30 Khawaatir in 30 Days- A Parent’s Guide | Day 4: The Importance of Wudu

What did we discuss yesterday?

You know, sometimes I notice that you all hold your wudu for a really long time. Whenever I ask if you have wudu’ before you pray, you always say “yes!” MashaAllah, you all must have very strong bladders! I hope that is the case, but if it’s not, maybe we should discuss why wudu is so important.

Question: Who can tell me about Bilal, raadiya Allahu ‘anhu? 

He was the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ muadhin (person who makes the call to prayer) and he used to be a slave to a very evil man named Umayyah ibn Khalaf. Umayyah would shackle him to the ground in the middle of the hot desert sun and place rocks on his chest to make him renounce Islam. Did Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) ever give up? No! He kept repeating the phrase Ahadun Ahad! (One! One!) declaring the oneness of Allah ﷻ.

Question: What do you think this story has to do with wudu’? 

Well, one day, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, was sitting with Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) and he asked him a question. He said to him, “Tell me about the most hopeful act (i.e., one which you deem the most rewarding with Allah) you have done since your acceptance of Islam because I heard the sound of the steps of your shoes in front of me in Jannah,” (Sahih Bukhari).

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لبلال‏:‏ يا بلال حدثني بأرجى عمل عملته في الإسلام، فإني سمعت دف نعليك بين يدي في الجنة، قال‏:‏ ما عملت عملا أرجى عندي من أني لم أتطهر طهورًا في ساعة من ليل أو نهار إلا صليت بذلك الطهور ما كتب لي أن أصلي‏.‏ ‏‏(‏متفق عليه وهذا لفظ البخاري‏)‏‏.‏

Question: If you were Bilal, how would you respond? 

Maybe you would say, “I never gave up when I was being tortured by that evil man!” Or, “I fought in battles with you, oh Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and that makes me hopeful of Jannah!” 

Question: Do you know Bilal’s response?

He said, “I do not consider any act more hopeful than that whenever I make wudu’ (or took a bath) in an hour of night or day, I would immediately perform salaah (prayer) for as long as was destined for me to perform.”

Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) was always in a constant state of wudu’! He would follow up his wudu’ with praying two extra rakat as a nafila (voluntary) prayer. 

Sometimes, we may think that we can’t reach the level of the companions because they were able to fight in battles with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, or because they had opportunities that we do not. But look at Bilal’s response! We all can make wudu and take care of our wudu the same way Bilal  (may Allah be pleased with him) did! 

Let’s try not to be lazy with our wudu. Our wudu washes away our sins!

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ الْعَبْدُ الْمُسْلِمُ أَوْ الْمُؤْمِنُ فَغَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ خَرَجَ مِنْ وَجْهِهِ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ نَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا بِعَيْنَيْهِ مَعَ الْمَاءِ أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ فَإِذَا غَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ خَرَجَ مِنْ يَدَيْهِ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ كَانَ بَطَشَتْهَا يَدَاهُ مَعَ الْمَاءِ أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ فَإِذَا غَسَلَ رِجْلَيْهِ خَرَجَتْ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ مَشَتْهَا رِجْلَاهُ مَعَ الْمَاءِ أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ نَقِيًّا مِنْ الذُّنُوبِ

Let’s read a hadith about this. Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ,  said, “When a Muslim or a believer washes his face in ablution, every sin that he committed with his eyes will be washed away with the last drop of water. When he washes his hands, every sin that he committed with his hands will be washed away with the last drop of water. When he washes his feet, every sin that he committed with his feet will be washed away with the last drop of water, until he emerges purified from sin,” (Sahih Muslim).

And on the Day of Judgment, we will be so happy that we took our time making wudu!

إِنَّ أُمَّتِي يُدْعَوْنَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ غُرًّا مُحَجَّلِينَ مِنْ آثَارِ الْوُضُوءِ فَمَنْ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يُطِيلَ غُرَّتَهُ فَلْيَفْعَل

We know this because it is in a hadith. Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ,  said, “Verily, my nation will be called on the Day of Resurrection as brightly radiant from the traces of ablution. Whoever among you is able to extend his radiance, let him do so,” (Sahih Muslim). 

Don’t we want the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to notice us from the light that will be coming out of our faces, and hands and arms because of the wudu we used to make?