Purification (wudu and ghusl) in Islam: Quran and hadith

Texts from the Quran and from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim about purification (wudu and ghusl). This is a collection of texts, not a ruling and not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar. All topics

From the Quran

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًۭا فَٱطَّهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءًۭ فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًۭا طَيِّبًۭا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍۢ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.

وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ قُلْ هُوَ أَذًۭى فَٱعْتَزِلُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فِى ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطْهُرْنَ ۖ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرْنَ فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّٰبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

And they ask you about menstruation. Say, "It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allah has ordained for you. Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves."

إِذْ يُغَشِّيكُمُ ٱلنُّعَاسَ أَمَنَةًۭ مِّنْهُ وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۭ لِّيُطَهِّرَكُم بِهِۦ وَيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمْ رِجْزَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ وَلِيَرْبِطَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتَ بِهِ ٱلْأَقْدَامَ

[Remember] when He overwhelmed you with drowsiness [giving] security from Him and sent down upon you from the sky, rain by which to purify you and remove from you the evil [suggestions] of Satan and to make steadfast your hearts and plant firmly thereby your feet.

لَّا يَمَسُّهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلْمُطَهَّرُونَ

None touch it except the purified.

From the hadith

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، شَهِدْتُ عَمْرَو بْنَ أَبِي حَسَنٍ سَأَلَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ زَيْدٍ عَنْ وُضُوءِ النَّبِيِّ، صلى الله عليه وسلم فَدَعَا بِتَوْرٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ، فَتَوَضَّأَ لَهُمْ وُضُوءَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَكْفَأَ عَلَى يَدِهِ مِنَ التَّوْرِ، فَغَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ ثَلاَثًا، ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ فِي التَّوْرِ، فَمَضْمَضَ وَاسْتَنْشَقَ وَاسْتَنْثَرَ ثَلاَثَ غَرَفَاتٍ، ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ فَغَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ ثَلاَثًا، ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ فَغَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ مَرَّتَيْنِ إِلَى الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ مَرَّتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ فَمَسَحَ رَأْسَهُ، فَأَقْبَلَ بِهِمَا وَأَدْبَرَ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً، ثُمَّ غَسَلَ رِجْلَيْهِ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ‏.‏

Narrated `Amr:My father saw `Amr bin Abi Hasan asking `Abdullah bin Zaid about the ablution of the Prophet. `Abdullah bin Zaid asked for earthenware pot containing water and in front of them performed ablution like that of the Prophet (ﷺ) . He poured water from the pot over his hand and washed his hands thrice and then he put his hands in the pot and rinsed his mouth and washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out with three handfuls of water. Again he put his hand in the water and washed his face thrice and washed his forearms up to the elbows twice; and then put his hands in the water and then passed them over his head by bringing them to the front and then to the rear of the head once, and then he washed his feet up to the ankles

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا اغْتَسَلَ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ بَدَأَ فَغَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ، ثُمَّ يَتَوَضَّأُ كَمَا يَتَوَضَّأُ لِلصَّلاَةِ، ثُمَّ يُدْخِلُ أَصَابِعَهُ فِي الْمَاءِ، فَيُخَلِّلُ بِهَا أُصُولَ شَعَرِهِ ثُمَّ يَصُبُّ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ ثَلاَثَ غُرَفٍ بِيَدَيْهِ، ثُمَّ يُفِيضُ الْمَاءَ عَلَى جِلْدِهِ كُلِّهِ‏.‏

Narrated `Aisha:Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) took a bath after Janaba he started by washing his hands and then performed ablution like that for the prayer. After that he would put his fingers in water and move the roots of his hair with them, and then pour three handfuls of water over his head and then pour water all over his body

لاَ يَتَوَضَّأُ رَجُلٌ فَيُحْسِنُ وُضُوءَهُ، وَيُصَلِّي الصَّلاَةَ إِلاَّ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الصَّلاَةِ حَتَّى يُصَلِّيَهَا ". قَالَ عُرْوَةُ الآيَةُ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ}.

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 (ﷺ) 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

الصَّلاَةُ أَمَامَكَ ". فَرَكِبَ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ الْمُزْدَلِفَةَ نَزَلَ فَتَوَضَّأَ، فَأَسْبَغَ الْوُضُوءَ، ثُمَّ أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَصَلَّى الْمَغْرِبَ، ثُمَّ أَنَاخَ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ بَعِيرَهُ فِي مَنْزِلِهِ، ثُمَّ أُقِيمَتِ الْعِشَاءُ فَصَلَّى وَلَمْ يُصَلِّ بَيْنَهُمَا.

Narrated Usama bin Zaid:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) proceeded from `Arafat till when he reached the mountain pass, he dismounted, urinated and then performed ablution but not a perfect one. I said to him, ("Is it the time for) the prayer, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)?" He said, "The (place of) prayer is ahead of you." He rode till when he reached Al-Muzdalifa, he dismounted and performed ablution and a perfect one, The (call for) Iqama was pronounced and he led the Maghrib prayer. Then everybody made his camel kneel down at its place. Then the Iqama was pronounced for the `Isha' prayer which the Prophet (ﷺ) led and no prayer was offered in between the two . prayers (`Isha' and Maghrib)

إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَجْعَلْ فِي أَنْفِهِ ثُمَّ لِيَنْثُرْ، وَمَنِ اسْتَجْمَرَ فَلْيُوتِرْ، وَإِذَا اسْتَيْقَظَ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْ نَوْمِهِ فَلْيَغْسِلْ يَدَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهَا فِي وَضُوئِهِ، فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لاَ يَدْرِي أَيْنَ بَاتَتْ يَدُهُ

Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If anyone of you performs ablution he should put water in his nose and then blow it out and whoever cleans his private parts with stones should do so with odd numbers. And whoever wakes up from his sleep should wash his hands before putting them in the water for ablution, because nobody knows where his hands were during sleep

لاَ يَتَوَضَّأُ رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ فَيُحْسِنُ الْوُضُوءَ فَيُصَلِّي صَلاَةً إِلاَّ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الصَّلاَةِ الَّتِي تَلِيهَا

Humran. the freed slave of 'Uthman. said:I heard from 'Uthman b. 'Affan and he was in the courtyard of the mosque, when the Mu'adhdhin (announcer of the prayer) came to him at the time of afternoon prayer. So the ('Uthman) called for the ablution water and performed ablution and then said: By Allah, I am narrating to you a hadith. If there were not a verse in the Book of Allah, I would have never narrated it to you. I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say: If a Muslim performs ablution and does it well and offers prayer, all his (sins) daring the period from one prayer to another would be pardoned by Allah

إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ الْعَبْدُ الْمُسْلِمُ – أَوِ الْمُؤْمِنُ – فَغَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ خَرَجَ مِنْ وَجْهِهِ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ نَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا بِعَيْنَيْهِ مَعَ الْمَاءِ – أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ – فَإِذَا غَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ خَرَجَ مِنْ يَدَيْهِ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ كَانَ بَطَشَتْهَا يَدَاهُ مَعَ الْمَاءِ – أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ – فَإِذَا غَسَلَ رِجْلَيْهِ خَرَجَتْ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ مَشَتْهَا رِجْلاَهُ مَعَ الْمَاءِ – أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ – حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ نَقِيًّا مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ

Abu Huraira reported:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: When a bondsman-a Muslim or a believer-washes his face (in course of ablution), every sin he contemplated with his eyes, will be washed away from his face along with water, or with the last drop of water; when he washes his hands, every sin they wrought will be effaced from his hands with the water, or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin towards which his feet have walked will be washed away with the water or with the last drop of water with the result that he comes out pure from all sins

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، أَنَّهُ أَفْرَغَ مِنَ الإِنَاءِ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ فَغَسَلَهُمَا، ثُمَّ غَسَلَ أَوْ مَضْمَضَ، وَاسْتَنْشَقَ مِنْ كَفَّةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ ثَلاَثًا، فَغَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ إِلَى الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ مَرَّتَيْنِ مَرَّتَيْنِ، وَمَسَحَ بِرَأْسِهِ مَا أَقْبَلَ وَمَا أَدْبَرَ، وَغَسَلَ رِجْلَيْهِ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ هَكَذَا وُضُوءُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏

Narrated `Amr bin Yahya:(on the authority of his father) `Abdullah bin Zaid poured water on his hands from a utensil containing water and washed them and then with one handful of water he rinsed his mouth and cleaned his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out. He repeated it thrice. He, then, washed his hands and forearms up to the elbows twice and passed wet hands over his head, both forwards and backwards, and washed his feet up to the ankles and said, "This is the ablution of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)

إِنَّ حَوْضِي لأَبْعَدُ مِنْ أَيْلَةَ مِنْ عَدَنٍ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لأَذُودُ عَنْهُ الرِّجَالَ كَمَا يَذُودُ الرَّجُلُ الإِبِلَ الْغَرِيبَةَ عَنْ حَوْضِهِ " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَتَعْرِفُنَا قَالَ " نَعَمْ تَرِدُونَ عَلَىَّ غُرًّا مُحَجَّلِينَ مِنْ آثَارِ الْوُضُوءِ لَيْسَتْ لأَحَدٍ غَيْرِكُمْ

Hudhaifa reported:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: My Cistern is bigger than the space between Aila and Aden. By Him in Whose Hand is my life, I will drive away persons (from it) just as a person drives away unknown camels from his cistern. They (the companions) said: Messenger of Allah, would you recognise us? He said: Yes, you would come to me with white faces, and white hands and feet on account of the traces of ablution. None but you would have (this mark)

Quran verses use the Arabic text with the Sahih International translation. Hadith are from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. A translation is not the Quran itself, and one text does not give a full ruling. Open each link and read the text in its full context.

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