The short answer: wudu is the washing Muslims do before prayer and before holding the Quran. You make the intention, say *Bismillah*, then wash your hands, mouth, nose, face, arms up to the elbows, wipe your head and ears, and wash your feet up to the ankles. Most parts are washed three times, starting with the right side.
Wudu step by step
| Step | What to do | How many times |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Make the intention in your heart to do wudu, and say *Bismillah* | — |
| 2 | Wash both hands up to the wrists, between the fingers | 3 |
| 3 | Rinse the mouth | 3 |
| 4 | Sniff water gently into the nose and blow it out | 3 |
| 5 | Wash the whole face, from the hairline to the chin and from ear to ear | 3 |
| 6 | Wash the right arm up to and including the elbow, then the left | 3 each |
| 7 | Wipe over the head with wet hands, front to back and back again | 1 |
| 8 | Wipe inside the ears with the index fingers and behind them with the thumbs | 1 |
| 9 | Wash the right foot up to and including the ankle, between the toes, then the left | 3 each |
The four parts that are obligatory
The Quran (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:6) names four parts that must be washed or wiped for wudu to count: the face, the arms up to the elbows, wiping the head, and the feet up to the ankles. The other steps, and washing three times, are the sunnah way the Prophet ﷺ made wudu. Teach children the full sunnah wudu from the start; it soon becomes habit.
The dua after wudu
Sahih Muslim records that whoever makes wudu well and then says this, the eight gates of Paradise are opened for them:
*Ashhadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh.*
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger."
What breaks wudu?
The schools agree that these break wudu:
- Using the toilet (urine or stool)
- Passing wind
- Deep sleep, lying down
- Losing consciousness
Scholars differ on a few others, such as bleeding or vomiting, so follow the view your family's scholars teach.
Tips for teaching children
- Do it together. Children learn wudu by copying. Make wudu side by side before a prayer and let them follow you step by step.
- Use a rhyme or a picture chart. A chart with the nine steps by the bathroom sink helps younger children remember the order.
- Don't waste water. The Prophet ﷺ made wudu with very little water. Teach children to turn the tap down, not off and on all the time.
- Start around age 5 or 6, so it is easy and automatic by 7, when children are encouraged to pray regularly.
See how to learn namaz step by step for the next stage. Our learn namaz online classes teach wudu and salah one-to-one, and you can book 3 free trial classes.
