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What are the essential parts (arkan, lit. “pillars”), obligatory (wajib) parts and sunnahs of wudu?
Praise be to Allah.
There are six essential pillars of wudu:
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salah (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles” [al-Maidah 5:6] (See ar-Rawd al-Murbi‘ ma‘a Hashiyat Ibn Qasim, 1/181-188)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“What is meant by the obligatory (fard) parts of wudu here is the essential parts (pillars).
Thus we may understand that the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) use different expressions, so they may describe the obligatory (fard) parts as essential parts (arkan, lit. pillars) and vice versa.” (Ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘, 1/183)
We have mentioned previously that fard is the same as wajib [both mean obligatory] according to the majority of scholars. Please see question no. 217272 .
So the obligatory (wajib) parts of wudu are its pillars or essential parts, which may also be described as fard. They are the actions without which wudu cannot be valid.
With regard to saying Bismillah before doing wudu , Imam Ahmad was of the view that it is obligatory.
However, the majority of scholars are of the view that it is one of the Sunnahs of wudu and is not obligatory.
The sunnahs of wudu are numerous. Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan (may Allah preserve him) said:
The sunnahs of wudu are as follows:
What is meant by washing the mouth thoroughly is circulating water to all parts of the mouth, and when rinsing the nose it means taking up water to the deepest part of the nose.
After doing wudu, it is mustahabb to recite the following supplication : Ashhadu an la ilaha ill-Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu. Allahumm aj’alni min al-tawwabina waj’alni min al-mutatahhirina, subhanaka Allahumma wa bi hamdika, ashhadu an la ilaha ill anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayka (I bear witness that there is no god except Allah Alone, with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. O Allah, make me one of those who repent and make me one of those who purify themselves. Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, I bear witness that there is no god but You, I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You).
For a complete description of wudu, please see this answer. 11497 .
For more about wudu-related issues, please see this category: Ablution before Prayer.
And Allah knows best.