Ruling on Forgetting to Wash a Limb During Wudu (Ablution) Source:
This article is derived from the book 500 Questions & Answers for Women, a compilation of Fatawa by the Scholars of the Haramain. Translated by Hafiz Abdullah Saleem.
❖ Question:
What is the ruling regarding a person who forgets to wash a limb during wudu (ablution)?
❖ Answer:
If a person performs wudu and forgets to wash one of the obligatory limbs, then the ruling depends on when they remember.
✔ If They Remember Shortly After:
If the person remembers soon after finishing wudu, they should:
① Wash the forgotten limb,
② Then repeat all the subsequent acts in the correct order to maintain the required sequence (tartīb) of wudu.
Example:A person washes his face, then washes his right arm, then performs masḥ (wiping) over the head and ears, and washes both feet.
After finishing, he remembers that he forgot to wash the left arm.
In this case, he must:
- Wash the left arm (with elbow),
- Then repeat the masḥ of the head and ears,
- And wash the feet again.
This is because observing the order prescribed by Allah is obligatory. Allah says:
فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ
[Al-Mā’idah: 6]
“Then wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles.”
✘ If They Remember After a Long Time:
If a long time has passed since the wudu was performed and the person remembers that a limb was left unwashed, then:
They must repeat the entire wudu from the beginning. Example:A person finishes wudu, goes out, and after a significant time remembers that they forgot to wash their left arm.
In this case, due to the lengthy delay and the loss of continuity (muwālāh) between washing the limbs, they are required to repeat the entire wudu.
In Case of Doubt (Not Certainty):
If the person only doubts after finishing wudu—such as whether they washed a certain limb (like the right or left arm), or whether they performed rinsing of the mouth or nose:
They should ignore the doubt and continue with their worship.There is no harm in this, and the prayer is still valid.
The reason:After finishing an act of worship, doubt has no value unless there is certainty of a mistake.
If every doubt were taken into account, it would lead to unnecessary waswasah (whispers) and distress in acts of worship.
This is a mercy from Allah ﷻ: to protect people from becoming overwhelmed with doubts. However, if a person is certain of an error or omission, then it is obligatory to correct it.
و الله أعلم
(Fatwa by: Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-‘Uthaymīn رحمه الله)❖ Summary:
✔ If remembered shortly after wudu:
→ Wash the forgotten limb and repeat the subsequent steps to maintain order.
✘ If remembered after a long delay:
→ Repeat the entire wudu.
If there is only doubt after completion:→ Ignore the doubt, continue worship, and do not repeat wudu.
