Wudu step by step

Wudu, in Arabic الْوُضُوء al-wuduu', is the way of washing that Allah taught us for prayer.

Allah says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ yaa ayyuha lladhiina aamanuu idhaa qumtum ila ṣ-ṣalaati fa-ghsiluu wujuuhakum wa aydiyakum ila l-maraafiqi wa msaḥuu bi-ru'uusikum wa arjulakum ila l-ka'bayn "O you who believe, when you rise for the prayer, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, wipe your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles." (meaning of part of verse 5:6)

Wudu step by step: 1. The intention: in my heart, I decide that I am making wudu to pray. I say "Bismillaah" (in the name of Allah). [À VÉRIFIER : les écoles diffèrent, l'imam tranche] 2. The hands: I wash both hands up to the wrists, three times. 3. The mouth: I take water into my mouth, rinse and spit it out, three times. 4. The nose: I breathe a little water into my nose and blow it out, three times. 5. The face: I wash my whole face, from the hair to the chin and from one ear to the other, three times. 6. The arms: I wash my right arm up to the elbow (elbow included), then the left, three times each. 7. The head: with wet hands, I wipe over my head, from the front to the back, then back to the front, once (Bukhari 185, Muslim 235). [À VÉRIFIER : les écoles diffèrent, l'imam tranche] 8. The ears: with wet fingers, I clean the inside and the back of my ears, once. 9. The feet: I wash my right foot up to the ankle (ankle included), then the left, three times each, not forgetting between the toes.

Then I say the dua at the end: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illa llaahu waḥdahu laa shariika lah, wa ash-hadu anna muḥammadan 'abduhu wa rasuuluh "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger." (Muslim 234)

Tips from the Prophet ﷺ: • He liked to start with the right (Bukhari 168, Muslim 268). • He made wudu with very little water (Bukhari 201, Muslim 325): I turn the tap off when I do not need it! • We can wash once, twice or three times: three times is the most complete. The face, arms and feet must be washed completely, with no dry spot left.

Little activity: make wudu in front of your parent. At each step, say its number out loud. Your parent checks that nothing stayed dry!

Understanding the lesson

Explanation Wudu is not a shower: it is worship. The steps come from the Qur'an (5:6) and from the way the Prophet ﷺ made it, and we do them in order. The Prophet ﷺ said that when a Muslim makes wudu, their mistakes leave with the water, down to the last drop (Muslim 244). And on the Day of Judgement, Muslims will have faces, hands and feet shining with light because of wudu (Bukhari 136, Muslim 246). Without wudu, the prayer is not valid: the Prophet ﷺ said that Allah does not accept the prayer of someone who has lost their wudu until they make it again (Bukhari 135, Muslim 225). If there is no water at all, or if we are ill, Allah has given an easier way, tayammum (5:6): you will learn it later with your teacher.

Lessons to draw from it • I make wudu calmly, in order, without missing a part. • I do not waste water, like the Prophet ﷺ. • When the water flows, I think of my mistakes leaving with it.

Key points to remember • Wudu = al-wuduu', explained in verse 5:6. • The order: intention and Bismillaah, hands, mouth, nose, face, arms, head, ears, feet. • We start with the right. • At the end: "Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illa llaah…" (Muslim 234).

The main message With wudu, I wash for Allah, like the Prophet ﷺ: my body is clean, my mistakes go away, and I am ready to pray.