Bismillah

Cold weather, snow, hot chocolate, thick blankets, dry skin, short days and long nights are the things that come to my mind when I think of winter. Winter, for most of us, is not our favorite season because of the cold weather and early sunset. But while many of us are shivering and complaining of this weather and darkness, our past predecessors rejoiced at the coming of winter.

Imam al-Hasan al-Basri (rahimahullah) said, “The best season to a believer is the winter, its nights are long for those who wish to pray, and its days are short for those who wish to fast.”

Winter is the season of the believer because it is so easy to do good deeds. Allah has made this a great mercy for us; we can fast these short days without any decrease in the reward and we have a huge gap between Isha and Fajr to pray some night prayers.

Umar said, “Winter is booty for the devout worshipers.”

So take advantage of these short days and long nights!

Also now that we are in winter, we may need an extra push to keep renewing our wudu because of the cold weather. Here are some benefits of wudu to motivate yourself to keep up this sunnah, even though you’re freezing cold:

1) Expiation of sins

• “He who performs the Wudu perfectly (i.e., according to Sunnah), his sins will depart from his body, even from under his nails.” [Muslim]
• 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].
• “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]

2) The Prophet will recognize his Ummah from their traces of Wudu

• Abu Hurayrah reported: The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) 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 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 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 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]

3) The Believers will be recognized by their traces of Wudu on the Day of Judgment

• “On the Day of Resurrection, my followers will be summoned ‘Al-Ghurr Al-Muhajjalun‘ from the traces of Wudu’.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] This name is explained as:

“The word “Ghurr” is the plural of “Agharr” which means shining or white. It is used for animals (like a horse), i.e., a white mark on its face. Here, it refers to that radiance which will issue from the brows of the believers on the Day of Resurrection and which will make them prominent. Muhajjalun is from Tahjil which also means whiteness but it is used for that whiteness which is found on all the four or at least on three legs of a horse. Here, it refers to that light which will shine through the hands and feet of the believers because of their habit of performing Wudu. This means that the believers among the Muslims will be distinguished from other communities by virtue of the radiance issuing from their faces, hands and feet on the Day of Resurrection in the same way that a horse with a white forehead is easily distinguised from other horses.”

4) Wudu is a radiance and the Believers are encouraged to increase in it.

• Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahu anhu) said, “Whoever can increase the area of his radiance should do so.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

5) An Angel will seek forgiveness for you

• It is narrated from ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah said, “Purify these bodies, and Allah will purify you. Whenever a slave sleeps in a state of purification, an angel sleeps within his hair and he does not turn over during the night except that he [the angel] says: O Allah, forgive Your slave, for he went to sleep purified.” [at-Tabarani and graded “good” by Sh Al-Albani]

6) The adornment of a Believer in Jannah will reach up to where the water reached his body.

• “The adornment of the believer (in Jannah) will reach the places where the water of Wudu reaches (his body).” [Muslim]

7) Saying the supplication after wudu is a means of entering Jannah

• “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 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]

8 ) Preserving wudu is a sign of emaan

• “… and no one preservers their wudu except a Believer.” [Ibn Maajah, Authentic according to Sh. Al-Albani]

9) Performing Wudu in hardship effaces the sins and elevates the ranks

• The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) 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 said, “Performing the Wudu thoroughly in spite of difficult circumstances, walking with more paces to the mosque, and waiting for the next Salat (the prayer) after observing Salat; and that is Ar-Ribat, and that is Ar-Ribat.” [Muslim] The scholars say:

“Hardship and unpleasantness here stand for the uneasiness that one feels while performing Wudu in severe cold. To wait for the next Salat after offering a Salat is regarded as Ribat for the reason that by so doing, a person who is particular in offering Salat keeps himself constantly engaged in the obedience and worship of Allah to keep Satan away from him.”