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Wudu (ablutions): how to perform it step by step
Wudu purifies the believer before the prayer. Here are the steps in order, for men and for women.
Wudu in the Quran
Allah says: “O you who believe! When you rise for the prayer, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows; wipe your heads with wet hands; and wash your feet up to the ankles” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:6). The Prophet ﷺ explained: “Allah does not accept the prayer of any of you if he has lost his wudu, until he performs it again” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6954).
How to perform wudu: the 10 steps
This description follows the one given by the caliph ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan of the Prophet’s ﷺ wudu (Sahih al-Bukhari, 159; Sahih Muslim, 226).
- The intention (niyyah): decide in your heart to purify yourself for the prayer, without saying it aloud.
- Say “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah) before starting.
- Wash the hands up to the wrists, three times, passing the water between the fingers.
- Rinse the mouth three times.
- Sniff water into the nose and blow it out, three times, with the left hand.
- Wash the face three times, from the top of the forehead to the chin and from one ear to the other.
- Wash the arms up to and including the elbows, three times, starting with the right arm.
- Wipe the head with wet hands once, from the forehead to the nape and back to the forehead.
- Wipe the ears: the index finger inside, the thumb behind, with the remaining water.
- Wash the feet up to and including the ankles, three times, the right one first, passing between the toes.
Washing each part once is enough for wudu to be valid; three times is the Sunnah. One must avoid wasting water, even when it is plentiful.
The dua after wudu
“I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger.”
Sahih Muslim, 234: the eight gates of Paradise are opened to the one who says itAt-Tirmidhi (no. 55) reports the addition: Allâhoumma-j‘alnî mina-t-tawwâbîna wa-j‘alnî mina-l-moutatahhirîn, “O Allah, make me among those who repent and among those who purify themselves”.
What breaks wudu
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Urine, stool, gas or anything that comes out of the natural passages | Wudu broken (scholars agree) |
| Deep sleep, fainting, intoxication | Wudu broken |
| Touching the private parts directly | Breaks it according to the Maliki, Shafi‘i and Hanbali schools (with conditions), not according to the Hanafi school |
| Intimate relations, end of menstruation or postnatal bleeding | Full bath (ghusl) obligatory |
The detailed opinions of each madhhab are presented on our page about the four schools of law.
The virtues of wudu
The Prophet ﷺ said that when a believer performs wudu, his sins leave his body with the water, even from beneath his fingernails (Sahih Muslim, 245). On the Day of Judgment, his community will be recognised by the luminous marks of wudu on the face, hands and feet (Sahih al-Bukhari, 136).
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You may be wondering…
What are the obligatory acts of wudu?
The Quran (Surah Al-Ma’idah, verse 6) mentions four acts: washing the face, washing the arms up to the elbows, wiping the head with wet hands and washing the feet up to the ankles. The schools of law add certain elements, such as the intention, the order or the continuity of the acts.
Is a woman’s wudu different?
No. A woman performs exactly the same wudu as a man. She may wipe her hands over her hair without undoing her hairstyle. Waterproof nail polish stops water from reaching the nail: it must be removed before wudu. During her period a woman does not pray; when it ends, she performs the full bath (ghusl).
What breaks wudu?
The following break wudu: whatever comes out of the natural passages (urine, stool, gas), deep sleep and loss of consciousness. Some schools add touching the private parts directly or eating camel meat. After intimate relations, menstruation or postnatal bleeding, ghusl is required.
What if there is no water?
When there is no water, or if using it is harmful to health, one performs tayammum (dry ablution): place the hands on clean earth or stone, then wipe them over the face and the hands, as described in verse 6 of Surah Al-Ma’idah.
Can you pray several prayers with the same wudu?
Yes. As long as nothing has broken it, the same wudu allows you to perform several prayers. Renewing your wudu for each prayer remains a good practice. For what comes next, see our guide how to perform the prayer.
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