Wudu is the ritual washing required before salah, and before handling the Qur'an in some views. It's one of the most repeated acts in daily practice, so getting the order and coverage right matters — a rushed or incomplete wudu means the prayer that follows isn't valid.
What breaks wudu (so you know when you need it again)
Using the toilet, passing wind, deep sleep, and (in most views) touching one's spouse with desire or bleeding from a wound in significant amounts are among the things that invalidate wudu. If any of these happen, wudu needs to be repeated before the next prayer.
Step-by-step
- Make the intention (niyyah) in your heart to perform wudu for prayer.
- Say "Bismillah."
- Wash both hands up to the wrist, three times, making sure water passes between the fingers.
- Rinse the mouth three times.
- Rinse the nose by sniffing water in gently and blowing it out, three times.
- Wash the face three times, from hairline to chin and ear to ear, making sure water reaches the whole face including a beard's edges.
- Wash the right arm up to and including the elbow, three times, then the left arm the same way.
- Wipe the head once with wet hands, from the front of the hairline to the back and then back to the front.
- Wipe the ears once, inside and out, using the same water left on the hands from wiping the head.
- Wash the right foot up to and including the ankle, three times, making sure water reaches between the toes, then the left foot the same way.
Once you've completed all of this in order, without a long, unnecessary pause between steps, your wudu is complete.
Where schools of thought differ slightly
- Order of steps: The Hanafi school treats the sequence above as recommended (sunnah) rather than strictly obligatory — meaning if the order is slightly mixed up, the wudu can still be valid. Other schools, notably the Shafi'i school, hold that following the order is obligatory. If you're unsure which your community follows, it's worth asking — but performing wudu in the order above satisfies every view, so it's the safest default regardless.
- Wiping vs. washing the head: All schools agree the head is wiped rather than fully washed, though the exact portion wiped (all of it vs. a partial section) is a point of minor difference between schools.
- Touching the opposite gender: Views differ on whether this breaks wudu at all, and if so, under what conditions. This is genuinely one of the more debated points — if it's relevant to your situation, it's worth asking a scholar familiar with the school of thought you follow.
None of these differences affect the core method above — they're details worth knowing exist, not reasons to worry you're doing it wrong.
Common questions
Does wudu expire after a certain amount of time? No — wudu remains valid until something specifically breaks it (see the list above), regardless of how much time has passed.
Can I make wudu without water, if none is available? Yes — tayammum (dry ablution using clean earth or a similar surface) is a valid substitute when water isn't available or would cause harm, such as with certain illnesses. See our tayammum guide for the steps.
Do I need to remove nail polish? Yes, generally — anything that forms a waterproof barrier and prevents water from reaching the nail or skin needs to be removed first, since water must physically reach the surface being washed.
Related guides: How to Pray Salah · How to Perform Ghusl · How to Pray Tahajjud