Performing Wudu (ablution) is the first essential step of Salah. Whoever performs Wudu well and recites Dua after Wudu, eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, and he may enter through whichever one he wishes. A Hadith regarding this can be seen in this article.
Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur’an Surah Al-Mā’idah Verse No. 6:
Oh, you who believe! When you prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles.
Dua Before and After Wudu in English Meaning & Transliteration
Dua before Wudu is “Bismillah”.
Dua after Wudu is Kalma-e-Shahadat. Ash-hadu ‘an laa ‘ilaaha ‘illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu wa ‘ash-hadu ‘anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa Rasooluhu.
English Translation:
I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger.
Dua Reference in Hadith
It was narrated that ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab said:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Whoever performs Wudu’ and does it well, then says: “Ashhadu an la ilaha ill-Allah was ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his slave and Messenger),” eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, and he may enter through whichever one he wishes.'” – Sunan an-Nasa’i 148.
So now, as we know the Dua for making Wudu and Dua after Wudu, let us make habit of reciting it regularly whenever Wudu is performed.
Outline Summary Of How to Perform Wudu
- The first thing is to make niyyah (intention) and then say Bismillah before performing Wudu.
- The next step is to wash your hands (up to your wrists) three times.
- Grasp some water in your right hand and rinse your mouth three times.
- Repeat the same process and rinse your nose three times.
- Grasp water using both hands and wash your face thoroughly three times.
- Wash both hands thoroughly. Start with your right hand and then your left hand. Make sure the water has reached from fingers till elbow. The process shall be repeated thrice for both hands.
- Wipe your head starting from front to backwards, and then clean your ears inside and outside.
- Wash your feet thoroughly, starting from your toes to the ankle three times.
Once you’ve performed Wudu well, recite the Dua after Wudu.
