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Wudu according to the four maddhab is a description of the principles of wudu according to the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh): Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki and Shafi'i. The issues discussed are how to perform wudu and when wudu is considered invalid. Listed here along with the four Sunni Madhabs is the main Shia Madhab, the Jafari Madhab.

Contents 1 Performing wudu 1.1 Hanafi 1.2 Hanbali 1.3 Maliki 1.4 Shafii 1.5 Shia 2 Invalidation of wudu 2.1 Hanafi 2.2 Hanbali 2.3 Maliki 2.4 Shafii 2.5 Shia Jafari 3 References

Please refer to the detailed description given in the Hanafi fiqh book "Talimul Haq", chapter on "Wudhu". You may find this chapter online at http://www.inter-islam.org/Actions/Part3.html

1. Make the intention to perform wudu in the heart.
2. Shape the right hand like a cup and take water into it. Afterwards, splash the water on the top of the head and wipe down ONCE with the right hand, washing the parts of the face only between the middle finger and thumb (when streched out). It isn't necessary to wash the moustache and beard unless you can see the skin. Then, it is obligatory to wash the visible skin. It is obligatory to wash from the area where the hair normally grows to the chin. You must also wipe the topmost part of the neck (across the jaw).
3. Shape the left hand like a cup and take water into it. Afterwards, splash this water onto your right forearm and wash your right forearm ONCE (covering the right forearm in water, leaving no spot dry). Wipe from the elbow to the fingers, and not from the fingers to the elbow.
4. Repeat this process except with the left forearm.
5. WITHOUT taking more water, wipe your hair from the middle to up to the forehead using your right hand; three fingers ONLY. If you are balding, you would wash your hair as if it were growing when you had a full head of hair. It is NOT allowed to wipe the hair using an obstacle (such as wiping a hat or a turban instead of the hair/skin). It is not obligatory to wipe the actual skin on the head.
6. WITHOUT taking more water, wipe the top of your right foot with your right hand. You only must wipe with a swiping motion once and it is recommended to use three fingers. It is NOT allowed to wipe the feet using an obstacle (such as wiping the shoes or socks instead of the skin).
7. Do the same thing, except using your left hand and wiping your left foot.

This is based off of the 6th Ayat of Surah al-Ma'ida (Qur'an 5:6) which states:

"O you who believe! when you rise up to prayer, wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbows, wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles..."

Imam Ali and the other Imams have stated that there are Mustahab, or recommended actions to wudu along with the above mentioned method.. There is no sin in leaving these out, but by doing them you will be rewarded by Allah. These are stated in Shia Hadiths. See: Nahj al Balagha.

Wudu is considered invalid ('broken') when certain conditions prevail. These conditions differ in the various fiqh.

• Passing wind or fluid from any part of the body.
• Deep sleep in a reclining position; sleeping in a sitting, kneeling or standing position does not break the wudu.
• Loss of senses.
• Vomiting.
• Spitting saliva consisting mainly of blood.
• Laughing very loudly during prayer
• To lose blood to a point where it begins to run.

• Going to the bathroom or passing wind.
• Deep sleep.
• Emission of semen.
• Vomiting.
• Emission of blood or pus.
• Eating the meat of an animal not slaughtered in the name of Allah.

• Defecation, urination or passing wind.
• Deep sleep.
• Loss of ones senses.
• Emission of semen.
• Having doubts regarding whether one's wudu is valid.

From Reliance of the Traveler, e7.0 - e7.6:

• Anything that exits from the private parts.
• Loss of intellect through sleep, etc (except for sleep while continuously and firmly seated on the ground).
• Touching the private parts with bare hands.
• Touching the skin of someone of the opposite sex when they are not each other's unmarriable kin.

Laws Governing Ritual Purity.