Allah swt said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلاةِ فاغْسِلُواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُواْ بِرُؤُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَينِ

{O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles…} (al-Ma’idah, 5:6)

As with all acts in Islam, intention is essential.

1) Begin with intention to make wudu by saying:

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم نويت فرائض الوضوء وسننه من هذا الماء الطاهر

A`udhu billahi min ash-shaytani ‘r-rajeem Bismillahi ‘r-Rahmani ‘r-Raheem. nawaytu faraa’id al-wudu wa sunanihi min hadha ’l-maa at-taahir,

“I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan, in the Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful. I intend to fulfill the obligatory aspects of ablution, with its sunnas, using this pure water.”

2) Then wash your hands, wetting all parts of the hands and rubbing between each of the fingers and thumb. Repeat 3x. If wearing a ring move it slightly to allow water to pass under it. Recite:

الحمد للّه على الإسلام ونعمته، الحمد للّه الذي جعل الماء طهوراً، والإسلام نوراً، رب أعوذ بك من همزات الشياطين، وأعوذ بك رب أن يحضرون اللهم احفظ يديَّ من معاصيك كلها

Alhamdulillah `alaa ‘l-Islam wa ni`matahu, alhamdulillahi ‘Lladhee ja`laa ‘l-maa tahooran, wa ‘l-Islamu nuran, rabbi a`udhu bika min hamazaati ‘sh-shayaateen wa a`udhu bika rabbi an yahdarun, Allahumma’hfazh yadayya min ma`siyaka kullaha.

“All praise to Allah for Islam and its blessing, all praise be to Allah Who made this water pure and made Islam a light. O Lord I seek refuge with You from the whispering of devils and their presence. O Allah withhold my hands from all disobedience whatsoever.”

3) wash your mouth (al-madmadah) by taking water in your right palm and rinsing your mouth with it, repeat 3x. Recite:

اللهم أعني على ذكرك وشكرك، وحسن عبادتك

Allahumma a`inee `alaa dhikrika wa shukrika wa husna `ibadatik.

O Allah, help me remember You, to be grateful to You, and to worship You in an excellent manner.

4) wash your nose (istinshaq) by taking water in your right hand, and snuffing the water into your nostrils, pinch the top of the nose with the left hand to exhale the water before exhaling it. repeat 3x. Recite:

اللهم أرحني رائحة الجنة

Allahumma arihnee raa’ihati ‘l-jannah. O Allah let me smell the scent of Paradise.

5) wash your face 3 times from the hairline, and from one ear to the other all the way to the bottom of the chin and say:

اللهم بيض وجهي يوم تبيض وجوه وتسود وجوه

ashadu an laa ilaha ill’Llah wa ashadu anna Muhammadan rasoolullah. Allahumma bayyad wajhiyya yawm tabyad wujoohin wa taswada wujooh.

I bear witness that there is no diety except Allah and I testify that Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah. O Allah brighten my face on the Day that some faces are brightened and some are darkened.

6) then khilal, which means to comb the beard with one’s wet hand,

7) then your right arm from wrist up to the elbow and back, 3x and recite:

اللهم أعطني كتابي بيميني، وحاسبني حساباً يسيراً

Allahumma a`tinee kitabee bi yameenee wa haasibnee hisaaban yaseera;

O Allah give me my book in my right hand and make my reckoning easy.

then the left arm from wrist up to the elbow and back, 3x recite:

: اللهم لا تعطني كتابي بشمالي، ولا من وراء ظهري ي ولا تحاسبني حسابا عسيرا

Allahumma laa tu`tinee kitabee bi-shimaalee wa laa min waraa zhahree wa laa tuhaasibnee hisaaban `aseera.

O Allah don’t give me my book in my left hand nor from behind me and do not make my reckoning difficult.

9) Then wet both palms and wipe the top of the head front to back then back to front, 3x and recite:

اللهم حرم شعري وبشري على النار، وأظللني تحت عرشك يوم لا ظل إلا ظلك

Allahumma harrim sha`ree wa basharee `alaa an-naar wa azhlilnee tahta `arshika yawm laa zhilun illaa zhilluk.

O Allah forbid the Fire from my hair and my face and shade me under Your Throne on the Day there is no shade except Your Shade.

10) Then wet your index fingers and thumbs and wet the back of both ears by placing your thumbs behind them, indexes in the ear canal and wipe the edge of your ears from the bottom lobe to the top, repeat 3x, and recite:

اللهم اسمعني صوت بلال من أعلى قصور الجنان

Allahumma asmi`nee sawt bilal min `alaa qusoor al-jinan

Allah let me hear Bilal’s voice from the highest castles of the Gardens of Paradise.

Alternatively recite:

اللهم اجعلني من الذين يستمعون القول فيتبعون أحسنه

Allahumma’j`alnee min alladheena yastami`oona ’l-qawlaa fa yattabi`oona ahsanahu.

O Allah make among those who listen to the Word, and follow the best (meaning) in it.

11) Then wet the tips of your fingers and lightly wipe the nape of your neck. Recite:

اللهم أعتق رقبتي من النار

Allahumma a`atiq raqabatee min an-naar. O Allah save my neck from entering the Fire.

12) Then wash your right foot from the toes up past the ankle, and move the fingers between each toe reciting, and rub the heel, 3x.

13) Then wash the left foot from ankle to toes, rubbing between each toe and rubbing heels, 3x recite:

اللهم ثبت قدمي على الصراط يوم تزل فيه الأقدام

Allahumma thabbit qadamay `alaa as-siraat yawm tazillu feehi ’l-aqdaam.

O Allah make my feet steadfast on the Bridge and the Day that feet may slip.

After completing the wudu recite the du`a:

: أشهد أن لا إله إلا اللّه وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن سيدنا محمداً عبده ورسوله، اللهم اجعلني من التوابين، واجعلني من المتطهرين، سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك، أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت، استغفرك وأتوب إليك

ashadu an laa ilaaha ill ‘Llah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu wa ashadu anna Sayyidina Muhammadan `abduhu wa rasooluh. Allahumma-j`alnee min-at-tawwaabeena wa-j`alnee min-al-mutataahhireen. Subhanak Allahumma wa bi-hamdik, ashadu an laa ilaha illa Anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayk.

I testify there is no god except Allah Alone Who has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah’s servant and messenger. O Allah make me among those who turn to You and make me of those who purify themselves. Glory be to You, and all Praise is Yours, I bear witness that there is no god except You, I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.

Then recite Surat al-Qadr: inna anzalnahu fee laylatl qadr until the end.

Then pray 2 raka`ats Sunnat al-Wudu according to many hadiths:

قال (النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم) لبلال بم سبقتني إلى الجنة قال ما أحدثت إلا توضأت وصليت ركعتين فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ب هذا

The Prophet (s) said to Bilal (r), “What has made you to precede me in the Garden of Paradise?” He said, “I never break wudu except I make ablution (wudu) and then I make two raka`ts salat (prayer).” The Prophet (s) said, “due to this (you preceded me in the Garden).” (Imam Ahmad)

During the course of wudu, you must accomplish tadleek, which means rubbing all the parts so that water reaches every part of them.

You must keep the orders of these integrals and perform them in immediate succession.

It is disliked to speak with others during wudu.

It is disliked to use more water than necessary.

If wearing leather khuffs, then just wipe the top of each khuff with the wet palm of your right hand instead of washing the feet, and the bottom with the wet palm of the left hand.

In the Shafi`i school it is enough to take water into the mouth and the nose with the same handful 3x, instead of six handfuls.

[see also Muslim Prayer Guide: Taharah]

Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani