How do I make wudu?

Why wudu matters

Wudu is the washing you do before prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah does not accept a prayer without purification (Sahih Muslim 224). The core of it comes straight from the Quran:

Step by step

• Intention and Bismillah. Intend in your heart that this is wudu for prayer. No words are needed for the intention. Then say "Bismillah".
• Hands. Wash both hands up to the wrists three times, getting between the fingers.
• Mouth and nose. Take water in your right hand, rinse your mouth, sniff a little water into your nose and blow it out with your left hand. Do this three times.
• Face. Wash your whole face three times, from the hairline to under the chin and from ear to ear. Men with beards run wet fingers through them.
• Arms. Wash your right arm from the fingertips up to and including the elbow three times, then the left.
• Head. Wipe over your head once with wet hands, front to back and back to front.
• Ears. Wipe inside the ears with your index fingers and behind them with your thumbs, once.
• Feet. Wash your right foot up to and including the ankle three times, between the toes too, then the left.

This is the wudu that 'Uthman showed people, saying it was how he saw the Prophet ﷺ do it. He added that whoever makes wudu like this and then prays two rak'ahs with focus has his past sins forgiven (Sahih al-Bukhari 159).

Common beginner mistakes

• Leaving the heels or elbows dry. Check them every time.
• Thinking every step must be done three times. Once, fully covering each part, is valid; three is the sunnah.
• Using a lot of water. A small, steady stream is enough.
• Wearing something that blocks water, like nail polish. See Can I pray with nail polish on?

Wudu at work, school or on the go

You don't need a special room. A normal sink works, and you can wipe over socks you put on while in wudu instead of washing your feet. See Do I have to take off my socks every time I make wudu? One wudu also lasts for several prayers until something breaks it. See What breaks wudu?