The Book Of Prayer (Kitaab-ul-Salaat)

ABLUTION (WUZU)
The Obligations In Ablution (Wuzu)
The following four (4) acts are obligatory in ablution:
a. Washing the entire face: that is from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin and
from ear to ear. Water must flow over the entire skin area at least once. If the moustache
or eyebrows have thick hair, it is obligatory only to wash the hair. If the hair is sparse, the
skin must also be washed. Similarly, if hair in the beard is not thick, the inner skin must
be washed. The area around the lips which remains exposed in the natural state when the
mouth is closed, must also be washed.
b. Washing both hands, up to and including the elbows. Washing any body part means that
at least two drops of water must have flowed over each and every spot of it (not leaving
out any spot equal to the breadth of a hair). Simply wetting the body part or spreading
water over it like oil, or the flowing of just drop is not classified as "washing" - and will
not complete the ablution or bath. All types of ornaments which are tight to the skin must
be removed and the skin below it washed, as described above. If nail polish has been
applied, ablution or bath cannot be complete without removing it. However, ablution or
bath will be complete in cases where the thing remaining on the skin is such that it is
continuously or sometimes required and to remove it causes a burden - whether such a
thing is above or below the nails or on any other part of the body - or whether such a
thing is hard and water does not reach the skin below it - such as dough on the hands of
kneaders, paint on the hands of a painter, henna for women, ink for the writer, sand or
mud for the labourer and kohl under the eyelids or ordinary dirt for the common man.
c. "Masah" (Stroking with wet hands) of one fourth of the head: Hands should be wet for
performing the "Masah" whether due to water remaining from washing the hands, or by
wetting them with fresh water. If the hands remain wet after "Masah", it will not suffice
for "Masah" of any other body part.
d. Washing both feet: It is necessary to wash both feet fully - i.e. all sides of toes, inner
parts of the toes, top part of the toes, heels, soles and the entire ankles. If water does not
reach between the toes naturally, it is necessary to do “ Khilaal” , i.e. pass the little finger
between them to make the water reach there.
The Sunnah (Prophet's Traditions) In Ablution (Wuzu)
The following acts are Sunnah (Prophet's traditions) in ablution:
o Making an intention (Niyah) for obeying Allah and for the gaining of reward.
o Performing ablution while sitting in a clean place.
o Reciting "Bismillah Shareef" at the beginning of ablution.
o Washing both hands up to the wrists.
o Brushing the teeth with "Miswaak"