Do You Have to Make Wudu for Every Prayer? The Explanation You're Looking For

Hi again! Wudu is one of the most common things to do before prayer. Why? Wudu is the most important way to get rid of minor hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ). One of the conditions for prayer is purity from minor hadas. These two things make wudu inseparable from prayer. It is this fact that makes some Muslims wonder: do you have to make wudu for every prayer?

Whatever your reason for opening this article, I am very sure you are looking for the answer to the question (do you have to make wudu for every prayer?). Don't worry! That's what I will explain today. Trust me! You just need to read this article to the end!

When Should You Make Wudu?

Hi! First of all, I will explain the answer to a basic question on this topic: when should you make wudu? You have to understand that well because it is one of the things that will help you understand the answer to the main topic in this discussion. In addition, there are some Muslims who do not understand it well. I thought you didn't want to be like them, did you?!

In general, there are two conditions that require you to make wudu:

• If you have a minor hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ) and you are going to make acts of worship that require you to be pure from a minor hadas or have wudu.

In Islam, there are several acts of worship that require you to be pure from minor hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ) and major hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَكْبَرُ) while doing them, such as prayer, Tawaf, and holding the Koran. You are strictly prohibited from making these acts of worship if you have minor and major hadas.

For example, if you have to be pure from minor hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ) and major hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَكْبَرُ) while doing it. In the context of this discussion, if you have minor hadas, you should remove them by making wudu (or tayammum if you cannot make wudu) before making the prayer. Your prayer will not be valid if you still have hadas. Pay attention to the hadith below!

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : لَا يَقْبَلُ اللهُ صَلَاةَ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا أَحْدَثَ حَتَّى يَتَوَضَّأَ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ

From Abu Hurairah radiyallahu anhu, that the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Allah does not accept someone's prayer from you if he has hadas (small hadas: الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ) until he performs wudu." This hadith was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

• If you have minor hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ) and you want to remain in a pure state (not having minor hadas) or have wudu.

In fact, remaining in a pure condition, not having minor hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ), or having wudu is not an obligation for Muslims because they will not perform acts of worship that require them to have wudu. That is their recommendation. Wudu will bring them many benefits. One of them is that small sins will be forgiven. You can find this explanation in the hadith below:

عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوْءَ خَرَجَتْ خَطَايَاهُ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ ، حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَظْفَارِهِ . رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

From Uthman bin Affan radliyallahu anhu, he said, "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, "Whoever performs wudu perfectly, his sins come out of his body, even (his sins) come out from under his nails." This hadith was narrated by Muslim.

Those are the two things that require you to make wudu.

What Should You Do Before Prayer?

Now I will explain the answer to the second question that will help you understand the main topic in this discussion: what should you do before prayer? It will give you an understanding of what you should do before praying, including making wudu.

In general, there are six things you should do before praying:

• Purify the body from minor hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ) and major hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَكْبَرُ).
• Covering the private parts (Aurat).
• Wearing holy clothes for prayer.
• Choose a holy place for prayer.
• Facing Qiblah.
• Make sure that the prayer time has arrived.

I want you to pay attention to the first point: cleanse the body from minor hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ) and major hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَكْبَرُ). So, if you have minor hadas and you want to make prayer, you must make wudu.

How Long Is Wudu Valid?

Are you still with me? Now I will explain the answer to the third question that will help you understand the main topic in this discussion very well: how long is wudu valid? You have to understand that so that you understand when you should make wudu and when you should not make wudu.

If you want to know how long wudu is valid, you should understand all the explanations in the previous few paragraphs, especially the hadith I first quoted in this article and the hadith below:

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قاَلَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِذَا وَجَدَ أَحَدُكُمْ فِيْ بَطْنِهِ شَيْئًا فَأَشْكَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَخَرَجَ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ أَمْ لَا ؟ فَلَا يَخْرُجَنَّ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ صَوْتًا أَوْ يَجِدَ رِيْحًا . أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ

From Abu Hurairah radiyallahu anhu, he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, "If one of you finds something in his stomach, then he doubts whether something has come out of him or not? So, he is not allowed to leave the mosque until he hears a sound or smells an aroma." This hadith was narrated by Muslim.

Now, in short, I would like to say that your wudu will remain valid as long as you do not have minor hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ) and major hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَكْبَرُ). These two hadas can break your wudu.

Do You Have to Make Wudu for Every Prayer?

Now I will explain the answer to the question that is the main topic in this discussion: do you have to make wudu for every prayer? You should understand the explanation below very well so that there are no more questions about it in your mind. Of course, if you still have other questions about it, you can write them in the comment column. I would love to have a dialogue with you.

Actually, if you understand all the things I have explained, you can already answer the question which is the main topic in this discussion. If you are still unsure about answering, pay attention to the explanation below!

“You don't have to make wudu for every prayer. You are only obliged to make wudu for prayer if your wudu is not broken.”

As an additional explanation, if your wudu is broken because you have major hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَكْبَرُ), you must make ghusl Janabah (غُسْلُ الْجَنَابَةِ) before you pray. You cannot just make wudu because major hadas can only be removed with ghusl Janabah.

You have a question? Please write in the comment column!