This chapter turns to wudu, the washing a Muslim makes before prayer, and shows it as far more than a routine. The reports describe how it leaves a mark of light on the believer, lifts away sins, and prepares the heart and body for standing before Allah.
Read these hadith and you will see a recurring picture: with the flowing water, faults committed by the eyes, hands, and feet are washed off, and ranks are raised. Wudu is presented as a quiet daily renewal, half of faith itself, that opens the gates of mercy.
Hadith 1024
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
-وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "إن أمتي يدعون يوم القيامة غرًا محجلين من آثار الوضوء فمن استطاع منكم أن يطيل غرته، فليفعل" ((متفق عليه)).
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "On the Day of Resurrection, my followers (or Ummah) will be summoned 'Al-Ghurr Al-Muhajjalun' from the traces of Wudu'. Whoever can increase the area of his radiance should do so." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
On the Day of Resurrection the Prophet's community will be known by a radiance on the limbs washed in wudu, so caring for this washing leaves a lasting light.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1024 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 34
Hadith 1025
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه قال: سمعت خليلي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "تبلغ الحلية من المؤمن حيث يبلغ الوضوء" ((رواه مسلم)).
I heard my Khalil (the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)) as saying, "The adornment of the believer (in Jannah) will reach the places where the water of Wudu' reaches (his body)." [Muslim].
In plain words
The believer's beauty in Paradise will reach exactly as far as the water of wudu reached on the body, an encouragement to perform it well.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1025 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 35
Hadith 1026
'Uthman bin 'Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن عثمان بن عفان رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "من توضأ فأحسن الوضوء، خرجت خطاياه من جسده حتى تخرج من تحت أظفاره" ((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who performs the Wudu' perfectly (i.e., according to Sunnah), his sins will depart from his body, even from under his nails." [Muslim].
In plain words
Performing wudu carefully causes sins to leave the body completely, even from the smallest places like under the nails.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1026 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 36
Hadith 1027
'Uthman bin 'Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه قال: رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يتوضأ مثل وضوئي هذا ثم قال: "من توضأ هكذا، غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه، وكانت صلاته ومشيه إلى المسجد نافلة" ((رواه مسلم)).
I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performing Wudu' the way I have just done it and said, "He who performs Wudu' like this, his previous sins will be forgiven and his Salat and walking to the mosque will be considered as supererogatory act of worship." [Muslim].
In plain words
Doing wudu in this proper way brings forgiveness of past sins, and the walk to the mosque and the prayer become extra good deeds on top.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1027 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 37
Hadith 1028
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
-وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "إذا توضأ العبد المسلم - أو المؤمن- فغسل وجهه، خرج من وجهه كل خطيئة نظر إليها بعينيه مع الماء، أو مع آخر قطر الماء، فإذا غسل يديه، خرج من يديه كل خطيئة كان بطشتها يداه مع الماء، أو مع آخر قطر الماء، فإذا غسل رجليه، خرجت كل خطيئة مشتها رجلاه مع الماء، أو مع آخر قطر الماء، حتى يخرج نقيًا من الذنوب" ((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When a Muslim, or a believer, washes his face (in the course of Wudu'), every sin which he committed with his eyes, will be washed away from his face with water, or with the last drop of water; when he washes his hands, every sin which is committed by his hands will be effaced from his hands with the water, or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin his feet committed will be washed away with the water, or with the last drop of water; until he finally emerges cleansed of all his sins." [Muslim].
In plain words
As the water washes the face, hands, and feet in wudu, the sins those parts committed are washed away, until a person comes out cleansed.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1028 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 38
Hadith 1029
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أتى المقبرة فقال: "السلام عليكم دار قوم مؤمنين وإنا إن شاء الله بكم لاحقون، وددت أنا قد رأينا إخواننا" قالوا: أولسنا إخوانك يا رسول الله؟ قال: "أنتم أصحابي، وإخواننا الذين لم يأتوا بعد" قالوا: كيف تعرف من لم يأتِ بعد من أمتك يا رسول الله؟ فقال: "أرأيت لو أن رجلا له خيل غر محجلة بين ظهري خيل دهم بهم، ألا يعرف خيله ؟" قالوا بلى يا رسول الله، قال: فإنهم يأتون غرًا محجلين من الوضوء وأنا فرطهم على الحوض ((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went to the (Baqi') cemetery and said, "May you be secured from punishment, O dwellers of abode of the believers! We, if Allah wills, will follow you. I wish we see my brothers." The Companions said, "O Messenger of Allah! Are not we your brothers?" He (ﷺ) said, "You are my Companions, but my brothers are those who have not come into the world yet." They said; "O Messenger of Allah! How will you recognize those of your Ummah who are not born yet?" He (ﷺ) said, "Say, if a man has white-footed horses with white foreheads among horses which are pure black, will he not recognize his own horses?" They said; "Certainly, O Messenger of Allah!" He (ﷺ) said, "They (my followers) will come with bright faces and white limbs because of Wudu'; and I will arrive at the Haud (Al-Kauthar) ahead of them." [Muslim].
In plain words
The Prophet longed to meet the believers of later generations, and described how his community will be recognised by the bright marks of wudu, as a man knows his own marked horses in a herd.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1029 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 39
Hadith 1030
وعنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ألا أدلكم على ما يمحو الله به الخطايا ويرفع به الدرجات قالوا بلى يارسول الله قال: "إسباغ الوضوء على المكاره، وكثرة الخطا إلى المساجد، وانتظار الصلاة بعد الصلاة، فذلكم الرباط، فذلكم الرباط" ((رواه مسلم)).
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Shall I not tell you something by which Allah effaces the sins and elevates ranks (in Jannah)?" The Companions said; "Certainly, O Messenger of Allah." He (ﷺ) said, "Performing the Wudu' thoroughly in spite of difficult circumstances, walking with more paces to the mosque, and waiting for the next As- Salat (the prayer) after observing Salat; and that is Ar-Ribat, and that is Ar-Ribat." [Muslim].
In plain words
He pointed to deeds that erase sins and raise ranks: completing wudu even when it is hard, taking many steps to the mosque, and waiting for the next prayer, calling this a form of standing guard for Allah's sake.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1030 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 40
Hadith 1031
Abu Malik Al-Ash'ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي مالك الأشعري رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "الطهور شطر الإيمان" ((رواه مسلم)). وقد سبق بطوله في باب الصبر. وفي الباب حديث عمرو بن عبسة رضي الله عنه السابق في آخر باب الرجاء، وهو حديث عظيم، مشتمل على جمل من الخيرات.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Purification is half the Iman." [Muslim].
In plain words
Keeping oneself purified is described as half of faith, showing how central cleanliness is to the believer's life.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1031 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 41
Hadith 1032
'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال:"ما منكم من أحد يتوضا فيبلغ-أو فيسبغ الوضوء- ثم قال: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أن محمدًا عبده ورسوله، إلا فتحت له أبواب الجنة الثمانية يدخل من أيها شاء" ((رواه مسلم)). وزاد الترمذي: "اللهم اجعلني من التوابين واجعلني من المتطهرين"
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Whoever of you performs Wudu' carefully and then affirms: 'Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallahu Wahdahu la sharika Lahu, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa Rasuluhu [I testify that there so no true god except Allah Alone, Who has no partners and that Muhammad ((ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger],' the eight gates of Jannah are opened for him. He may enter through whichever of these gates he desires (to enter)." [Muslim]. In the narration in At- Tirmidhi, it is added: "Allahummaj-'alni minat-tawwabina, waj-'alni minal-mutatahhirin (O Allah make me among those who repent and purify themselves)."
In plain words
Whoever completes wudu well and then sincerely declares faith in Allah alone and in His Messenger has all eight gates of Paradise opened, free to enter by any he wishes.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1032 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 42