Stay Motivated With 3 Ways to Improve Your Wudu in Islam
Do you find it harder to make wudu or to stand and pray?
How many times have you delayed your prayer because you were lazy to make wudu?
You are not alone!
Making wudu is one of the biggest challenges to praying on time. But there’s ONE hack to getting past this. Wudu in Islam is a hallmark of the faith, and washing before we pray does not exist in any religion except Islam.
By understanding WHY you make wudu, you too can become a WUDU WARRIOR!
Wudu is one of those things that’s easy to overlook, thinking it’s just a tiny part of Islam when it’s a goldmine of rewards!
Who doesn’t want a treasure chest of rewards?
Wudu in Islam is fundamental to a believer, both practically and spiritually. It cleans our bodies and our sins.
The concept of purification and hygiene are core to Islamic teachings. Children are taught at a young age, through the lens of Islam, how to clean themselves after using the bathroom, to wash their hands before eating, to use a miswak (toothbrush/tooth stick), etc.
Cleanliness is half of our faith!
Imagine, wudu, this simple act of washing ourselves in a ritual movement is what will distinguish the Ummah of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) on the day of Resurrection.
A quick cleanse with water is not looking so daunting anymore, right?
Abdullah bin Busr narrated: the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “On the day of Resurrection, my nation will be radiant from prostrating and shining from Wudu.” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 607)
Make no mistake, performing and perfecting wudu in Islam is a form of worship, and it directly ties to our salat (obligatory prayers) and our faith. Therefore, we should approach the topic of wudu with utmost importance.
Here are three ways to improve your wudu. Keep in mind the hadith below, reminding us of the fantastic reward of good wudu.
`Uthman bin `Affan said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever does wudu and does wudu well, his sins come out of his body, even from beneath his nails.” (Musnad Ahmad 476)
1. Wudu in Islam Starts and Ends with Dua
Since wudu in Islam is integral to a Muslim’s life, it is no surprise that dua (supplication) relates to wudu. Improving our wudu requires us to start with the remembrance of Allah and end similarly.
When you begin your wudu, start by saying “Bismillah” (which we say before entering the bathroom to make wudu or quietly to yourself).
Abu Sa’eed bin Zaid narrated: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘There is no prayer for one who does not have ablution, and there is no ablution for one who does not mention the Name of Allah (before it).'” (Sunan Ibn Majah 398)
When you’ve completed wudu and left the bathroom, say:
Qays ibn ‘Ubad reported: Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Whoever performed ablution, let him say: Glory be to You, O Allah, and Your praise. I testify there is no God but You. I seek Your forgiveness, and I repent to You.” (al-Sunan al-Kubrá lil-Nasā’ī 9829)
2. Miswak in Wudu
Gargling is a part of wudu, and overall oral hygiene is part of Islam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) continually used a miswak, and it was the first thing he did when entering his home. He also emphasized the use of it to his companions (RA).
The amazing thing about using a miswak is that it also pleases Allah. Using the miswak or Siwak does clean not only the mouth but also the spiritual self.
It was narrated from Abu Bakr that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: `The Siwak is cleansing to the mouth and pleasing to the Lord` (Musnad Ahmad 7)
At the time of ablution, a miswak is even more emphasized. It is so important, to the point that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have commanded the people to use it, except he was afraid of adding hardship to us. This indicates just how beneficial it is for us to use a miswak before ablution: physically and spiritually.
Umm Habibah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Were it not hardship for my nation, I would have commanded them to use the tooth stick with every prayer as they perform ablution.” (Musnad Aḥmad 26223)
3. Pay Attention to Your Heels
Another way to improve wudu is to just take your time and be efficient.
This does not mean wasting water and leaving it running. Ideally, we should make wudu with as little water as possible, but the key is to thoroughly use the water to wipe all the areas of wudu.
The most overlooked area in wudu is our heels.
So, be mindful of ensuring your heels are adequately washed.
‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr said:
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw some people performing ablution, and their heels were dry. He said: ‘Woe to the heels because of Hell-fire, perform ablution properly!'”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have washed each area multiple times. Sometimes twice, but often it was three times. This would ensure that we do not miss any place and take our time to wipe all areas thoroughly.
It was narrated that ‘Ali (RA) said: This is the wudu of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), then he did wudu washing each part three times.
Wudu in Islam is something all of us can improve, and it’s not complicated.
When you delay washing for prayer, just remember the rewards that await you!
To learn more about the Fiqh of Wudu, signup for a free trial with an expert scholar in Fiqh.
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