"How do I wash (make wudoo) for the salat (prayers)?"
This is very important for all of us -

Sifat Wudoo'-in-Nabee (SAW)
The method of performing wudoo

Part 1 - Introduction Preface

Verily all praise is for Allaah, we praise Him and seek His aid and ask for His forgiveness, and we seek refuge with Allaah from the evils of ourselves and our evil actions. Whomever Allaah guides there is none who can misguide him, and whomever Allaah misguides there is none who can guide him, and I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah Alone, having no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger.

O mankind! Be dutiful to your Rabb (Creator, Master, Owner of All-Things), Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both, He created many men and women and, and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights). and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you. [Sooratun-Nisaa': Ayat 1]

O You who Believe! Fear Allah (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that he has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him. and remember Him always] And do not die except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah. [Sooratul-'Imraan ayah: Ayat 102]

O You who Believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you of your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (saws) he has indeed a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-Fire and made to enter Paradise). [Sooratul-Ahzaab: Ayat 70-71]

As for what follows: Verily the most truthful speech is the Word of Allaah and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and the worst of affairs are the novelties and every novelty is an innovation and every innovation is a going astray and every going astray is in the Fire.

I desired to write this as a completion for the treatises which are in circulation amongst the people today - about the different fields - especially of worship such as Prayer and Fasting, etc. - which have made easier that which is difficult as regards religious rulings and being guided thereby, as it maybe difficult these days for some to read, research and extract these rulings from their places within the source books - either because of the ignorance of the Muslims or laziness or other worldly problems. I sincerely advise all the Muslims to read and research until they come to know and understand their true Deen - and I wished to write this in order to complete the series of the types of worship, especially since no one has particularized this topic in a treatise - except what occurs within the books of reference as we have explained - but I have not found this in the form of a treatise.

My method for this treatise has been not to quote except what is authentic from the hadeeth of Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) - if Allaah wishes - ordering it according to the order of the Wudoo of Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and I have commented on some of the points about which there is difference of opinion - stating that which is correct therefrom in our view after replying to the other opinions.

I ask Allaah to guide us to that which is proper - verily He is the One having authority over that and having the Power to do so.

The Definition of Wudoo

Wudoo in the Arabic Language:

Wudoo is the action, and wadoo the water used therefor - and it is also a verbal noun; or they are two forms of the same word, both meaning the verbal-noun and maybe both referring also to the water used.

Wudoo in the Sharee'ah:

Wudoo is using clean and cleansing (Tuhoor) water upon certain body parts as Allaah ta'ala has prescribed and explained.

The Prescription of Wudoo in The Kitaab And Sunnah:

Allaah ta'ala says: O Ye who believe! When ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles [soorat-ul-Maa'idah, 5:7]

1. Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu'anhu) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: The Prayer of anyone of you breaching purification is not accepted unless he makes wudoo. [Al-Bukhaaree, (Fath ul-Baaree, 1/206), Muslim (no.225) and others].

2. Ibn 'Umar (radhiAllaahu 'anhumaa) said: Indeed I heard Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) say: Allaah does not accept Prayer without purification, nor Sadaqah from illegally attained wealth. [Muslim (1/160) and others].

3. Ibn 'Abbaas (radhiAllaahu 'anhumaa) said: Rasolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: Verily I have been ordered to make wudoo when I stand for Prayer. [Saheeh. Reported by Abu Dawood (no.3760); at-Tirmidhee (no.1848), and he declared it to be 'hasan-saheeh': an-Nasaa.ee (1/73). And Shaikh al-Albaanee declares it to be 'saheeh' ('Saheeh ul-Jaami', no.2333)].

4. Abu Sa'eed (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: The key to Prayer is purification, its 'tahreem'[1] is the takbeer and its 'tahleel'[2] is the giving salaam. [Reported by Abu Dawood (no.60); at-Tirmidhee (no.3); Ibn Maajah (no.275) and others. Declared as 'saheeh' by Shaikh al-Albaanee: ('Saheeh ul-Jaami', no.5761)].

The Excellence of Wudoo

5. Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu'anhu) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu'alaihi wa sallam) said: Shall I not guide you to that by which Allaah wipes away the sins and raises the ranks? They said: Certainly O Messenger of Allaah! He said Completing the wudoo when it is a hardship, and many steps to the mosques and waiting for the [next] Prayer after the Prayer, that is 'ar-Ribaat' (defending the frontiers), that is 'ar-Ribaat' that is 'ar-Ribaat'). [Reported by Muslim (1/151) and others].

6. Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu'anhu) reports that Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said When the Muslim (or 'Believing') servant makes wudoo and washes his face then the sin of everything he looked at with his eye comes away with the water, or with the last drop of the water, and when he washes his hands then the sin of everything he stretched out his hands to comes away with the water, or with the last drop of the water. And when he washes his feet every sin which his feet walked towards comes away with the water or with the last drop of the water - so that he leaves clean (clear/pure) from sins. [Reported by Muslim (1/148) and others].

7. Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) reports that Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) came to the graveyard and said Peace be upon you, dwelling of Believing People and we will (all) if Allaah wills join you soon. I would have liked to have seen our brothers! They said: Are we not your brothers, O Messenger of Allaah? He said You are my Companions and our brothers are those who have not yet come! They said: How will you know those who have not yet come from your Ummah, O Messenger of Allaah? He said Have you not seen that if a man had a horse with a white blaze and hoof along with a totally jet-black horse, then would he not know his horse? They said: Certainly, O Messnger of Allaah. He said So they will come with white blazes and marks from the wudoo and I am present before them at the Hand ('water-tank') Indeed men will be driven away from my 'water-tank' as the lost camel is driven away from their gathering place. 'Come on'. So it will be said: 'Indeed they have made changes after you,' so I will say: Be off, be off. [Muslim 249].

8. Abu Umaamah (radhiAllaahu'anhu) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said When a Muslim makes wudoo the sins he has committed come away from his hearing and from his sight and from his hand and from his feet, so when he sits he sits down having been forgiven. [Reported by Ahmad (5/252) and is hasan].

9. Abu Maalik al-Ash'aree (radhiAllaahu anhu) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said Purification is half of Imaan. And 'al-hamdu lillaah' fills the Scales. And 'subhaanAllaah' and 'al-hamdu lillaah' fill whatever is between the heaven and the earth. And Prayer is a light. And Sadaqah is a clear proof. And Sabr (patience) is a shining light. And the Qur'aan is a proof for or against you. Every person starts the day dealing for his own soul so he either sets it free or destroys it. [Reported by Muslim (1/140) and others].

10. 'Uthmaan (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said Whoever makes wudoo and makes it well, his sins come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails. [Reported by Muslim (3/133) and others].

11. 'Uthmaan (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said Whoever makes wudoo like this - then all of his previous sins are forgiven - and his Prayer and his walking to the mosque are above and beyond that. [Reported by Muslim, 3/113].

12. Ibn 'Umar (radhiAllaahu 'anhumaa) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu'alaihi wasallam) said When one of you makes wudoo and makes it well, then goes out to the mosque - having no purpose except Prayer - then his left foot continues to wipe away his evil deeds and his right foot continually writes for him good deeds until he enters the mosque. And if the people knew what there was in the night prayer and Subh prayers - then they would come to them even if they had to crawl. [Reported by at-Tabraanee in 'al-Mu'jam ul-Kabeer'. And Ash-Shaikh al-Albaanee declares it to be saheeh (As-Saheehah, no.454). And its meaning is reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim from the narration of Abu Hurairah].

13. Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu'anhu) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said Whoever makes wudoo and makes it well then goes out - and then finds that the people have finished the Prayer - then Allaah gives him the same reward as one who had prayed it along with the people without diminishing any of their reward. [Reported by Abu Dawood (no.564) and an-Nasaa'ee (no.856) and others. Al-Albaanee declares it to be 'saheeh' (As-Saheehah, no.6039)].

14. Zaid ibn Khaalid al Juhanee (radhiAllaahu'anhu) relates that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said Whoever makes wudoo and makes it well, then prays two rak'ahs not letting his mind wander in them - then Allaah forgives him all of his previous sins. [Reported by Abu Dawood (no.905) and others. Al-Albaanee declares it to be 'hasan' (As-Saheehah, no.6041)].

15. 'Uqbah ibn 'Aamir (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said Whoever makes wudoo and makes it well, then prays two rak'ahs concentrating therein with his heart and his face - then Paradise is obligatory for him. [Reported by an-Nasaa'ee. Al-Albaanee declares it to be 'saheeh' (As-Saheehah, no.6062)].

16. 'Uthmaan (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) said: I heard Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) say Whoever makes wudoo for Prayer and completes the wudoo - then walks to the obligatory Prayer and prays it with the people - or with the congregation - or in the mosque - then Allaah forgives his sins. [Reported by Muslim (1/144) and others].

17. 'Alee (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) relates that Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said Completing the wudoo when it is a hardship, and walking to the mosque, and waiting for the next prayer after the previous one (greatly) washes away the sins. [Reported by al-Haakim (1/132) who declared it to be saheeh to the standard of Muslim. And al-Haithumee said in 'Az-Zawaa-id': It is narrated by Abu Ya'laa and al-Bazzaar. And its narrators are up to the standard of Al-Bukharee],

18. Humraan ibn Abaan relates that 'Uthmaan asked for water to make wudoo - then he mentioned how the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) made wudoo . Then he said: The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said at the end of the hadeeth Whoever makes wudoo in the same way that I have just made wudoo then stands up and prays two rak'ahs, not thinking of other things, then his previous sins are forgiven. [Related by al-Bukhaaree (Fath ul-Baaree, 11/213) and Muslim (no.226) and an-Nasaa'ee ( 1/63)] .
-- From Quran and Sunnah Society website www.QSS.org

(continued in PART 2 . . http://www.islamnewsroom.com/content/view/570/1/)