Crash course for Wudu’ (Ablution)

1. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Crash course for Wudu’ (Ablution) Bulugh Al-Maram Mukthasar Zad Al-Ma’ad As how the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. performed his. Hazizi & Munirah

2. Why we need to learn how to perform it as the prophet Muhammad s.a.w performed his wudu’(ablution)? Firstly; Because a believer must learn to imitate our beloved prophet Muhammad. Secondly; Because incomplete wudu’ (ablution)’ invalidates the prayer.

3. Thirdly; Umarr.a. narrated that Allah’s messenger s.a.w said, “If one of you performs ablution thoroughly, then recites Ashhadu an laailaaha ill-Allaahwahdahulaashareekalah, waashhaduannaMuhammadan ‘abduhuwarasooluhu‘ I testify that there is no one worthy of worship but Allah, He is alone and has no partner and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and His messenger’- all the eight gates of paradise will be opened for him and he may enter through any gate he wishes.”*1 1. Bulugh Al-Maram (Attainment of the objective-according to evidence of the Ordinances); Al-Hafiz IbnHajar Al-Asqalani

4. Finally;Prophet’s Muhammad’s ummah are blessed to be radiant on the day of resurrection. As narrated by Abu Hurairar.a.: I heard Allah’s messenger s.a.w saying, “My people will come on the day of resurrection with radiant faces, hands and feet from the traces of wudu’ (ablution)’. If any of you can extend his brightness, let him do so”. Brightness means: If a person washes his limbs 3 times rather than once, or performing wudu’ (ablution) every time his wudu’ (ablution) breaks. SO WHY DON’T YOU TRY TO LEARN HOW TO DO WUDU’ AS OUR BELOVED PROPHET?

5. Preparing for wudu’ (ablution) 1. Cleaning one’s mouth Use siwak or toothbrush Not wajib but highly encouraged (mustahab) Even in the state of fasting, it is allowed and mustahab1 2. To save water Prophet Muhammad s.a.w only used 1 mudd, sometimes 2 mudd of water for his wudu’ (ablution)’. 1 mudd is equal to 2/3 of kilogram 1,2. He warned the people against wasting water. Sometimes he washed his limbs once, twice and three times. He never washed his limbs more than 3 times. 2 Mukthasar Zad Al-Ma’ad (Provisions for the hereafter);Imam IbnQayyim Al-Jawziyyah

6. Preparing for wudu’ (ablution) 3. Begin with the right side Begin with the right side as Aishahr.a. narrated that Allah’s Messenger s.a.w loved to begin with the right side while putting on his shoes, combing his hair, in his purification and in all his affairs 1.

7. Preparing for wudu’ (ablution) 4. Niyyah/intention There is no need to declare your intention for wudu’ (ablution)2. The prophet Muhammad s.a.wnever verbalises his intention of wudu’ (ablution) and has never been narrated in any hadith. According to IbnTaymiyyah, a person who verbalises his intention has deficiency in his religion (as it was never done by the prophet Muhammad s.a.w and his companions) and mind (a person doesn’t verbalises every intention for every action to be rewarded or accounted as ibadah). It is important to note that: -the mere action of waking up to pray and perform wudu’ (ablution) takes place of any declaration of wudu’ (ablution) -the place of intention is in your heart

8. The essential steps for Wudu’ (ablution) 1. Begins with Bismillah (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ). 2. Rinsing one’s mouth and sniffing water This is Sunnahnot obligatory. Proof: this is not mentioned in the Quran (Al-Maida 5:6). However, it has been authentically reported that the prophet Muhammad s.a.wnever abandoned this step.

9. The essential steps for Wudu’ (ablution) Narrated Humran, the manumitted slave of Uthman: Uthmanr.a. called for water to perform ablution. He washed the palms of his hands three times, then rinsed his mouth and sniffed water in his nose and then blew it out, He then washed his face three times. Thereafter he washed his right hand up to (and including) his elbow three times, then the left one in the same manner, then he wiped his head (with wet hands). The he washed his right foot, up to (and including) the ankle three times, then the left one in the same manner. He then said, “I saw Allah’s messenger s.a.w performing ablution like the ablution of mine.” (Agreed upon) 1

10. The essential steps for Wudu’ (ablution) Obligatory actions are: • Washing the face 3 times (most preferable) • Washing the hands and arms 3 times (most preferable) • Wiping the head Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. wiped his entire head with his wet hand back and forth (most correct opinion only once). The mere wiping the front part of the hair is INCORRECT.

11. The essential steps for Wudu’ (ablution) 3. Wiping the head (continues...) The believers should wipe his entire head if one is able to. Exceptions applied when a sister is performing wudu’ (ablution)’ in public, she is allowed to wet the front part of her hair and applied her wet hand on her scarf back and forth OR when a person is wearing a turban1(and have difficulty in removing it). Proof: Narrated by Abdullah bin Zaid bin ‘Aasimr.a. regarding the description of ablution: Allah’s Messenger s.a.w. wiped his head from the forehead back (up to, and not including the nape of the neck) and then back to the forehead with his two (wet) hands. (Agreed upon). 1

12. The essential steps for Wudu’ (ablution) 4. Washing the feet including the ankle 3 times (most preferable) There was a man whose foot appeared like a portion of it wasn’t touched by water. The prophet Muhammad s.a.w. asked the man to perform his wudu’ (ablution)’again and pray his salah again. This is a proof that an incomplete wudu’ (ablution) invalidates prayer and also proves that washing of the whole foot is obligatory. In Hadith Muslim, it is stated that the portion that doesn’t touch water is touched by the fire. 1

13. The essential steps for Wudu’ (ablution) Finishing your wudu’ with supplication/dua’ (refer to hadith*-page 3) أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدَهُ وَرَسُولَهُ "I testify that there is no one worthy of worship besides Allah. He is all by Himself and has no partner and I testify that Muhammad is Allah's Rasul (Messenger)"

14. Other points to note are.....

15. Remember to..... Perform wudu’ (ablution) in its manner and order1. Do not perform half of wudu’ (ablution) then resume the other half after a prolonged interval. It is also important to note that talking during wudu’ (ablution) is permissible. Giving every limb its rights, meaning do not rush in performing wudu’ (ablution). Narrated Laqit Bin Sabrar.a: Allah’s Messenger s.a.w. said, “Perform a perfect wudu’ (ablution), run (your fingers) through the fingers (of the hands) as well as between the toes, and sniff water as well inside the nose, unless you are fasting”. However, Prophet Muhammad s.a.wdid not always do this (running his fingers in between his toes/fingers). 1,2

16. The other steps.... • Washing of ears (Sunnah)1,2 • Proof that it is a Sunnah: Not stated in the Quran. • However the washing of every limb will wash away every sin committed by the limbs. So washing of the ear will wipe off the sins we heard i.e. gossips. • The description of this action: Narrated by Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr “..he inserted his index fingers in his ears and wiped the exterior of his ears with his thumbs”. • Washing of beard (Sunnah)1 • Proof that it is a Sunnah: Not stated in the Quran • Narrated by Uthmanr.a, “While performing wudu’ (ablution), the prophet s.a.w would run (his) fingers through his beard.” • However, it was not his regular practise to do so.2

17. The other steps.... • Removing one’s ring during wudu’ (ablution) • The prophet s.a.w also wore a ring but there is only weak a hadith reported to have stated him removing his ring during wudu’ (ablution)’2. • Another principle to be learned from this point is; if a painter’s hand has some paint stain on it, he could still perform wudu’ (ablution) without having the paint removed. This small part could be overlooked as this is incidental. • Different ruling applies to cutex. It is compulsory to remove the cutex as the covering of the nails is intentional. • Opening one’s eyes whilst washing the face is not required as this poses harm to one’s sight. A companion who did this ended up being blind. • Another rule that could be deduced from this is that the wearing of eye liner inside the eyelid during wudu’ (ablution) doesn’t invalidate wudu’ (ablution) as the eyes are closed during washing the face, so the inner eyelid doesn’t touch the water.

18. THE ENDJazakAllah for your attention Do you find this helpful and refreshing? If you do, please do tell us either through sms, facebook email or our blog @ http://drzizimun.wordpress.com Any question or doubt, please let us know. We’ll try to answer it or get the answer from our sheikhs.