559. Are There Any Duaas Before, During And After Wudhu?

By Asma bint Shameem 

Wudhu is an act of worship and so is duaa. 

And since all acts of ibaadah are ‘tawqeefi’, meaning they have to have PROOF from the Qur’aan or authentuc ahaadeeth, we cannot bring in ‘our’ way of making wudhu and we cannot start saying Duaas on our own in our own way. 

We should only make wudhu the way the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam made wudhu and we should say only those duaas that the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said, EXACTLY the ‘way’ he said them, and in the ‘places’ where he said them, when making wudhu. 

Let’s see what those duaas are. 

1. BEFORE Wudhu

It is highly recommended to start your wudhu by saying:

بسم الله

“Bismillaah”

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“There is no wudhu for one who does not mention the name of Allaah in it.” (al-Tirmidhi - saheeh by al-Albaani)

It’s so important that some of the ulama even considered it obligatory to say Bismillaah before wudhu. 

So don’t forget to say it. 

2. DURING Wudhu

There’s NOTHING proven from the Qur’aan or authentic hadeeth that any duaa or any dhikr is to be said DURING wudhu. 

What some of us were taught to say during wudhu as we wash each part has NO BASIS. 

So there’s NO PROOF of saying la ilaaha ilallaah or Astaghfirullaah or Subhaan Allaah or ANY OTHER dhikr or duaa while washing the different parts in wudhu. 

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

“It is not narrated from him Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam that he used to say anything in his wudhu apart from saying Bismillaah. Every hadeeth which speaks of du’aa’s to be said in wudhu’ is FALSE and FABRICATED. The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam  did not say any of these things and he did not teach them to his ummah.”  [Zaad al-Ma’aad(1/195)] 

And Imaam an-Nawawi said:

“As for the du’aa’s that are said when washing various parts of the body in wudhu, NO such thing has been narrated from the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam.” [al-Adhkaar (p. 30)]

3. AFTER wudhu:

a) The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“There is no one among you who does wudoo; and does it well, then says, 

أشْهَدُ أنْ لا إله إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيك لَهُ ، وأشْهَدُ أنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ 

Ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu was rasooluhu 

“I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah alone, with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger” but the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him and he will enter through whichever one he wants.” (Muslim)

b) He also said:

  اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي    مِنَ التَوَّابِينَ ، واجْعَلْني مِنَ المُتَطَهِّرِينَ

“Allaahumm aj’alni min al-tawwaabeena waj’alni min al-mutatahhireena 

“O Allaah, make me one of those who repent and make me one of those who purify themselves.” 

(at-Tirmidhi - saheeh by al-Albaani)

c) A third duaa to be said:

 سُبْحانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وبِحَمْدِكَ ، أشْهَدُ أنْ لا إلهَ إِلاَّ أنْتَ ، أسْتَغْفِرُكَ وأتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ

“subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bi hamdika, ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayka

“Glory and praise be to You, O Allaah, I bear witness that there is no god but You, I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You”

(al-Nasaa’i - saheeh by al-Albaani)

Say all the above three duaas at the end of your wudhu. 

Some IMPORTANT points:

Do note that it is NOT proven from the authentic Sunnah to raise the index finger or look up towards the sky while saying the duaa/shahadah after wudhu. 

Similarly, there’s NO PROOF to say any “specific surah” before, after or during wudhu. 

Also remember that when saying any duaa or dhikr, whether for wudhu or in Salaah or at any other time, we should MOVE our lips and tongue and not just ‘think’ about them in the head or ‘say’ them in our heart. 

 QUESTION

What if the place I make wudhu is next to the toilet where I relieve myself? Do I still say the duaas for wudhu?

ANSWER

If the toilet/commode area is in the same room as the place for wudhu, you should say Bismillaah and the duaas for wudhu SILENTLY in your HEART. 

That’s because it’s makrooh (disliked) to take Allaah’s Name out of respect in such a place. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

“If a person is in the bathroom, then Imam Ahmad said: If a man sneezes he should praise Allaah in his heart. It may be deduced from this report that he should also say ‘Bismillaah’ in his heart.”

[al-Sharh al-Mumti’(1/130)] But some of the ulama are of the opinion that we can say Bismillaah and take Allaah’s name in the bathroom.

 Shaikh Salih al _Fawzaan said: 

“ A person says Bismillaah, even if they are in the bathroom.

Bathrooms today are different to the toilets of the past. 

Today they are flushed and the urine and feces is taken away by the water.”

And Allaah knows best.