Wudu: The Four Obligatory Pillars

Read the bilingual lesson for Wudu: The Four Obligatory Pillars and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. The Four Obligatory Pillars

أَرْكَانُ الْوُضُوءِ أَرْبَعَةٌ وَهِيَ فَرَائِضُهُ

1. Wash the face.
2. Wash both arms including the elbows.
3. Wash both feet including the ankles.
4. Wipe one-quarter of the head.

Omitting an obligatory pillar makes Wudu invalid.

2. Pillar 1: Washing the Face

الْأَوَّلُ: غَسْلُ الْوَجْهِ، وَحَدُّهُ طُولًا مِنْ مَبْدَأِ سَطْحِ الْجَبْهَةِ إِلَى أَسْفَلِ الذَّقْنِ، وَعَرْضًا مَا بَيْنَ شَحْمَتَيِ الْأُذُنَيْنِ

Length: upper forehead boundary to bottom of chin. Width: one earlobe to the other.

3. Pillar 2: Washing the Arms

وَالثَّانِي: غَسْلُ يَدَيْهِ مَعَ مِرْفَقَيْهِ

Both arms are washed including the elbows. The elbows themselves are part of the obligatory area.

4. Pillar 3: Washing the Feet

وَالثَّالِثُ: غَسْلُ رِجْلَيْهِ مَعَ كَعْبَيْهِ

Both feet are washed including the ankles.

5. Pillar 4: Wiping One-Quarter of the Head

وَالرَّابِعُ: مَسْحُ رُبْعِ رَأْسِهِ

The obligatory minimum is wiping one-quarter of the head. Wiping the whole head once is taught later as a Sunnah.

Practice questions

Question 1

What are the lengthwise physical boundaries of the face that must be washed in Wudu?

From the center of the forehead to the throat.
From the normal hairline at the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin.
From the eyebrows to the bottom of the chin.
There are no specific boundaries; washing any part of the face is valid.

Question 2

In Wudu, the elbows are excluded from the mandatory washing of the arms.

Question 3

What is the minimum obligatory portion of the head that must be wiped (Mas'h) in Wudu?

The entire head.
One-quarter (1/4th) of the head.
Wiping behind the ears only.
Wiping a few hairs at the front.

Question 4

Passing a wet hand over a washed limb (like the face) without pouring or flowing water is valid and constitutes washing.

Question 5

What are the widthwise physical boundaries of the face that must be washed in Wudu?

From cheek to cheek.
From earlobe to earlobe.
From nose to ear.
Only the mouth area.

Question 6

The ankles are excluded from the mandatory washing of the feet in Wudu.

Question 7

Match each Wudu pillar with its required boundary.

Question 8

Which is the fourth obligatory pillar of Wudu in the order stated by the text?

Wiping one-quarter of the head.
Rinsing the mouth three times.
Wiping both ears.
Using the Siwak.

Open the interactive quiz