What are the Sunnah And Pillars of Wudu? The steps of wudu are easy to know, but Mistakes happen and that’s why it’s important to know when it happen, does it affect the pillar of Wudu, or is it not a pillar?
If your Wudu becomes Invalid then you also have to repeat the Salah you did with it if you remember it. So, it’s important to know what parts of Wudu are necessary Pillars and what aren’t. To know if you dropped one, you may know if your Wudu is valid or not.
Table of Contents
Pillars of Wudu
There are Six pillars of Wudu. A pillar of Wudu is something necessary for wudu to be valid. without any of the pillars, wudu doesn’t count.
- Intention (Silent)
- Face Washing
- Washing hands to elbows
- Wiping over the head
- Washing feet to ankles
- Order of steps as mentioned
1- Intention
Intention is a general pillar in any act of worship for the famous authentic hadith: “Deeds are by intentions” Sahih Bukhari and Muslim
Intention in Wudu means to intent it as an act of worship to Allah almighty. Also intention is to intend to do (Wudu) and not just wash your face and hands etc.
Also, a valid intention to have while doing wudu is to seek the forgiveness of Allah. As The prophet peace be upon him said that: sins come out from the body with wudu Sahih Bukhari and Muslim
Note that Intentions are in the heart, so it’s silent and should not be said out loud. This teaches Muslims to always be aware of their hearts and present.
2- Face Washing
The first act of Wudu as mentioned in the Ayah of Wudu is to wash the face.
The face is vertically from the hairline (Without considering baldness) to the end of the chin, and horizontally from the ear to the ear. These are the boards of the face that scholars have agreed on and as defined in the Arabic language.
Washing the face is to make sure that water reaches all parts of it. The best way is to gather water in the palm and splash it while wiping over it.
3- Washing Hands to elbows
After the face, wash the Hands in the Ayah of Wudu.
The hands are from the fingers to the elbows, including both.
Washing can start from the elbows down or from the fingers up to the elbows, as long as water runs over the area.
An easy way to do it is to take water in the palm of your hand, then raise your hand slowly, and water will run down to the elbow.
make sure to Rub the water and to reach all the hands.
4-wiping over the head
The third step mentioned in the Ayah of Wudu is wiping over the head.
Note that wiping is different than washing. Wiping the head means to just pass your wet hand over your head, without it having water.
Scholars agree that wiping over the whole head is better in Wudu, but disagree on if it’s mandatory or not.
Maliki and Hanbali say it’s mandatory to wipe over the whole head. While Shaf’I and Hanafi say it’s valid to just wipe over a part of it.
It isn’t narrated in any hadith that the prophet peace be upon him wiped over just a part of the head. And when the prophet peace be upon him wiped over his forehead, he would continue wiping over his head cover. Sahih Muslim
5-washing feet to ankles
The last part in wudu is the feet, and it’s mandatory to wash it.
the Ayah of Wudu is clear on the feet and it should be washed not wiped. It’s mentioned without repeating the order of washing, but in Arabic grammar, it’s coupled with the face and the hands instead of the head. This is clear on making the washing mandatory.
Also, washing is clear in the Sunnah and all four Madhab agree it’s mandatory.
The prophet peace be upon him saw a man who didn’t wash his heel and said “Save your heels from hell-fire” Sahih Muslim
So make sure that water reaches all the foot including heels and ankles and wash it with hand.
6-Order as mentioned
This Order is the order from the Quran and Hadith. So many scholars say that to do wudu in that order is an obligation for its validity.
Note that this isn’t held as an obligation by only Shaf’i and Hanbali Madhab. Maliki and Hanafi Madhab see it as not an obligation, but a Sunnah.
The ordered Wudu is a Wudu that doesn’t get you mixed in that disagreement, and it’s the form mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
Sunnah of Wudu
There are plenty of known Sunnah in Wudu. Even though Sunnah doesn’t nullify the Wudu, it sure makes the reward of it multiple a lot more because of all the added sunnah.
Muslims should generally seek to stick to the Sunnah of the prophet peace be upon him as much as possible, so here are some Sunnah of wudu
- Saying Bismillah before Wudu
- Washing the palms to clean them
- Rinsing the mouth and inhaling water (Start with)
- Wiping over the ears (After wiping the head)
- Washing the organs One, Two or Three times (The head only once)
- Saying the Dua after wudu
- Don’t use too much water (Sunnah is to make wudu from a bucket of water if possible)
- Wudu before every Salah (Even if your Wudu is still valid)
- Siwak Before Wudu
- Starting with the right hand then left, and also right leg then left.
- To pass your fingers through your beard
- Wash beyond the elbows or heels
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Finally
Wudu has Pillars that it becomes invalid without and makes any salah with it also invalid. And Also, Wudu has sunnah that completes it and beautifies it and makes it’s rewards plenty.
While making Wudu, it should be a reminder to you that you are seeking to be clean and pure in both body and spirit. And also, that this purity is a statue which you need to stand before your creator.
Sunnah doesn’t mean (don’t do it), Rather Sunnah means (Do it). it’s a great deed and honor to be following the steps of the prophet peace be upon him.
The purpose of knowing it is just in case you made a mistake or forgot at some point, then you know if your wudu is valid or not.
And Remember, the prophet peace be upon him said: “If anyone performs the ablution well, his sins will come out from his body, until they come out from under his nails.” Sahih Bukhari and Muslim
