WUDU Ablution
Wudu and ghusl both are ritual ablutions; the former is a minor ablution while the latter is a major ablution. In Islamic laws, the wudu is considered a ritual act of wor¬ship which is done with the intention of seeking the pleasure of Allah.
The act of wudu consists of washing the face and the fore-arms, and wiping the head and the feet. These six parts of human body -face, both fore-arms, head and both feet are known as “the organs of wudu”.
Wudu by itself is always a recommendable act in Islamic rituals, but it becomes obligatory in certain cir¬cumstances. One of such circumstances is the daily ritual prayers; and therefore it is important for every Muslim to know the method of wudu and its rules.
What Quran says about it
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.
Surat Al-Mā’idah 5:6
Within it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves those who purify themselves.
Surat At-Tawbah 9:108
The Superiority Of Ablution. And Al-ghurr-ul-muhajjalun (the Parts Of The Body Of The Muslims Washed In Ablution Will Shine On The Day Of Ressurrection And The Angels Will Call Them By That Name) From The Traces Of Ablution
Narrated Nu’am Al-Mujmir:
Once I went up the roof of the mosque, along with Abu Huraira. He perform ablution and said, “I heard the Prophet saying, “On the Day of Resurrection, my followers will be called “Al-Ghurr-ul-Muhajjalun” from the trace of ablution and whoever can increase the area of his radiance should do so (i.e. by performing ablution regularly).’
Volume 1, Book 4, Number 138:
No Salat (prayer) Is Accepted Without Ablution (i.e, To Remove, The Small Hadith By Ablution Or The Big Hadith By Taking A Bath)
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The prayer of a person who does Hadath (passes urine, stool or wind) is not accepted till he performs the ablution.” A person from Hadaramout asked Abu Huraira, “What is ‘Hadath’?” Abu Huraira replied, ” ‘Hadath’ means the passing of wind.
: Sahih al-Bukhari 135
: Book 4, Hadith 1
: Vol. 1, Book 4, Hadith 13
In a hadith narrated by Imam al-Bukhar and related by Anas bin Malik Radhiallahu ‘anhu said that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) performed ablution “with one mud of water”, whereby it would be the equivalent to approximately 0.567 to 0.7 litres or 567 to 700 millilitres.
In accordance with Imam asy-Syafie and al-Ashab Rahimahumullah, it is said to be ‘sunat’ (encouraged) for wudhu to be no less than one mud for a medium-sized person.
The Prophet once saw Sa’d performing Wudu and said to him: “Why are you wasting all this water?” Sa’d asked, “Is there wastefulness even in performing Wudu?” The Prophet replied, “Yes, even if you were at a flowing river.
Here are some ideas to help you save water while performing Wudu either at a sink or an ablution area.
1. When using a tap, open it just a little to use a small flow of water. Letting water flow strongly from the tap wastes unnecessary water –
2. Turn off the tap between each step. Fill your hand with water and turn off the tap. Use only that amount per step.
Wudu is an important part of salah if your wudu is not correct how can you expect that your prayer is walid?
MUHAMMAD s.a.w.w said: (Bukhari :: Book 1 :: Volume 4 :: Hadith 247)
“Whenever you go to bed perform ablution like that for the prayer, lie or your right side and say: ‘Allahumma aslamtu wajhi ilaika, wa fauwadtu Amri ilaika wa aljatu zahri ilaika, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilaika, lamalja’a wa la manja mink a ill a ilaika. Amantu bikitabi kalladhi anzalta wa bi nabiyyikal-ladhi arsalta’.
(English: O Allah! I surrender to You and entrust all my affairs to You and depend upon You for Your Blessings both with hope and fear of You. There is no fleeing from You, and there is no place of protection and safety except with You O Allah! I believe in Your Book (the Qur’an) which You have revealed and in Your Prophet (Muhammad) whom You have sent.)
Then if you die on that very night, you will die with faith (i.e. or the religion of Islam). Let the aforesaid words be your last utterance (before sleep) “
This hadith explains the need to do ablution before going to bed along with that dua. If we die the same night, we will die on faith. What can be more lovely then to die as a faithful muslim?
In another hadith, the stae of ablution before sleeping has been described in these words:
[Sahih Bukhari & Sahih Muslim]
The Prophet (SAW) told al-Baraa` bin Aazib (RA) “If you go to your bed, then do your wudoo (ablution) as you would do it for prayer, then lie on your right”
In another hadith, which is classed as “good” by Albaani, the need of ablution has been described in these words:
It is narrated from Ibn e Umar [RA] that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “Purify these bodies, and Allah will purify you. Whenever a slave spends his night in a state of purification, an angel spends his night within his (slave’s) hair and he does not turn over during the night except that he [the angel] says: O Allah, forgive Your slave, for he went to sleep in a state of purification.”
[Reported by Tabarani and graded “good” by Shaikh Al-Albani]
Therefore, the act of ablution before going to bed is sunnah and doing this will not only earn us sawab but also if we die in night while in sleeping, we will die as faithful Muslims and there is nothing better to die as a good Muslim and to enter jannah.
Duaas for wudu (ablution)
What to say before performing ablution
Bismillaahi.
Translation
In the Name of Allah.
بِسْمِ اللهِ
What to say upon completing ablution
Ash-hadu ‘an laa ‘ilaaha ‘illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu wa ‘ash-hadu ‘anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa Rasooluhu.
Translation I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger.
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Allaahummaj’alnee minat-tawwaabeena waj’alnee minal-mutatahhireen.
Translation O Allah, make me among those who turn to You in repentance, and make me among those who are purified.
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ