Description of Wudu’

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), once demonstrated for us how the Messenger of Allah would take Wudu. He asked for a glass of water. He (the Imam) then with some water in the palm of his hand allowed it to flow down his face and wiped both sides of his face. He (the Imam) then with some water in the palm of his left hand allowed it to flow down his right hand and then wiped both sides. He (the Imam) with some water in the palm of his right hand allowed it to flow over his left and did as he had done to his right hand. Thereafter he, with whatever was left on his hand, wiped his head and feet but he did not place his hands in the water container (again).”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), once said, ‘Allow me to demonstrate before you how the Messenger of Allah would take Wudu’. He (the Imam) then with some water in the palm of his right hand washed his face. He (the Imam) then with some water in the palm of his left hand washed his right hand. He (the Imam) then with some water in the palm of his right hand washed his left hand. He (the Imam) then with whatever water left in his hands wiped his head and feet.”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), once said, ‘When one of you wants to mb oil over his body, he does so only with some oil in the palm of his hand and covers his whole body. Water, however, is more plentiful. Do you want me to demonstrate how the Messenger of Allah would take Wudu’?’ I said, ‘Please do so.’ He (the Imam) then placed his hand in the water but did not wash his hand. He (the Imam) then with some water in the palm of his hand, allowed it to flow down his face and then wiped both sides of his face until he wiped it all. He (the Imam) then with some water in the palm of his right hand, poured it on the palm of his left hand and with it he washed his right forearm. He (the Imam) with some water in the palm of his right hand, washed his left forearm. He (the Imam) then with whatever water was left on his hands, wiped his head and feet.”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), once said to us, ‘Should I demonstrate for you how the Messenger of Allah would take Wudu’?’ We replied, ‘Yes, please do so.’ He (the Imam) then asked for a bowl with a quantity of water in it. He (the Imam) placed it in front of him and uncovered both his forearms. He (the Imam) then immersed the palm of his right hand in the water, saying, ‘This is when the palm is clean and free of Najis (unclean) substances. He (the Imam) then filled the palm of his hand, placed on his forehead, saying ‘In the name of Allah’, allowed it to flow over the sides of his beard. He (the Imam) then passed his hand over his face and the apparent parts of his forehead only once. He (the Imam) then immersed his left hand in the water, filled his palm and placed it over his right elbow. He (the Imam) passed his palm over his forearm until water flowed toward the ends of his fingers. He (the Imam) then filled the palm of his right hand, placed it over his left elbow and passed it over his left forearm until water flowed over the ends of his fingers. He (the Imam) then wiped the front portion of his head and the back of his feet with whatever water was left in his left and right hands. Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), said, ‘Allah is odd. He loves odd numbers. Three handfuls of water is sufficient for Wudu’. One handful is for the face, one for the right forearm and one for the left forearm. With moisture in your right hand, wipe the front portion of your head, and with the remaining moisture on it wipe the back of your right foot and with the moisture in your left hand wipe the back of your left foot.’ Zurarah has said that Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), said, ‘Once a man asked ‘Amir al-Mu’minin about the Wudu’ of the Messenger of Allah and he (’Amir al-Mu’minin) demonstrated like this.’”

“Once we asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the manner the Messenger of Allah would take Wudu’ He (the Imam) then asked for a washbasin or a pail with some water in it. He then immersed his right hand in it, took some water in the palm of his hand and poured it on his face. He washed his face with it. He then immersed his left hand in the water and took some water, which he poured on his right forearm, washed therewith his right hand from his elbow to his palm and did not rub it backward to his elbow. He then immersed the palm of his right hand in the water, poured water over his left forearm from the elbow and worked with it as he did with his right hand. He then wiped his head and his feet with moisture in his palm. He did not take new water in his hands. He did not push his hand under his shoelace. He then said, ‘Allah, the most Majestic, most Glorious, says, “Believers, when you rise for Salah (prayer) wash your faces and hands.” He must not have left any part of his face without being washed. He commanded him to wash his hands upto (from) the elbows. He must not have left his hands without being washed upto (from) the elbows. It is because Allah says, “Wash your faces and hands upto (from) the elbows.” He (Allah) then says, “Wipe your heads and feet up to your ankles.” If one wipes a part of his head and a part of the backs of his feet between his ankles, it is sufficient.’ We then asked, ‘What part of the feet is between ankles to the ends of fingers?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is here, the joint below the bones of the leg.’ We then asked, ‘What exactly is this?’

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about Wudu’ for Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is (washing the face) once and (hands) once.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Wudu’ is one (washing of the face and hands) and one (wiping of the head and feet).’ He (the Imam) then explained about the ankle in the back of the foot.’”

“Once I was in the presence of Abu’Abd Allah (a.s.). He (the Imam) asked for water. He then filled up his hand with water and allowed it to flow over all of his face. He then filled the palm of his hand with water and washed it with his right hand. He then filled the palm of his right hand with water, washed therewith his left hand, and thereafter wiped his head and feet saying, This is the Wudu of one who does not invent anything in it, meaning thereby transgression against the limits of Wudu”

“I once asked abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.), about Wudu’. He (the Imam) said, ‘Wudu’ of Ali (a.s.), was once (washing of face and hands) and once (wiping of head and feet).’”
This is evidence that ablution is only "once and once", because he (sw) whenever faced two matters, both of which were in obedience of Allah, he would take the more cautious and more intense of the two for his body. Indeed, what has come from them (i.e. the Imams (AS)) is that he said, 'Ablution is twice. It is for the one who is not satisfied with it once, and he adds to it, then he says twice.' Then he said, 'And whoever adds more than twice will not be rewarded, and this is the utmost limit in ablution. Whoever exceeds it is sinful and does not have ablution. It is like someone who prays five units in Dhuhr, and had he (AS) not made it clear that it should only be made twice, it would have led the way to (washing) three (times)’. It is narrated about a man who had with him an amount of water equal to a handful, and the prayer was imminent. He said, 'So he divided it into three parts: one-third for the face, one-third for the right hand, and one-third for the left hand. He wiped his head and his feet with the remainder.'