Wudu Basics
Wudu is the purification Muslims perform before prayer. Learn the basic steps clearly and simply.
In your heart, intend to perform wudu for the sake of Allah. No spoken formula is required.
Begin by saying 'Bismillāh' — In the name of Allah.
Wash both hands up to the wrists three times, including between the fingers.
Take water into the mouth and rinse it, three times.
Sniff water lightly into the nostrils and blow it out with the left hand, three times.
Wash the whole face — from the hairline to the chin and from ear to ear — three times.
Wash the right arm from the fingertips to the elbow three times, then the left the same way.
Wet the hands and wipe over the head from the front to the back, then back to the front — once.
With the same wetness, wipe the inside of the ears with the index fingers and the outside with the thumbs — once.
Wash the right foot up to the ankle three times, including between the toes, then the left the same way.
Recite: 'Ashhadu an lā ilāha illa-llāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh' — I bear witness there is no god but Allah alone, and that Muḥammad is His servant and messenger.
What breaks wudu?
Anything that exits from the private parts breaks wudu.
Passing wind breaks wudu.
Sleeping deeply — where you lose awareness — breaks wudu.
Fainting, seizure, or intoxication all break wudu.
Rulings differ across schools of fiqh. For detailed cases, ask a qualified scholar or your local imam.
Quick review
Muslim Socials provides beginner learning resources. For detailed rulings, personal questions, or madhhab-specific guidance, please consult a qualified scholar or your local imam.