Wudu

Wuḍūʾ (Arabic: الوضوء‎ al-wuḍūʼ IPA: [wʊˈdˤuːʔ]; Persian: آبدست‎‎ ābdast Urdu: وضوء‎ / ALA-LC: wuz̤ūʾ IPA: [wʊzuː]; Turkish: abdest; Albanian: abdest; Bengali: অযু ôzu; Indonesian: wudhu; Chechen: Ламаз эцар; Bosnian: abdest; Kurdish: destniwêj (دەست نوێژ)‎; Somali: weeso) is the Islamic procedure for washing parts of the body using water, typically in preparation for formal prayers (salat), but also before handling and reading the Qur'an. Wuḍūʾ is often translated as "partial ablution", as opposed to ghusl, or "full ablution".

Purification of the body and clothes is called taharah. To have taharah for the body, one should do either ghusl or wuḍūʾ.

Contentions

Muslims who are unable to perform the prevailing form of ablution, due to skin disease or a disability, are recommended to perform tayammum. Such an alternative form of ritual purity also be accepted in cases where one fears the acquisition of hypothermia in cold weather.

Basis in Quran and hadith

The Qur'an says "For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean." In regard to Muslims being required to be clean when handling and reading the Qur'an, the Qur'an says "Which none shall touch but those who are clean." The Islamic prophet Muhammad said that "Cleanliness is half of faith".