TAHARAH: Wudhu as the prophet Muhammad (sallalahu ‘alayhi wasallam) taught

This is a video I found in the net and it is one of the closest (on video) to how the prophet performed his ablution (wudhu).

I have translated what was explained in the video, and also added some explanatory footnotes.

IMPORTANT NOTE: My previous article stressed the importance of not being wasteful. This video is the illustration of how it was done. Although he illustrates it using a vessel, one could still be thrift when performing ablution at a water pipe. Close the pipe every time you get enough water in your palm. It's not difficult at all, because I have been practising this for some time!

Watch the video:


All praises due to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the one who was sent as a Mercy to all mankind, our master and prophet Muhammad, and also on his family, companions and whoever follows his guidance and practice his sunnah till the Day of Judgement. Wudhu as the prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) taught.

Firstly, the prophet used to perform wudhu with a mudd and performed the ghusl (bath) with a saa’. [1] This vessel is close to a mudd. A mudd, linguistically, is one fill of the palms. A saa’ is the like of this, multiplied by four. And the prophet used to use this amount of water (as explained) in wudhu and ghusl.

In the hadith of Uthman Ibn Affan in describing the wudhu[2] of the prophet mentioned that he would have a vessel the size of a mudd, so he poured on his hands and washed it 3 times. And this washing of two hands to the wrists is wajib when one wakes up from sleep because the prophet prohibited that one dips his hand into the vessel (water after sleep except after washing them 3 times.[3] And it is recommended to wash his hands to the wrists first before every wudhu 3 times.

He said: Then he dips his (right) hand into the water and takes a handful (of water) and performed with it (the handful of water) the madhmadhah (rinsing the mouth) and istinshaq (sniffing up the nose). He takes half for the mouth and the other half for istinshaq (sniffing water up the nose)[4].

Al-Istinshaq is putting water into the nose and istinthar is blowing water out of nose. And he used to do istinshaq with his right hand and istinthar with his left hand.[5] The second handful………..the third handful.

These madhmadhah and istinshaq, in the correct opinion, are wajib, enters into the statement of Allah:

“O you who believe, when you intend to offer salat then wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows..”
[al-Maa’idah: 6]

This mouth, performing madhmadhah, and nose is included in the meaning of the word (in this verse) ‘face’.

He said: then he took a handful and washed his face with it. And he washed his face 3 times. Washing of the face… and it is fard.

Then he washed his hands to the elbows, starting with the right hand. Mirfaq (elbow) is the joint between the upper and lower arm. Allah’s statement:

“O you who believe, when you intend to offer salat then wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows..”
 [al-Maa’idah: 6]

And the correct opinion is the elbows are included in the washing of hands so it is wajib to wash them because they are included. Then he took 3 handfuls to wash his left hand, likewise.

Then he wiped his head one time, moving the hands back and then forward. He starts with the front of the head towards the neck and then returns them to spot where he started[6], and then wiped both his ears: he inserted his pointing fingers into his ears and wiped the outer lobs with his thumbs. And he wiped only one time. I wiped twice just to demonstrate the wiping that it starts from the front bringing the hands to towards the nape of the neck and then push them back to where it started and wiped his ears.[7]

Then he washed his right feet, to his ankle, 3 times. Likewise he washed his left feet, also 3 times, to his ankle. Then he said : [The two du’a that appears below] Then he (sallallaahu 'alahi wa sallam) said:

Whoever makes wudoo and completes the wudoo then says:

 أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
 (I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنْ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ
(O Allaah, make me one of those who constantly repents to You and of those who purify themselves.)

except that all eight Gates of Paradise are opened for him - so that he enters by whichever he pleases. [8]

So wudhu is a great act of worship, and that it is the condition of salat, as we have mentioned in teaching description of the prophet’s prayer, that it is a condition for the correctness of salat, due to the statement of Allah:

“O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salât (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles.”
[al-Maa’idah:6]

We ask Allah that He makes us from among the repentant and those who purifier themselves.

_____________________________
Footnotes: [1] Abu Bakr (radhialllahu ‘anhu) said: Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wassalam) used to bathe with a saa’ (of water) and performed wudhu with a mudd (of water). [al-Bukhaaree (no. 492)]
[2] The Shaikh is referring to the hadith: Narrated Humran (the slave of 'Uthman) I saw 'Uthman bin 'Affan asking for a tumbler of water (and when it was brought) he poured water over his hands and washed them thrice and then put his right hand in the water container and rinsed his mouth, washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out. then he washed his face and forearms up to the elbows thrice, passed his wet hands over his head and washed his feet up to the ankles thrice. Then he said, "Allah's Apostle said 'If anyone Performs ablution like that of mine and offers a two-rak'at prayer during which he does not think of anything else (not related to the present prayer) then his past sins will be forgiven.' " After performing the ablution 'Uthman said, "I am going to tell you a Hadith which I would not have told you, had I not been compelled by a certain Holy Verse (the sub narrator 'Urwa said: This verse is: "Verily, those who conceal the clear signs and the guidance which we have sent down..." (2:159). I heard the Prophet saying, 'If a man performs ablution perfectly and then offers the compulsory congregational prayer, Allah will forgive his sins committed between that (prayer) and the (next) prayer till he offers it. [al-Bukhaaree]
[3] Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu'anhu) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: When one of you awakes from sleep then let him not enter his hand into the bowl/vessel until he washes it three times as he does not know where his hand has spent the night. [Al-Bukhaaree (Fath ul-Baaree, 1/229), Muslim and it is his wording, as al-Bukhaaree doesn't report "three times"].
[4] 'Abdullaah ibn Zaid al-Ansaaree said that it was said to him: Perform for us the wudoo of Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), so he called for a pot of water..until he said: So he washed his mouth and nose with a single handful and did that three times. [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]
[5] 'Abd Khair said: We were sitting looking towards 'Alee - as he made wudoo - and he entered into his mouth a handful of water with his right hand and washed his mouth and nose, then expelled it from his nose with his left hand - he did that three times, then said: Whoever would like to see the way of purification of Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) - then this is his purification. [Reported by ad-Daarimee. Ash-shaikh al-Albaanee says in his notes on al-Mishkaat: Its isnaad is saheeh].
[6] ‘Amr ibn Abi al-Hasan asked ‘Abdullah ibn Zaid about the wudhu of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) so he asked for a tumbler…then he passed his (wet) hands over his head from its front to its back and vice versa (beginning from the front and taking them to the back of his head up to the nape of the neck and then brought them to the front again from where he had started) one time, then he washed his feet. [al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]
[7] From 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr - about the way of performing wudoo - he said: Then he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) wiped his head and entered his two forefingers into his ears and wiped the backs of his ears with his thumbs. [Reported by Abu Dawood (no.135), an-Nasaa'ee (no.140), Ibn Maajah (no.422) and authenticated by Ibn Khuzairnah]
[8] Reported by at-Tirmidhee (no.55), declared as Sahih by al-Albaanee. Also reported by Muslim (no.234), Abu Dawood (no 169), an-Nasaa'ee (no.148), Ibn Maajah (no.470) without the supplication:
 اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنْ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ.