wudu

Wudu, or ablution, is a ritual purification in Islam performed before certain acts of worship. It involves cleansing specific parts of the body with clean water and is intended to prepare the worshiper physically and spiritually for acts such as prayer.

Wudu is generally required before the five daily prayers and before other acts of worship that require purification, such as reciting the Qur’an from a mushaf or performing certain rites. It can be performed when one is in a state of ritual purity; if water is unavailable or use of water is harmful, alternative purification methods such as tayammum (dry ablution) may be permitted.

Wudu is performed with clean water and within the boundaries of ritual rules. The intention (niyyah) to perform wudu is considered essential. The typical sequence includes washing the hands up to the wrists, rinsing the mouth and sniffing water into the nose, washing the face, washing the arms up to and including the elbows, wiping the head, wiping the ears, and washing the feet up to the ankles. In many traditions, each part is washed three times, though performing each part once is also accepted as valid, with the threefold washing representing the Sunnah or recommended practice.

There are variations in detail among different Islamic schools and communities, particularly regarding the number of repetitions and exact tracing of some steps. Differences may appear in the order or emphasis, but the core requirement remains: cleansing the body parts specified with clean water.

Wudu can be nullified by events such as using the bathroom, sleeping deeply, losing consciousness, or certain natural discharges. When nullified, the purification must be performed again before offering prayers or other worship that requires purification.