Since the Muslim appears before God during prayer, he must purify himself with pure water for such an occasion. The pure water which can be used obtained from rains, rivers, seas, oceans, springs, wells, or melted snow.

The purification required for preparing oneself for prayer is three types:

Minor purification which is called ablution (or partial ablution or Wudu)
Major purification which is called al-ghusl or full ablution (washing and rinsing the whole body)
Dusty purification which is called tayammum (wiping with pure dust)

Wudu or partial ablution is decribed separately below in detail.

In addition to Wudu (or partial ablution), al-ghusl (or full ablution) is beside the wudu in the following cases (that called major impurity):

After sexual intercourse or wet dreams
After the dryness, whether for menstruation or confinement

Tayammum means wiping the face and the two hands with pure dust. If pure water is not available or can not be used, tayammum is required as substitute for wudu or Al-ghusl or both of them to pray when the compulsory prayer falls due.

WuduWudu (Arabic: الوضوء al-Wuḍū', Persian:آبدست ābdast, Turkish: abdest, Urdu: وضو wazū') is the Islamic act of washing parts of the body using water. Muslims are required to perform wudu in preparation for ritual prayers and for handling and reading the Qur'an. Wudu is often translated as "partial ablution", as opposed to ghusl, or "full ablution".

The acts of wudu

The Qur'anic mandate for wudu comes in the sixth ayatof sura 5 (Al-Ma'Ida):

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. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favour to you, that ye may be grateful.

There are other acts that are performed during wudu (coming from the sunnah of Muhammad and Sunni Islamic scholars) and the detailed acts of the wudu can be classed into 3 types:

Farā'id of wudu

There are four fard (obligatory) acts. If one of these acts is omitted, it must be returned to and then completion of the successive acts are to be performed. Theses are clearly stated in the Quran.

"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. "

Washing the face once.
Washing both the arms including the elbows once.
Performing Masah of one fourth of the head .
Washing both the feet once up to and including the ankles. It's not sufficient for one to pass wet hand over the feet or shoes. Under certain conditions masah can be done over leather socks known as khuffs.

Mustahabbāt of wudu

A handful of mustahab (recommended) acts that are considered to make the wudu better. If one of these acts is omitted, the wudu is still considered valid.

Reciting the shahadah after the ablution
There should be no delay between washing two limbs.
During wudu one should not engage in worldly talk.
Choosing a clean place for ablution.
Not wasting water in ablution.

Performance of wudu according to Sunni Muslims

Start by making niyyah (intention) to perform wudu and cleanse the self of impurities.
Say bismillah ("In the Name of Allah (God)").
Wash the right hand up to the wrist (and between the fingers) three times, then similarly for the left hand.
Rinse the mouth and spit out the water three times and rub the teeth with a Miswak. If Miswak is not available then one should use the finger.
Gently put water into the nostrils with the right hand, pinch the top of the nose with the left hand to exhale the water. This is performed three times.
Wash the face (from the hairline on the forehead to where facial hair begins and ear to ear). This is to be performed three times.
Wash the entire right arm, including the hand, up to and including the elbow three times; then the left arm three times. Pass fingers of one hand between the fingers of the other hand. If wearing a ring it should be moved freely to allow water to pass under it.
Then perform Masah. Wet hands should be passed all over the head; then the first finger of the right and left hand should be moved in the right and left ears respectively and in the same operation thumbs should be passed around the ears; then pass the backs of the hands over the hind part of the neck only. Hands should not be passed around the fore-neck as it is prohibited. This is only done once. One may NOT make masah over a Muslim head cap. Fresh water need not be taken for performing the masah of the ears.
Starting with the right foot, wash both feet from the toes up to and including the ankles thrice. The little finger of te left hand should be passed between the fingers of both the feet beginning from the little toe of the right foot and ending with the little toe of the left foot.
Recite the shahadah.

Wudu

Wudu (Arabic: الوضوء al-Wuḍū', Persian:آبدست ābdast, Turkish: abdest, Urdu: وضو wazū') is the Islamic act of washing parts of the body using water. Muslims are required to perform wudu in preparation for ritual prayers and for handling and reading the Qur'an. Wudu is often translated as "partial ablution", as opposed to ghusl, or "full ablution".

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