- ●Anything that exits the natural passages (urine, stool, gas)
- ●Deep sleep
- ●Loss of consciousness or reason
- ●Direct contact with the private parts (according to several schools)
If one of these occurs, you must redo the wudu before the next prayer. After marital relations or the end of menstruation, the full bath (ghusl) is required.