✍ Compiled by: Daniyal Ahmad
Some individuals attempt to give the impression that certain rulings regarding wudū’ (ablution) are not found in the Qur’an and Sunnah, implying (we seek refuge in Allah) that the Prophet ﷺ left out some teachings which were later filled in by Imām Abū Ḥanīfah or other jurists. This perception is nothing short of a slander upon the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.
The reality is that Islam is a complete religion, and all rulings pertaining to wudū’ are clearly mentioned in the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah. The following are concise responses to questions posed by a biased Deobandi blind follower, followed by a counter-question for the Deobandi scholar, for which he has a deadline extended until the Day of Judgment.
Can another person perform wudū’ using already used (ma‘mūl) water?
Answer:
Yes, used water (maʿmūl māʼ) is ṭāhir (pure), and performing wudū’ with it is permissible.
Proof from the Qur’an:
﴿وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً طَهُورًا﴾
“And We sent down from the sky pure water.”
[Al-Furqān: 48]
Proof from the Hadith:
«الماء طَهور لا يُنجّسه شيء»
“Water is pure, and nothing makes it impure.”
[Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 66 – Authentic]
Practice of the Companions:
The Companions used to take the leftover water from the Prophet ﷺ's wudū’ and apply it to their bodies.
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 187]
Explanation:
This was the water used by the Prophet ﷺ himself, which is why the Companions used it for barakah (blessing). This is clarified further in other narrations of Bukhārī.
➡ Conclusion: Used water is pure, and it is permissible to use it for wudū’ and ghusl.
Is it necessary to wash the limbs consecutively (without delay) during wudū’?
Answer:
All ḥadīths that describe the method of the Prophet’s ﷺ wudū’ show that limbs were washed consecutively. No narration indicates that one limb was left to dry before the next was washed. Hence, washing limbs in succession is the Sunnah.
Proof from Ḥadīth:
A man asked ʿAbdullah ibn Zayd رضي الله عنه about the Prophet’s ﷺ wudū’. He brought water and:
"... washed his hands twice, rinsed his mouth and nose three times, washed his face three times, washed his arms to the elbows twice, wiped his head (front to back and back to front), and washed his feet..."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 185]
Further, the Prophet ﷺ warned those who performed incomplete wudū’:
«وَيْلٌ لِلْأَعْقَابِ مِنَ النَّارِ، أَسْبِغُوا الْوُضُوءَ»
“Woe to the heels from the Fire! Complete the wudū’ thoroughly.”
[Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 97]
➡ If a person does not follow the Sunnah method, their wudū’ is not valid, just like prayer that is not performed as the Prophet ﷺ taught:
«صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي»
“Pray as you have seen me praying.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6008]
Thus, for both men and women, wudū’ and prayer must be as per the Prophet’s ﷺ method, not according to any scholar or madhhab.
Is it necessary to wash the hands when exiting the washroom and before starting wudū’?
Answer:
Upon exiting the washroom, it is sunnah only to say the duʿā’:
«غُفْرَانَكَ»
“I seek Your forgiveness, O Allah.”
[Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 30 – Authentic]
At the start of wudū’, washing the hands is Sunnah:
«فَغَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ ثَلاثًا»
“He ﷺ washed his hands three times.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 159]
➡ Hence, washing hands at the beginning of wudū’ is Sunnah, but not after exiting the washroom unless hands were soiled.
If the question refers to washing hands after istinjāʼ, that too is proven from authentic hadith.
[Sunan Ibn Mājah: 358]
What is the Sunnah method of using the miswāk?
Answer:
Using the miswāk is a Sunnah, but no specific method or direction (e.g., vertical or horizontal) has been prescribed.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«لولا أن أشق على أمتي لأمرتهم بالسواك عند كل صلاة»
“If it were not a hardship upon my ummah, I would have commanded them to use the miswāk before every prayer.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 887, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 252]
➡ This proves that using the miswāk is Sunnah, but its angle or direction is left to personal ease.
When should the duʿā’ after wudū’ be recited?
Answer:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«من توضأ فقال: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أن محمدًا عبده ورسوله، فُتِحت له أبواب الجنة الثمانية يدخل من أيها شاء»
“Whoever performs wudū’ and says: 'Ashhadu allā ilāha illAllāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluhu,’ the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, to enter through whichever he pleases.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 234]
➡ This duʿā’ is to be recited after completing wudū’. There is no specific place or time restriction for it.
What is the Sunnah sequence of performing wudū’?
Answer:
Sayyidunā ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān رضي الله عنه demonstrated wudū’ and said it was the same as that of the Prophet ﷺ:
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 159]
➡ This is the exact Sunnah sequence of wudū’.
All the above questions have been answered solely using the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah, which proves that the Prophet ﷺ left nothing out in matters of religion.
﴿ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِينٗا﴾
“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as your religion.”
[Surah al-Māʾidah: 3]
We now pose this open challenge to the Deobandi scholar who raised these questions:
If any of these rulings are not found in the Qur’an and Sunnah, then please prove them directly from Imām Abū Ḥanīfah, with a chain of narration (isnād).
If not directly, then present a reliable classical source that mentions these statements with authentic isnād from Imām Abū Ḥanīfah himself.
Time frame: Until the Day of Judgment.
Important:
Only authenticated words from Imām Abū Ḥanīfah will be accepted — not interpretations of later scholars or unauthenticated attributions.
Some individuals attempt to give the impression that certain rulings regarding wudū’ (ablution) are not found in the Qur’an and Sunnah, implying (we seek refuge in Allah) that the Prophet ﷺ left out some teachings which were later filled in by Imām Abū Ḥanīfah or other jurists. This perception is nothing short of a slander upon the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.
The reality is that Islam is a complete religion, and all rulings pertaining to wudū’ are clearly mentioned in the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah. The following are concise responses to questions posed by a biased Deobandi blind follower, followed by a counter-question for the Deobandi scholar, for which he has a deadline extended until the Day of Judgment.
❖ Question 1:
Can another person perform wudū’ using already used (ma‘mūl) water?
Answer:
Yes, used water (maʿmūl māʼ) is ṭāhir (pure), and performing wudū’ with it is permissible.
Proof from the Qur’an:
﴿وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً طَهُورًا﴾
“And We sent down from the sky pure water.”
[Al-Furqān: 48]Proof from the Hadith:
«الماء طَهور لا يُنجّسه شيء»
“Water is pure, and nothing makes it impure.”
[Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 66 – Authentic]Practice of the Companions:
The Companions used to take the leftover water from the Prophet ﷺ's wudū’ and apply it to their bodies.
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 187]Explanation:
This was the water used by the Prophet ﷺ himself, which is why the Companions used it for barakah (blessing). This is clarified further in other narrations of Bukhārī.
➡ Conclusion: Used water is pure, and it is permissible to use it for wudū’ and ghusl.
❖ Question 2:
Is it necessary to wash the limbs consecutively (without delay) during wudū’?
Answer:
All ḥadīths that describe the method of the Prophet’s ﷺ wudū’ show that limbs were washed consecutively. No narration indicates that one limb was left to dry before the next was washed. Hence, washing limbs in succession is the Sunnah.
Proof from Ḥadīth:
A man asked ʿAbdullah ibn Zayd رضي الله عنه about the Prophet’s ﷺ wudū’. He brought water and:
"... washed his hands twice, rinsed his mouth and nose three times, washed his face three times, washed his arms to the elbows twice, wiped his head (front to back and back to front), and washed his feet..."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 185]Further, the Prophet ﷺ warned those who performed incomplete wudū’:
«وَيْلٌ لِلْأَعْقَابِ مِنَ النَّارِ، أَسْبِغُوا الْوُضُوءَ»
“Woe to the heels from the Fire! Complete the wudū’ thoroughly.”
[Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 97]➡ If a person does not follow the Sunnah method, their wudū’ is not valid, just like prayer that is not performed as the Prophet ﷺ taught:
«صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي»
“Pray as you have seen me praying.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6008]Thus, for both men and women, wudū’ and prayer must be as per the Prophet’s ﷺ method, not according to any scholar or madhhab.
❖ Question 3:
Is it necessary to wash the hands when exiting the washroom and before starting wudū’?
Answer:
Upon exiting the washroom, it is sunnah only to say the duʿā’:
«غُفْرَانَكَ»
“I seek Your forgiveness, O Allah.”
[Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 30 – Authentic]At the start of wudū’, washing the hands is Sunnah:
«فَغَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ ثَلاثًا»
“He ﷺ washed his hands three times.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 159]➡ Hence, washing hands at the beginning of wudū’ is Sunnah, but not after exiting the washroom unless hands were soiled.
If the question refers to washing hands after istinjāʼ, that too is proven from authentic hadith.
[Sunan Ibn Mājah: 358]❖ Question 4:
What is the Sunnah method of using the miswāk?
Answer:
Using the miswāk is a Sunnah, but no specific method or direction (e.g., vertical or horizontal) has been prescribed.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«لولا أن أشق على أمتي لأمرتهم بالسواك عند كل صلاة»
“If it were not a hardship upon my ummah, I would have commanded them to use the miswāk before every prayer.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 887, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 252]➡ This proves that using the miswāk is Sunnah, but its angle or direction is left to personal ease.
❖ Question 5:
When should the duʿā’ after wudū’ be recited?
Answer:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«من توضأ فقال: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أن محمدًا عبده ورسوله، فُتِحت له أبواب الجنة الثمانية يدخل من أيها شاء»
“Whoever performs wudū’ and says: 'Ashhadu allā ilāha illAllāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluhu,’ the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, to enter through whichever he pleases.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 234]➡ This duʿā’ is to be recited after completing wudū’. There is no specific place or time restriction for it.
❖ Question 6:
What is the Sunnah sequence of performing wudū’?
Answer:
Sayyidunā ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān رضي الله عنه demonstrated wudū’ and said it was the same as that of the Prophet ﷺ:
- Washed both hands three times
- Rinsed the mouth and nose
- Washed the face three times
- Washed both arms up to the elbows
- Wiped over the head
- Washed the feet up to the ankles three times
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 159]➡ This is the exact Sunnah sequence of wudū’.
Conclusion and Commentary
All the above questions have been answered solely using the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah, which proves that the Prophet ﷺ left nothing out in matters of religion.
﴿ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِينٗا﴾
“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as your religion.”
[Surah al-Māʾidah: 3]❖ Challenge to the Deobandi Scholar
We now pose this open challenge to the Deobandi scholar who raised these questions:
If any of these rulings are not found in the Qur’an and Sunnah, then please prove them directly from Imām Abū Ḥanīfah, with a chain of narration (isnād). If not directly, then present a reliable classical source that mentions these statements with authentic isnād from Imām Abū Ḥanīfah himself. Time frame: Until the Day of Judgment.Important:
Only authenticated words from Imām Abū Ḥanīfah will be accepted — not interpretations of later scholars or unauthenticated attributions.
