What Is Wudu (Ablution)?

Wudu (Arabic: وضوء) is pronounced wu-DOO’. It is often translated as ablution.

Meaning

The word comes from a root meaning brightness and cleanliness. Before each of the five daily prayers, a Muslim needs to be in a state of purity. Wudu is the washing that achieves this. Its essential parts are described in the Qur’an itself:

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًۭا فَٱطَّهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءًۭ فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًۭا طَيِّبًۭا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍۢ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٦﴾

O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.

Following the example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Muslims usually begin with the intention and the words Bismillah (in the name of God), wash their hands, rinse the mouth and nose, wash the face, then the arms to the elbows, wipe the head and ears, and wash the feet — often three times each. Scholars differ on which of the extra steps are required and which are recommended, but the core is the same everywhere.

How Muslims use it

Wudu stays valid until something breaks it, such as using the toilet or falling deeply asleep, so a person does not always need a new wudu for every prayer. If water is unavailable or would cause harm, the Qur’an allows tayammum, a symbolic wiping with clean earth — a sign that God does not intend hardship. Many Muslims describe wudu as a moment to calm down and leave the day’s stress behind before prayer.

Example

“He stepped out of the meeting to make wudu before the afternoon prayer.”

For step-by-step guidance, see How to Make Wudu and How Do Muslims Pray?