Wuḍūʾ
Definition
Wudu is the ritual washing performed before prayer and certain other acts of worship, involving the face, hands and forearms, head, and feet. Al-Ghazali details its legal requirements — the obligatory elements, the recommended acts, the conditions that nullify it — and then opens the inner dimension: each limb washed is simultaneously being offered to Allah as an instrument of worship. He cites the hadith that sins fall from the limbs along with the drops of water, and argues that this is not metaphor but spiritual reality — provided the washing is accompanied by true presence of heart and sincere intention.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Wuḍūʾ.
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"The Prophet, peace be upon him, performed wudu once, saying, "This is a wudu through which Allah accepts the prayer. He performed wudu twice, saying, "Whoever performs wudu twice, Allah will give him his reward twice over. And he performed wudu thrice, saying, "This is my wudu and the wudu of the prophets before me, and the wudu of the friend of Allah, Abraham, peace be upon him.""
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 3: The Book of Purification
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"Whoever does not remember Allah will not be purified except to the extent the water touches him. Furthermore, he said, "Whoever performs wudu on top of wudu, Allah records ten good deeds for him. And he added, "Wudu after wudu is light upon light. This is all encouragement to renew wudu. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "When a Muslim servant performs wudu and rinses his mouth, sins come out from his mouth; when he snuffs his nose, sins come out from his nose; when he washes his face, sins come out from his face until they come out from beneath his eyelids; when he washes his hands, sins come out from his hands until they come out from under his nails;"
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 3: The Book of Purification
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"narration Ibn Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him came out of the toilet and was brought food. When asked if he should perform wudu he responded should I pray and then perform wudu. Chapter what has been narrated about the sayings of the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him before and after eating. It is narrated that Salman said I read in the Torah that the blessing of food is in performing wudu before it and after it. I mentioned this to the Prophet peace be upon him and informed him of what I had read in the Torah. The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said the blessing of food is in performing wudu before it and after it."
— Imam al-Tirmidhi, Al-Shamā'il al-Muhammadiyya — The Sublime Beauty of the Prophet ﷺ
Appears in
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