Wudu Guide

نَوَيْتُ الْوُضُوءَ لِلصَّلَاةِ

Nawaytul wuḍū'a liṣ-ṣalāh

Make the intention in your heart to perform wudu for the sake of Allah and for worship. The intention does not need to be spoken aloud — it is an act of the heart. Saying the Bismillah aloud is the Sunnah.

غَسْلُ الْيَدَيْنِ

Wash both hands up to and including the wrists three times, starting with the right hand. Rub between the fingers to ensure water reaches everywhere. This is the first physical step of wudu.

الْمَضْمَضَةُ

Take water into your mouth, swirl it around to rinse all areas, and spit it out. Ensure the water reaches the back of the mouth. If you are fasting, be gentle and do not gargle deeply.

الِاسْتِنْشَاقُ

Sniff water into the nostrils with the right hand, then blow it out using the left hand. Water should reach the soft part of the nose. This cleans the nasal passages and is obligatory according to many scholars.

غَسْلُ الْوَجْهِ

Wash the entire face — from the top of the forehead where hair begins to the bottom of the chin, and from one earlobe to the other. Run water through the beard if you have one.

غَسْلُ الذِّرَاعَيْنِ إِلَى الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ

Wash the right arm from fingertips up to and including the elbow. Rub between fingers and ensure water covers the entire arm. Then wash the left arm in the same manner.

مَسْحُ الرَّأْسِ

Wet both hands and wipe over the head: start from the front of the head (where hair begins), draw both hands to the back of the head, then return them to the front. This is done once — not three times — and is called mas-h (wiping, not washing).

مَسْحُ الْأُذُنَيْنِ

Using the same water from wiping the head, use your index fingers to wipe the inside of each ear and your thumbs to wipe the back and outer ear. Both ears are wiped simultaneously as part of the same motion as the head.

غَسْلُ الْقَدَمَيْنِ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ

Wash the right foot thoroughly — from toes to the ankles — passing the little finger of your left hand between the toes to ensure water reaches all areas. Then wash the left foot in the same manner. The ankles must be included.

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

Ash-hadu allā ilāha illallāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh

After completing wudu, face the qibla and recite the shahada. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Whoever performs wudu properly and then says [this dua] — eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, and he may enter from whichever he wishes.' (Muslim)