Reviewed July 2026

How to make wudu

Wudu is the short washing before prayer: nine steps, a couple of minutes at any sink. Learn it once and it becomes as automatic as brushing your teeth.

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Before beginning wudu

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ

Bismi-llāh

“In the name of Allah.”

  1. Intend, and begin with Allah’s name

    Intention (niyyah) is in the heart, no phrase needs saying aloud. Scholars recommend beginning by saying Bismillah.

  2. Wash your hands×3

    Up to and including the wrists, between the fingers.

  3. Rinse your mouth×3

    Take water in, swirl it, and let it out.

  4. Rinse your nose×3

    Sniff a little water into the nostrils and blow it out gently.

  5. Wash your face×3

    Hairline to chin, ear to ear.

  6. Wash your arms×3

    Right arm first, then left, fingertips up to and including the elbows.

  7. Wipe your head×1

    With wet hands, wipe from the front of the head to the back.

  8. Wipe your ears×1

    With the same wetness: index fingers inside the ears, thumbs behind them.

  9. Wash your feet×3

    Right foot first, then left, up to and including the ankles, between the toes.

Described per common Sunni practice; the schools of law differ on small details, and Shia practice differs in some steps. None of the differences are a reason to delay; learn the form your local community practices.

Wudu questions, answered

What breaks wudu?

Using the toilet, passing wind, deep sleep, and loss of consciousness break wudu by broad agreement; schools differ on details like touching skin or bleeding. When wudu breaks, you simply make it again before the next prayer, it takes a minute or two.

Do I need to make wudu before every prayer?

You need wudu to pray, but it does not expire on its own, if nothing broke it, one wudu can carry you through several prayers. Many people simply refresh it before each prayer anyway.

What if I make a mistake or forget a step?

Wash the missed part and what follows it if you catch it soon; if you realize much later, repeat the wudu. Mistakes while learning carry no blame, the sequence becomes automatic within days.

Does the order of wudu steps matter?

The washing follows the sequence of the Qur'anic verse, face, arms, head, feet, and keeping the whole order above is the practice of the Prophet ﷺ. Wash right before left, and keep the steps continuous rather than spread out.

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