4.1.2.3 Wuḍūʾ and Ghusl

Purification as a Condition for Prayer

Ṣalāh is not valid without purification of the body, clothes, and place of prayer. The basic physical purification for most prayers is wuḍūʾ, and the major purification when required is ghusl. Both are acts of worship, so they must be done with intention and in the way that Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ taught.

Allāh says about wuḍūʾ:

“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.”
(Qur’an 5:6)

The Prophet ﷺ also said:

“Allāh does not accept the prayer of any one of you if he breaks wind until he performs wuḍūʾ.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

So purification is a condition for acceptance of prayer, not just a habit of cleanliness.

Intention (Niyyah) in Wuḍūʾ and Ghusl

Wuḍūʾ and ghusl are acts of ‘ibādah. They are not just washing. For them to be rewarded and valid as worship, they must be done with the intention of worship and purification for acts like prayer, ṭawāf, or touching the muṣḥaf.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Actions are only by intentions, and every person will have only what he intended.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

The place of intention is the heart. One does not have to say a special phrase out loud. It is enough to know in your heart, “I am doing wuḍūʾ for prayer” or “I am doing ghusl to lift major impurity.”

Wuḍūʾ: Minor Purification

When Wuḍūʾ Is Required

Wuḍūʾ is required before every obligatory or voluntary ṣalāh, before ṭawāf, and according to many scholars before touching the written muṣḥaf.

Allāh links wuḍūʾ directly to prayer:

“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.”
(Qur’an 5:6)

If a person remains in a state of wuḍūʾ, he does not need to repeat it for each prayer as long as his wuḍūʾ is not broken.

The Fard (Obligatory) Acts of Wuḍūʾ

In this course we present what is common to the major schools, without entering their detailed differences. The Qur’an itself mentions the core obligatory acts of wuḍūʾ:

“Wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows, and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles.”
(Qur’an 5:6)

From the Qur’an and authentic ḥadīth, scholars agreed that certain acts are essential. If any of these are left out deliberately or by forgetfulness, the wuḍūʾ is not valid and the prayer based on it is not valid.

The essential pillars include: intention in the heart, washing the entire face one time at least, washing both arms including elbows, wiping at least part of the head, and washing both feet including ankles.

The Prophet ﷺ performed wuḍūʾ and said:

“This is the wuḍūʾ by which Allāh does not accept the prayer of anyone except with it.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd)

He also said:

“Perform wuḍūʾ as Allāh has commanded you.”
(Sunan an‑Nasā’ī)

The Sunnah Order and Description of Wuḍūʾ

The Qur’an gives the obligatory parts. The Prophet ﷺ showed how to do wuḍūʾ completely and with excellence. A man asked ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) about wuḍūʾ, so he called for water and performed wuḍūʾ in front of him and said:

“I saw the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ perform wuḍūʾ like this wuḍūʾ of mine.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

From such narrations, the complete sunnah method includes:

Beginning with saying “Bismillāh” at the start, if one remembers. Rinsing the mouth and nose, washing the face fully, washing the arms, wiping the head, and washing the feet, in the order taught by the Prophet ﷺ, and generally three times for each washing part, except the head which is wiped once.

He ﷺ said:

“Whoever performs wuḍūʾ and does it well, his sins will leave his body, even from beneath his fingernails.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

And in another narration:

“Whoever performs wuḍūʾ like this wuḍūʾ of mine, then prays two rakʿahs in which he does not speak to himself [with worldly matters], his previous sins will be forgiven.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī)

Spiritual Meaning of Wuḍūʾ

Wuḍūʾ is not only a preparation for the body. It is also a washing of sins and a preparation of the heart. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“When a Muslim, or a believer, performs wuḍūʾ and washes his face, every sin that he looked at with his eyes leaves with the water, or with the last drop of water. When he washes his hands, every sin which he committed with his hands leaves with the water, or with the last drop of water. When he washes his feet, every sin to which his feet walked leaves with the water, or with the last drop of water, until he emerges purified from sins.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

He ﷺ also said about the marks of wuḍūʾ:

“My ummah will be called on the Day of Resurrection with bright faces and bright hands and feet from the traces of wuḍūʾ. So whoever among you can lengthen his brightness, let him do so.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

So wuḍūʾ becomes a symbol of light and purity in this life and the next, when it is done with mindfulness, humility, and hope in Allāh’s forgiveness.

What Invalidates Wuḍūʾ

Wuḍūʾ lasts until something that breaks it occurs. The detailed rulings of invalidators are discussed in another chapter, but here we focus on the main principles connected to wuḍūʾ.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Allāh does not accept the prayer of anyone who has broken wuḍūʾ until he performs wuḍūʾ.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī)

He also said when asked about a man who imagines he feels something during prayer:

“He should not leave [the prayer] unless he hears a sound or finds a smell.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

From the Qur’an and Sunnah, the clearest things that nullify wuḍūʾ include what comes out from the private parts such as urine and stool, breaking wind, and similar clear states of minor impurity. Anything that certainly happens of this type breaks wuḍūʾ, and the person must renew it before praying again.

Ghusl: Major Purification

When Ghusl Becomes Obligatory

Ghusl is the full ritual bath that removes a state of major ritual impurity. Certain situations make ghusl obligatory before performing ṣalāh or ṭawāf.

Allāh says:

“And if you are in a state of janābah, then purify yourselves.”
(Qur’an 5:6)

The Prophet ﷺ taught specific occasions when ghusl is required. Among them are:

After sexual intercourse, even if there is no ejaculation. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“When he sits between her four parts and has intercourse with her, then ghusl becomes obligatory.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

After ejaculation of semen with pleasure, whether awake or in a wet dream. The Prophet ﷺ asked Umm Sulaym (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhā) about a woman who sees in her sleep what a man sees. He said:

“Yes, if she sees the fluid.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

After the end of menstruation and post‑natal bleeding for women. Allāh says:

“And they ask you about menstruation. Say, ‘It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation and do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then go to them from where Allāh has ordained for you.’”
(Qur’an 2:222)

The women at the time of the Prophet ﷺ understood from this and his guidance that they should perform ghusl after the bleeding stops.

On Friday for those attending Jumuʿah, ghusl is an emphasized sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Ghusl on Friday is obligatory on every adult.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

Scholars explained that in this ḥadīth, the word “obligatory” here refers to strong recommendation for Friday, not obligation like janābah, based on other texts.

Intention in Ghusl

Just as with wuḍūʾ, ghusl must be done with the intention of lifting major impurity, or of becoming pure for prayer and worship. If a person simply takes a shower to cool down or for cleanliness without intending ghusl, this does not count as ritual purification.

The general ḥadīth applies:

“Actions are only by intentions, and every person will have only what he intended.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

A person may combine intentions, such as intending both to remove janābah and to perform the sunnah ghusl of Jumuʿah at the same time.

Obligatory Acts of Ghusl

The most basic valid ghusl that lifts major impurity has two essential parts.

The first is intention in the heart for ritual purification.

The second is to make water reach the entire body, including the skin, hair, and mouth and nose according to many scholars, without leaving any part that must be washed.

Allāh’s command for those in janābah is:

“Then purify yourselves.”
(Qur’an 5:6)

The Prophet ﷺ explained this by his own ghusl. When his wife Maymūnah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhā) described his ghusl from janābah, she said that he poured water over his body and washed it fully until he was done.

He ﷺ said:

“Under every hair there is janābah, so wash the hair and cleanse the skin.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd)

This shows that the water must cover the whole body, including the roots of the hair.

The Sunnah Method of Ghusl

The Prophet ﷺ’s description of ghusl shows the most complete and recommended way. It includes:

Beginning with washing the hands. Washing the private parts. Performing a complete wuḍūʾ, similar to wuḍūʾ for prayer. Then pouring water over the head three times, making sure it reaches the roots of the hair and scalp. Then pouring water over the rest of the body, starting with the right side, then the left, making sure no part is left dry.

Maymūnah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhā) described:

“I put water for the Prophet ﷺ to wash from janābah. He washed his hands twice or thrice, then poured water with his right hand over his left and washed his private parts. Then he struck his hand on the earth or wall and wiped it, then rinsed his mouth and nose, washed his face and arms, then poured water over his head and washed his body. Then he moved from that place and washed his feet.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)

This is the most perfect method, but the ghusl is still valid if one only fulfills the obligations that were mentioned, even if he does not follow every recommended order.

Relationship Between Wuḍūʾ and Ghusl

If a person performs the complete sunnah ghusl as described, including rinsing the mouth and nose and washing all the limbs of wuḍūʾ, then, according to many scholars, this ghusl is enough and there is no need to perform a separate wuḍūʾ afterward, as long as the intention to remove impurity and be ready for worship is present.

However, if the ghusl is simply a quick washing of the body without observing the main acts of wuḍūʾ or without intention for purification, then it does not replace wuḍūʾ.

The Prophet ﷺ himself sometimes performed wuḍūʾ before ghusl, and sometimes his ghusl included the parts of wuḍūʾ. In the narration of Maymūnah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhā), he performed wuḍūʾ within ghusl.

Purification and the Believer’s Identity

Purification through wuḍūʾ and ghusl is part of the identity of a Muslim. Allāh praised people of taṭahhur, those who purify themselves:

“Indeed, Allāh loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.”
(Qur’an 2:222)

The Prophet ﷺ described the constant state of a believer who guards his wuḍūʾ:

“No one preserves wuḍūʾ except a believer.”
(Sunan Ibn Mājah)

Through this continual cycle of purification, the believer prepares for ṣalāh again and again, washes away sins repeatedly, and renews his connection to Allāh many times every day.