How to Perform Wudu (Ablution)?

There are 8 steps to do Wudu out of which 4 are fard acts and 4 are sunnah of ablution. What is Wudu and why do we need to perform it?

Why do Wudu?

Wudu refers to cleaning your hands, mouth, nose, face, elbows, head, and feet from the impurities. You need to do ablution for the following two acts;

• Offer Salah.
• Touch the Holy Quran. 

4 Fard of Wudu

There are 4 fard of ablution which means that wudu would not be performed if you miss any of them.

1. Washing both hands and arms including elbows once.
2. Washing complete face at least once, from hairline to underneath the chin and from ear to ear.
3. Doing Masah (Wiping) of hair.
4. Washing both feet up to the ankles at least once.

8 Steps to do Wudu

As explained before, the ablution is performed in 8 steps out of which 4 are fard and 4 are sunnah. 

Step 1: Washing Hands

It is a sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to wash your hands three times until your wrists for Wudu as you are going to clean your mouth and nose in the next steps.

Step 2: Rinsing mouth

It is a sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to rinse the mouth during ablution by taking the water with the right hand 3 times to thoroughly clean it from any food particles. 

Step 3: Cleaning Nose

It is a sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to inhale water into your nose in Wudu three times by cupping your right hand. Blow it out by closing one nostril.

Step 4: Washing Face

It is fard of ablution to wash your face from your hairline till the chin and from right to left ears.

• Repeat this process three times as well.
• If you have a beard, make sure each hair is properly wet.

Step 5: Washing Arms up to Elbow

It is fard of Wudu to wash your both arms and hands from fingers to elbow.

• Wash the right arm 3 times.
• Wash the left arm 3 times.

Step 6: Masah of Head

It is fard of ablution to do Masah of at least 1/4th of the head. It is better to do Masah for the entire head with your both heads.

Step 7: Wipe Ears and Neck

It is also sunnah of wudu to wipe your both ears with the fingers tips of both hands.

• After this wipe the back of your neck with the back of your wet hands.

Step 8: Washing Feet

It is fard of ablution to wash both feet from nails till ankles thoroughly.

• Do it 3 times.
• Rub your finger between the toes as well.
• Do the right foot first and then left.

What are the things that break wudu?

If any of these things happen to you, the wudu is broken or invalidated and you will have to do it again.

1. Anything coming from the penis and anus like urine, feces, sperm, pre-cum, etc.
2. Farting.
3. Blood, puss flowing from any part of the body.
4. Mouthful of vomiting.
5. Sleeping makes a person lose control over himself. However, napping does not invalidate wudu.
6. Being faint.
7. Laughing during the Salah.
8. Sexual intercourse.
9. When a man who made tayammum sees water.