Kitāb al-Ṭahāra: Wuḍūʾ

Farāʾiḍ of Wuḍūʾ

Allāh almighty says in the Qurʾān:

Therefore the farāʾiḍ (obligatory actions) of wuḍūʾ are four; (1) to wash the face, (2) to wash the arms up to the elbows, (3) to do masḥ of the head and (4) to wash the feet up to the ankles.

Note:

#1 The face is that which can be seen, ie. from the hair on the forehead to the chin, and from one ear to the other ear. Therefore all of this must be washed.

#2 To do masḥ of at least a quarter of the head is farḍ.

Sunan of Wuḍūʾ

A sunnah action is that which the Prophet ﷺ did so continually, whilst leaving it out occasionally.

The sunan acts of wuḍūʾ are; (1) to wash hands up to the wrist at the beginning of wuḍūʾ, (2) to do tasmiyah i.e. to begin in the name of Allāh, (3) to use the miswāk to brush the teeth, (4) to wash the mouth and nose, (5) to do takhlīl of the beard and fingers, (6) to repeat the washing of each limb three times, (7) to make intention to do wuḍūʾ, (8) to do masḥ of the whole head once, (9) to wipe the ears, (10) to follow the correct order and (11) to do the wuḍūʾ continuously without pause in between.

Note:

#1 When one wakes up, before dipping ones hand into the water container, one should wash their hands three times.

#2 Takhlīl is to pass ones spread fingers between the hairs of the beard, and between the fingers.

#3 The ears should be wiped with the water from the head and not with new water.

#4 There is a difference of opinion as to whether some of these are sunan or mustaḥabbāt. Some ʿulamāʾ mention that the following are mustaḥab actions; tasmiyah, siwāk, tartīb, continuity, intention.

Mustaḥab

A mustaḥab act is that which was done by the Prophet ﷺ, but not continually. Mustaḥab takes the same meaning as mandūb, which can be translated as a recommended action, encouraged by the Prophet ﷺ even if he did not do it after encouraging it.

1. Begin with the right side

2. Masḥ of the nape

Nullifiers of Wuḍūʾ

Those things which break ones wuḍūʾ include; (1) the exiting of an impurity from the body, (2) a mouth full of vomit, (3) sleeping lying down, (4) fainting, (5) madness, (6) intoxication, (7) laughing in ṣalāh and (8) intercourse.

Note:

#1 A mouth full of vomit will break ones wuḍūʾ. This is the case if it is bile, coagulated blood, food or water. As for a mouthful of phlegm, or a mixture of saliva and blood in which there is more saliva than blood, then this will not nullify ones wuḍūʾ.

#2 The worm which exits from a wound does not break wuḍūʾ.

#3 The touching of ones private parts does not break wuḍūʾ.

#4 The touching of a woman does not break wuḍūʾ.