Egypt’s Dar Al-Ifta revealed the virtue of a forgotten Sunnah related to wudu (ablution), saying that proper performance can earn the reward of 57 prayers. Teaching wudu for adults helps correct common mistakes and revive the Prophet’s practice of purification.
Fatwa Committee Secretary Wesam El-Khouli said: “Purification is half of faith,” emphasizing that perfecting wudu elevates a Muslim’s rank and wipes away sins, quoting the Prophet ﷺ: “Whoever performs wudu well and prays two rak‘ahs without distraction will have his sins forgiven as on the day he was born.”
She explained that the six obligatory acts of wudu are mentioned in the Qur’an:
“O you who believe! When you rise for prayer, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, wipe over your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles,”
with the order being an additional obligatory part.
El-Khouli added that among the most important Sunnahs is using the miswak (tooth-stick), as the Prophet ﷺ said: “A prayer performed after using the miswak is seventy-five times better than one without it,” noting that this forgotten Sunnah equals the reward of 57 prayers.
She also stressed the importance of saying “Bismillah” before wudu, as the Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no wudu for one who does not mention Allah’s name,” meaning the act loses its blessing, not its validity.
Other Sunnahs include rinsing the mouth, inhaling water, exhaling it, and washing each limb three times, which reflect love for the Prophet’s Sunnah and multiply the reward.
El-Khouli concluded by urging Muslims to learn wudu properly, explaining that correct understanding of its obligations and Sunnahs brings both physical and spiritual purity.
