Islam the Religion of Peace
What are the Adabs (Mustahabs) of Wudu?
The mustahabs (adabs) of wudu are as follows: If they are done, rewards are received. If they are not done, no blaming or punishment is in question.
1 - To stand in a high place in order to protect oneself from the splashing of water while making wudu.
2 - To turn toward the qiblah while making wudu .
3 - Not to ask help from anybody while making wudu. That is, to try to make wudu on one's own without the help of anybody unless one is ill or needs the help of others due to an excuse. If somebody helps a person voluntarily without being asked, there is no drawback to it. It does not violate adabs. As a matter of fact, it is written in hadith books that some Companions poured water out of a pitcher for the Messenger of Allah and received his dua though the Messenger of Allah did not ask help from them. This shows that there is no drawback to accepting the voluntary help of others like preparing water for wudu and pouring it.
4 - Not to talk while making wudu unless it is necessary. For, worldly talk prevents a person from reading wudu supplications.
5 - To intend to make wudu by the tongue along with the heart and to remember this intention (niyyah) throughout wudu.
6 - To utter basmala separately for each organ that is washed and to read wudu supplications reported from salaf. If a person does not know these supplications, he can utter salawat for the Messenger of Allah.
7 - To move the ring which is not tight and which allows the water under. If the ring is tight, it must be moved.
8 - To put water in the mouth and the nose through the right hand.
9 - To throw the water out of the nose using the left hand.
10 - Not to use water extravagantly or too thriftily while making wudu. That is, not to waste and not to act stingily.
Once the Messenger of Allah saw Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, one of the Companions, making wudu by using a lot of water. He said to him,
- What is this extravagance? Thereupon, Sa'd asked in astonishment: "Is there extravagance in wudu?"
Thereupon, the Prophet answered him as follows:
- Yes. Even if you make wudu near a river, it will regarded as israf (waste) if you spend too much water."
11 - To make wudu before the time for a prayer starts or to try to have wudu all the time except for an excused person.
It is very virtuous to make wudu before the time for a prayer starts because this prepares a person spiritually for worship and makes him turn to worship with his heart.
To have wudu all the time is a means of attaining great rewards and spiritual benefits. For, such a person can do any righteous deeds that need to be done by having wudu anywhere and anytime. He can perform prayers in congregation, perform supererogatory prayers and janazah prayers and can hold the Quran (mushaf) anytime. In short, it becomes possible to do all kinds of righteous deeds thanks to having wudu. Besides, if he dies when he has wudu, it is hoped that he will attain the rank of martyrdom.
It is stated in a hadith that angels always ask forgiveness for a person who has wudu all the time and goes to bed having wudu.
It is narrated that seven good qualities are granted to a person who has wudu all the time:
* Angels like his talk and visit him.
* The pen always writes rewards for him.
* All of the organs of that person glorify Allah.
* He always goes to the mosque and does not miss the congregation.
* Angels protect him from the harmful things that can hit him in the dark.
* During the time of death, he dies easily.
* He is protected by Allah Almighty.
12 - To make wudu though one has wudu. It is stated in a hadith that if a person makes wudu though he has wudu, he will be given ten rewards.
13 - To turn toward the qibla at the end of wudu and utter kalima ash-shahadah, and to pray as follows:
"Allahumma'j'alni minattawwabina wa'j'alni mina'l-mutatahhirin (O Allah! Make me among those who repent and purify themselves." (*)
14 - Not to make wudu with water heated under the sun. It is said that invisible harmful rays in the sun will penetrate into water and that it will harm the health of the person who makes wudu with it.
15 - (For those who make wudu with a pitcher) not to leave the pitcher empty and to fill it for the next wudu. It is said that this will enable a person to make Satan give up hope of delaying his prayer.
16 - To read the chapter of al-Qadr after uttering kalima ash-shahada at the end of wudu.
17 - To exaggerate while washing the arms, face and feet. That is, to wash the arms up to the shoulders, to wash the feet up to the knees and to wash the face down to the neck. The reason for this exaggeration is that the faces and wudu organs of the ummah of Muhammad will be bright and luminous on the Day of Judgment. This is something given to the Islamic ummah only.
It is recommended in a hadith to exaggerate while washing the organs of wudu in order to increase this brightness, luminosity and whiteness:
"Doubtlessly, my ummah will turn up with luminous faces and white wudu organs on the Day of Judgment due to the traces of wudu. Increase this luminosity and whiteness if you can."
18 - To perform a two-rak'ah prayer after wudu if it is not time of karahah.
