Forgot to Say Dua After Wudu: What's the Solution?

Forgot to Say Dua After Wudu

In the previous articles, I have explained some important things about dua after wudu. It's good if you read all of them so that you have a good understanding of dua after wudu. Today, I will explain one important thing that some Muslims don't understand well: forgot to say dua after wudu.

Whatever your reason for opening this article, I'm pretty sure you're looking for an explanation of what to do if you forget to say your dua after wudu. Trust me! I will not let you down today. That's what I will explain now. So, you must read this article to the end!

Dua After Wudu: Is It Wajib for Muslims?

First of all, I will explain the legal status of dua after wudu. You have to understand that first so you can understand the main topic in this discussion. In other words, the legal status of dua after wudu is the basis for our discussion today.

Before I explain the legal status of dua after wudu (is it wajib for Muslims?), it is helpful if I explain what wajib means in Islam because it will give you a very good understanding of what we are discussing now.

What Is Wajib in Islam?

If you want to know the meaning of wajib in Islam, pay attention to the definition of wajib below:

الوَاجِبُ هُوَ مَا يُثَابُ فَاعِلُهُ امْتِثَالًا ، وَيَسْتَحِقُّ تَارِكُهُ العِقَابَ

Wajib is something that people who do it will get a reward and people who don't do it will sin.

Some examples of wajib in Islam are praying (salat), fasting in Ramadan, paying Zakat, and so on. You can find explanations that these are wajib in several verses of the Quran below:

Quranic verses about the wajib to pray (salat) and pay Zakat:

وَاَقِيْمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ وَارْكَعُوْا مَعَ الرّٰكِعِيْنَ

And estazlish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]. (Al-Baqarah: 43).

Quranic verses regarding wajib of fasting in Ramadan:

يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُوْنَۙ

O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous. (Al-Baqarah: 183).

Of course, adult Muslims (Baaligh) must pray five times a day, fast in Ramadan, and pay Zakat if they meet the requirements. They will get a reward if they do it all. And they would be sinning if they didn't do it all. That is wajib in Islam.

Now, is dua after wudu wajib for Muslims?

Before I give you the answer to the question, I will explain the hadith regarding dua after wudu. This hadith will be the basis of an argument to explain the status of dua after wudu (wajib or not). Pay attention to the hadith below:

عَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ :مَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ  يَتَوَضَّأُ فَيُسْبِغُ الْوُضُوْءَ ثُمَّ يَقُوْلُ : أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ , إِلَّا فُتِحَتْ لَهُ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ الثَّمَانِيَّةِ يَدْخُلُ مِنْ أَيِّهَا شَاءَ . أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَزَادَ : اَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِيْ مِنَ التَّوَّابِيْنَ وَاجْعَلْنِيْ مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِيْنَ

From Umar radliyallahu anhu, he said, "The Messenger of Allah alaihi wa sallam said, "It is not one of you who performs wudu then perfects it, then says, "I testify that there is no god but Allah who has no partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, "except the eight doors of Heaven have been opened for him. He can enter any door he wants." The hadith is narrated by Muslim and at-Tirmidhi. He (at-Tirmidhi) added another editor, "O Allah, make me among those who repent and make me including those who are cleansed."

Pay attention to the hadith above! This hadith explains the benefits of dua after wudu. In this hadith it is not explained that the Prophet Muhammad required Muslims to say prayers after wudu.

Now, is dua after wudu wajib for Muslims? Of course, the answer is "No". The reason is because there are no verses in the Koran and hadith that specifically explain that it is wajib for Muslims. Likewise, Islamic law experts. If you read some of the Islamic legal literature regarding dua after wudu, you will not find an explanation that it is wajib.

Maybe now you are wondering, "If the legal status of dua after wudu is not wajib, then what is?"

If you understand the hadith above and read some of the Islamic legal literature regarding wudu, you will find an explanation that the legal status of dua after wudu is sunnah or recommended.

Forgot to Say Dua After Wudu: Is It a Sin?

Hi! Are you still with me? Now I will explain the answer to a question that some Muslims (or maybe you are one of them) may not understand: is it a sin if you forget to say the dua after wudu? This discussion will increase your understanding of the main topics in this discussion. So, you should read it very well.

Before I explain the answer to the question, I want to say that forgetting to say the dua after wudu automatically causes you not to say the dua after wudu. In general, forgetting to pronounce and not pronouncing are two very different things. Forgetting to say something is unintentional. Meanwhile, not saying is generally something intentional. That's why these two things have different consequences.

So, there are two questions we have to answer at once:

• Is it a sin if you forget to say the dua after wudu?
• Is it a sin if you don't say the dua after wudu?

Actually, these two questions, forgetting to say the dua after wudu and not saying the dua after wudu do not have complicated consequences in this discussion. This is because the legal status of dua after wudu is sunnah or recommendation, not wajib. So, there is one answer to these two questions.

By the way, do you know what the answer is? Of course! The answer was, "You will not sin if you forget to say the dua after wudu and do not say the dua after wudu."

Forgot to Say Dua After Wudu: What's the Solution?

Now I will explain the main topic in this discussion: forgetting to say the dua after wudu: what is the solution? As a Muslim, you should understand that because you will gain many benefits if you say dua after wudu—although you will not sin if you do nothing.

If you already understand that dua after wudu has many benefits, and that's what you don't do because you forget, then the solution is actually very simple: you just need to say the dua after wudu as soon as you remember that you haven't done it. Why?

I hope you understand that something you forget—and that's why you don't do it—is saying the dua after wudu. So, if you forget to say it, and you want to do the solution, you just have to say it. It's that simple!

Do you have questions? Please write in the comment column!