To do wudu (ablution) in Islam, the essential steps are as follows:
- Make the intention (niyyah) in your heart that you are performing wudu for purification and prayer.
- Say "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah) before starting.
- Wash your hands up to the wrists three times, starting with the right hand.
- Rinse your mouth three times.
- Clean your nostrils by sniffing water into the nose and blowing it out three times.
- Wash your face three times, covering from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin and from ear to ear.
- Wash your arms up to the elbows three times, starting with the right arm.
- Wipe your head once with wet hands.
- Clean your ears once by wiping inside and behind with your fingers.
- Wash your feet up to the ankles three times, starting with the right foot and making sure water reaches between the toes.
After completing these steps, it is recommended to recite the shahada (declaration of faith) and a supplication for purification. Wudu should be performed in this order without long pauses, and all obligatory parts should be washed or wiped as described. Washing the head and ears is done only once, while other parts are washed three times. This ritual prepares a Muslim for prayer by cleansing them physically and spiritually.
