Wudu

Wuduʾ (Arabic: الوضوء, romanized: al-wuḍūʼ, lit. 'ablution' [wʊˈdˤuːʔ] ^ⓘ) is the Islamic procedure for cleansing parts of the body, a type of ritual purification, or ablution. The four key steps of wudu are washing the face, then the forearms, then wiping the head, then washing or wiping the feet, while doing them in order without any big breaks between them.

Wudu is an important part of ritual purity in Islam that is governed by fiqh,^[1] which specifies hygienical jurisprudence and defines the rituals that constitute it. Ritual purity is called tahara.

Wudu is typically performed before salah or reading the Quran. Activities that invalidate wudu include urination, defecation, flatulence, deep sleep, light bleeding (depending on madhhab), menstruation, postpartum status, and sexual intercourse.

Wudu is often translated as "partial ablution", as opposed to ghusl, which translates to "full ablution", where the whole body is washed. An alternative to wudu is tayammum or "dry ablution", which uses clean sand in place of water due to complete water scarcity or if one is suffering from moisture-induced skin inflammation or illness or other harmful effects on the person.

^ Glasse, Cyril (2001). The New Encyclopeida of Islam. Altmira Press. p. 477.

[GCNEI-477-1] Glasse, Cyril (2001). The New Encyclopeida of Islam. Altmira Press. p. 477.

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