What if I forget to wash a part of my wudu?
Yes, you can fix it easily. Wash the part you missed. Depending on your school you may also need to redo the parts that came after it. If you notice only after you have prayed, the prayer was prayed without a complete wudu, so most scholars say to make wudu properly and repeat that prayer.
The Prophet's guidance
This happened in the Prophet's ﷺ time. A man made wudu but left a small area, about the size of a fingernail, dry. The Prophet ﷺ saw it and told him to go back and make his wudu well, and the man did so and then prayed (Sahih Muslim 243).
The lesson is clear: wudu must cover the whole of each required part. Skipping a spot, even a small one, leaves the wudu incomplete. Another hadith warns about heels left dry (Sahih al-Bukhari 60), and heels are among the most commonly missed spots.
What to do when you notice
Notice the missed part, then:
- Hanafi and Maliki schools: the order of wudu is a sunnah, so washing the missed part is what is required. Redoing the parts that followed is better but not obligatory.
- Shafi'i school: order is required, so wash the missed part and then redo every part that comes after it, in order.
- Hanbali school: the same as the Shafi'i view, but if a long time has passed since you started, begin the whole wudu again.
If you can't remember what your school says, the simple, safe answer is to wash the missed part and then everything after it. See Does wudu have to be done in order?
If you've already prayed
If you find out after finishing a prayer, your wudu was incomplete when you prayed. Most scholars say to complete your wudu now and repeat that prayer. Allah does not blame a person who forgot, so you are not sinful. You just redo the prayer.
Doubt is different. If you only wonder afterwards whether you might have missed a spot, and you're not sure, ignore the doubt. See What if I am not sure whether my wudu is broken?
Easy spots to miss
- Heels and the sides of the feet
- The elbows
- The gaps between fingers and toes
- Skin under a ring, watch or bracelet
- The edges of the face near the hairline and beard
Washing three times is the sunnah, and a second or third wash also helps cover any spot you missed first time. See How many times should I wash each part in wudu?
- A missed spot means wudu is incomplete (Sahih Muslim 243).
- Wash the missed part; some schools also require redoing what came after.
- If you've already prayed, make wudu and repeat that prayer.
- Doubt after finishing is not the same as knowing you missed something.
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