Islamic Manual

The four obligatory acts (fard) of ablution (wudu)

The four obligatory (fard) acts of ablution (wudu) explained in full: the face, the arms, wiping the head, and the feet.

There are four parts of wudu that you MUST do. If you miss even one, your wudu does not count. Everything else is sunnah or mustahabb: good things to add, but not a must. The full order to do everything in is in How to Make Wudu; here we explain these four parts a bit more.

The boundary of the face washed in wuduA front-on face with a dashed line at the hairline and another at the base of the chin marking the lengthwise boundary, and two dashed vertical lines from each earlobe down past the jaw marking the widthwise boundary. The bounded area is lightly shaded. A callout marks the inner corner of the eye, near the bridge of the nose, where dirt collects and must be cleaned, and a second callout marks the temple, between the cheek and the ear, to show it is included.hairlinechinearlobe toearlobe,past the jawdirt collects hereclean the inner eye cornertempleincluded
The boundaries of the face.

The four must-do parts

  1. Wash your whole face once, from the top of your forehead down to under your chin, and from one ear to the other. Do not leave any part dry, even a spot as small as a hair!If you have a thick beard, wash the hair. If it's thin and you can see your skin, wash the skin too.
  2. Wash both arms up to and including your elbows. Spread your fingers apart so water gets between them, and take off a ring if it's tight.
  3. Wet your hands and wipe at least a quarter of your head, once.
  4. Wash both feet up to and including your ankles. Spread your toes so the water gets between them, and don't wear anything tight on your toes that stops the water getting through.
Masah: wiping one quarter of the headA head seen from above, divided into four equal quarters by a cross. The front quarter nearest the forehead is shaded to show the minimum area a wet hand must wipe, with curved parallel lines showing the wiping motion. A caption distinguishes wiping bare scalp from wiping a quarter of the hair.front (forehead side)Bare scalp: wipe the skin of the quarter.Hair: wiping a quarter of the hair suffices.
Wiping a quarter of the head.

There are four obligatory (fard) acts in wudu. Leaving any one of them out means the wudu is not valid. Everything else in the method is sunnah or a preferred act, explained separately. For the complete step-by-step method in order, see How to Make Wudu; this page covers only the four obligations and exactly what each of them requires.

The four obligatory acts of wudu
Act In brief
1. Washing the whole face From the top of the forehead to below the chin, and from one ear to the other.
2. Washing both arms Up to and including the elbows.
3. Wiping a quarter of the head (masah) With wet hands.
4. Washing both feet Up to and including the ankles.
The boundary of the face washed in wuduA front-on face with a dashed line at the hairline and another at the base of the chin marking the lengthwise boundary, and two dashed vertical lines from each earlobe down past the jaw marking the widthwise boundary. The bounded area is lightly shaded. A callout marks the inner corner of the eye, near the bridge of the nose, where dirt collects and must be cleaned, and a second callout marks the temple, between the cheek and the ear, to show it is included.hairlinechinearlobe toearlobe,past the jawdirt collects hereclean the inner eye cornertempleincluded
The boundaries of the face.
Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

Washing the whole face once is fard. Its boundaries are from the start of the forehead to below the chin lengthwise, and from one earlobe to the other widthwise.

It is not obligatory to wash inside the eyes, nose or mouth, but washing the eyelids and clearing away any dirt or discharge on them is obligatory, as is the corner of the eye near the nose, since dirt collects there. Where a beard, moustache or eyebrows are thick enough to hide the skin beneath, washing the hair is obligatory in place of the skin; where the hair is thin and the skin shows through, the skin itself must be washed; the same applies to the temple, the area between the cheek and the ear. Where a nostril is open, water must reach inside it; where it is closed by a tight ring, the ring must be moved so water can pass, otherwise this is not required. The part of the lips that stays visible when the lips are closed must be washed.

Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

Washing both arms up to and including the elbows is fard.

If water cannot reach between the fingers because they are close together, it is obligatory to separate them so that it does. A ring or bracelet tight enough to stop water passing beneath it must be removed; one loose enough that water reaches under it when moved need only be moved.

Masah: wiping one quarter of the headA head seen from above, divided into four equal quarters by a cross. The front quarter nearest the forehead is shaded to show the minimum area a wet hand must wipe, with curved parallel lines showing the wiping motion. A caption distinguishes wiping bare scalp from wiping a quarter of the hair.front (forehead side)Bare scalp: wipe the skin of the quarter.Hair: wiping a quarter of the hair suffices.
Wiping a quarter of the head.
Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

Wiping (masah) a quarter of the head, once, with wet hands, is fard.

Where there is no hair on the head, a quarter of the scalp must be wiped; where there is hair, a quarter of the hair is wiped instead. Wiping hair that hangs down below the head does not count. The hand used must be wet, either still wet from washing the earlier limbs, or freshly moistened.

Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

Washing both feet up to and including the ankles is fard.

If water cannot reach between the toes without separating them, separating them is obligatory. Anything worn on the toes (such as a tight band, sometimes used because of illness) that stops water reaching the skin must not be left in place; if water cannot reach underneath it, the wudu is not valid.

Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

If any part that must be washed or wiped is left dry, even a spot the size of a hair, the wudu is not valid.

There are four fara'id of wudu; omitting any one of them invalidates it. The sunan and mustahabbat that complete the method are treated separately: see How to Make Wudu for the complete sequence in order. This section sets out each fard and its qualifications in full.

The four obligatory acts of wudu
Act In brief
1. Washing the whole face From the top of the forehead to below the chin, and from one earlobe to the other.
2. Washing both arms Up to and including the elbows.
3. Masah of a quarter of the head With wet hands.
4. Washing both feet Up to and including the ankles.
The boundary of the face washed in wuduA front-on face with a dashed line at the hairline and another at the base of the chin marking the lengthwise boundary, and two dashed vertical lines from each earlobe down past the jaw marking the widthwise boundary. The bounded area is lightly shaded. A callout marks the inner corner of the eye, near the bridge of the nose, where dirt collects and must be cleaned, and a second callout marks the temple, between the cheek and the ear, to show it is included.hairlinechinearlobe toearlobe,past the jawdirt collects hereclean the inner eye cornertempleincluded
The boundaries of the face.
Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

Washing the entire face once is fard; its boundary runs from the start of the forehead to beneath the chin lengthwise, and from one earlobe to the other widthwise.

Washing inside the eyes, nose or mouth is not obligatory, though washing the eyelids and removing any dirt or discharge on them is, as is the corner of the eye adjoining the nose, where dirt commonly collects. Where a beard, moustache or eyebrows are thick enough to conceal the skin, washing the hair suffices in place of the skin; where the hair is thin and the skin shows through, the skin itself must be washed; the same distinction applies to the temple, the area between the cheek and the ear. An open nostril must be reached by water; one closed by a tight ring requires the ring to be worked so water passes through, and nothing further where it is not tight. The part of the lips left exposed when the lips are closed must be washed.

Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

Washing both forearms up to and including the elbows is fard.

Separating the fingers, so water reaches between them, is obligatory wherever they are close enough to block it. A ring or bracelet tight enough to form a barrier must be removed; one loose enough to admit water when moved need only be moved.

Masah: wiping one quarter of the headA head seen from above, divided into four equal quarters by a cross. The front quarter nearest the forehead is shaded to show the minimum area a wet hand must wipe, with curved parallel lines showing the wiping motion. A caption distinguishes wiping bare scalp from wiping a quarter of the hair.front (forehead side)Bare scalp: wipe the skin of the quarter.Hair: wiping a quarter of the hair suffices.
Wiping a quarter of the head.
Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

Masah of a quarter of the head, once, with wet hands, is fard.

Where the head is bare, a quarter of the scalp is wiped; where there is hair, a quarter of the hair is wiped in its place. Wiping hair that hangs down below the head does not fulfil the masah. The wetness may be that remaining on the hands from the limbs already washed, or fresh water taken for the purpose.

Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

Washing both feet up to and including the ankles is fard.

Separating the toes is obligatory wherever water cannot otherwise reach between them. Anything worn on the toes that forms a barrier to the water (a tight band worn for a medical reason, for instance) must not be allowed to block it; where it does, the wudu is invalid.

Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

Should any part of the washed or wiped areas be left dry, even to the extent of a hair's breadth, the wudu is invalid.

This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 724 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.

Rulings of Wudu

  1. Four Obligations in Wudu:
  2. Washing the Face: From the forehead to the chin and from one ear to the other.
  3. Washing Both Arms: Up to and including the elbows.
  4. Wiping a Quarter of the Head: Called "masah."
  5. Washing Both Feet: Up to and including the ankles.

Rulings of Wudu (Ablution) Note

The method of ablution (wudu) that has been described includes all obligatory (fard), recommended (sunnah), and preferred (mustahab) actions. Each of these will now be explained separately so that it becomes clear which actions are obligatory in wudu—those which, if omitted, invalidate the wudu; which actions are recommended—those which, if left out, do not invalidate the wudu but leave it incomplete and carry blame; and which actions are preferred—those that do not incur blame if omitted, but bring reward and complete the wudu if performed.

Rulings of Wudu (Ablution) 9. Obligatory Acts in Wudu

There are four obligatory acts in wudu:

  1. Washing the entire face.
  2. Washing both arms, including the elbows.
  3. Wiping (masah) a quarter of the head.
  4. Washing both feet, including the ankles.

Rulings of Wudu (Ablution) Note

  1. Washing each of these body parts once is obligatory.
  2. If any part of these body areas remains dry, even a spot as small as a hair, the wudu will not be valid.
  3. Water must flow over these parts. It is not necessary to deliberately pour water over them. If water flows over these areas unintentionally (for example, if it rains and two drops of water flow over each part of the wudu area, or if one accidentally falls into a pool or pond and water flows over the wudu areas), the wudu will be complete.

Rulings of Wudu (Ablution) Explanation of the First Obligation

  1. The face refers to the area from the beginning of the forehead to the area below the chin (lengthwise), and from one ear’s lobe to the other ear’s lobe (widthwise).
  2. It is not obligatory to wash inside the eyes, nose, and mouth. However, washing the eyelids and removing any accumulated dirt or discharge is obligatory.
  3. The area of the eyes near the nose must also be washed, as this part often collects dirt. It should be cleaned, and water should reach this area.
  4. If the beard, mustache, or eyebrows are so thick that the skin beneath them is hidden and not visible, washing the skin is not obligatory, but washing the hair is obligatory. If the hair is not thick and the skin is visible, washing the skin is obligatory.
  5. The area between the cheek and ear (called the temple) must be washed. Where there are thick beard hairs, only the hair should be washed, while in areas without hair or where the hair is thin, the skin must be washed.
  6. If there is a hole in the nose that is open and not blocked, water must reach inside. If the hole has a nostril and it is tight, moving the nostril while washing is necessary. Otherwise, it is not required.
  7. The part of the lips that remains exposed when the lips are closed is obligatory to wash.

Rulings of Wudu (Ablution) Explanation of the Second Obligation

  1. The washing of the arms includes the elbows.
  2. If water does not reach between the fingers due to their closeness, it is obligatory to separate the fingers so that water can reach there.
  3. If there are rings or bracelets on the fingers or wrists that are so tight that water cannot pass beneath them, it is obligatory to remove them to wash the area. If water can reach under the items by shaking them, it is necessary to move them to ensure proper washing.

Rulings of Wudu (Ablution) Explanation of the third obligation

  1. The wiping of the head should be done for a quarter of the head.
  2. If there is no hair on the head, the quarter of the skin must be wiped, and if there is hair, then the quarter of the hair itself must be wiped.
  3. Wiping over the hair that hangs down will not count as proper wiping.
  4. The hand must be wet for the wiping, whether the hands remain wet after washing the limbs or if they are moistened with fresh water.

Rulings of Wudu (Ablution) Explanation of the Fourth obligation

  1. Washing the feet includes the ankles as well.
  2. If water does not reach between the toes without separating them, it is obligatory to separate them to ensure water reaches.
  3. Some people, due to illness or other reasons, wear something on their toes, like a tight band, that prevents water from reaching the area. This should be avoided, as it will invalidate the Wudu if water cannot reach that part.

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