In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “important part of ritual purity in islam”. Today it says “procedure for cleansing parts of the body”. 2 sections present on 6 October 2023 are absent today.
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The opening as it read in 2005
Wudu is often translated as "partial ablution ," as opposed to ghusl , or "full ablution." The ideal form is done with water.1The Muslim first silently makes the niya or intention to perform wudu and cleanse himself of his impurities. He begins by saying bismillah ("In the Name of Allah "). The actions of wudu follow: Wash the right hand up the wrist three times, then the left hand. Suck water into the mouth and spit it out three times. Gently put water into the nostrils with the right hand, pinch the top of the nose with the left hand to exhale the water. Wash the face (from the hairline on the forehead to where facial hair begins and ear to ear). Wash the entire right arm, including the hand, three times, then the left arm three times. The Muslim should wash up to a point slightly above the elbow. Wet hands and starting with your hands flat on the top of your head near the hairline, wipe them to the back of the head where hair ends and come forward. This is only done once. With wet fingers, place thumbs at backs of ears, use index finger on curves of ear and middle finger to wash the ears. This is only done once Starting with the right foot, wash both feet including the ankles. Thereotically one can do one wudu for fajr salaat and be okay for the rest of the day, but certain things invalidate the ablution. They are: "When urine, stool, gas, blood and anything which comes out of the 2 private parts is discharged." Deep sleep. "Losing one's mind or reason by ingesting intoxicants, drugs, or for any other reason..." "Touching, with bare hands, one's own sexual organs with lust." Touching a member of the opposite sex, according to Shafi'i , see below. Hence, most Muslims perform wudu several times a day. If water is unavailable or the amount available is insufficient, one may perform tayammum, or "dry ablution." "Strike both hands lightly on pure earth, rock, or sand. Wipe the face once. Wipe the hands (to the wrists) as if you were washing them."2
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The opening as it stood in 2010 19 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Men in Turkey washing before performing prayer The al-Kas ablution fountain Wudu ( Arabic : الوضوء al-wuḍū, Kurdish : destnivêj , Persian :آبدست ābdast , Bosnian : abdest, Albanian : Avdes, Urdu : وضو wazū' ) is the Islamic act of washing parts of the body using water .Muslims are required to be clean in preparation for ritual prayers .The Quran says "For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean." .Muslims are also required to be clean when handling and reading the Qur'an.The Qur'an says "Which none shall touch but those who are clean" .Purification of the body and clothes is called taharah .Islamic prophet Muhammad said that "Cleanliness is half of faith" .To have taharah for the body, one should do either ghusl or wudu. Wudu is often translated as "partial ablution ", as opposed to ghusl , or "full ablution". The Holy Qur'an/Al-Baqara verse 222 (wikilivres.info) Translations of the Qur'an, Chapter 2 at University of Southern California The Holy Qur'an/Al-Waqia verse 79 (wikilivres.info) Translations of the Qur'an, Chapter 56 at University of Southern California Sahih Muslim, Book 2: The Book of Purification (Kitab Al-Taharah) Cleanliness is half of faith
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Political Islamic leadership Caliphate Majlis-ash-Shura Imamate Wilayat al-faqih Bay'ah Dhimmi Aman Family Criminal Etiquette Adab Gender segregation ( Purdah ) Mahram Honorifics Toilet Economic Hygiene Military Jihad Ghanimah Hudna Istijarah (asylum) Prisoners of war Social Haqq al-Nas ( The right(s) of the people ) Islamic studies v t e The al-Kas ablution fountain in the Al-Aqsa Mosque Wuḍūʾ ( al-wuḍūʼ ; ābdast  / ALA-LC : wuz̤ūʾ ; ; ozū  ; ; ; ; ; ) is the Islamic procedure for washing parts of the body using water, typically in preparation for formal prayers ( salat ), but also before handling and reading the Qur'an. Wuḍūʾ is often translated as "partial ablution ", as opposed to ghusl , or "full ablution ". Muslims who are unable to perform the prevailing form of ablution due to skin inflammation or scaling or a disability, they are recommended to perform tayammum . Purification of the body and clothes is called taharah . To have taharah for the body, one should do either ghusl or wuḍūʾ.
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The opening as it stood in 2020 2 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Political Islamic leadership Caliphate Majlis-ash-Shura Imamate Wilayat al-faqih Bay'ah Dhimmi Aman Family Criminal Etiquette Adab Gender segregation ( Purdah ) Mahram Honorifics Toilet Economic Hygiene Military Jihad Ghanimah Hudna Istijarah (asylum) Prisoners of war Social Haqq al-Nas ( The right(s) of the people ) Islamic studies v t e Wuḍūʾ ( al-wuḍūʼ ) is the Islamic procedure for cleansing parts of the body, a type of ritual purification , or ablution. Wudu involves washing the hands, mouth, nostrils, arms, head and feet with water and is an important part of ritual purity in Islam .What activities require wuḍūʾ , what rituals constitute it and what breaks or invalidates it are governed by fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and specifically its rules concerning hygiene .Wuḍūʾ is typically done in preparation for formal prayers ( salah or salat ) and before handling and reading the Quran .Impurifying activities that invalidate wudu include urination, defecation, flatulence, deep sleep, light bleeding and sexual intercourse.Wuḍūʾ is often translated as "partial ablution", as opposed to ghusl ("full ablution"), washing the whole body, or tayammum ("dry ablution"), replacing water with sand or dust due to its scarcity, its harmful effect on the person or some other reason.Purification of the body and clothes is called taharah . it is the most important thing in the islamic purification.The New Encyclopeida of Islam .
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The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 4 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Islamic procedure for washing parts of the body using water before formal prayers For the administrative district in Gansu, China, see Wudu District . Political Islamic leadership Caliphate Majlis-ash-Shura Imamate Wilayat al-faqih Bay'ah Dhimmi Aman Family Criminal Etiquette Adab Gender segregation ( Purdah ) Mahram Honorifics Toilet Economic Hygiene Military Jihad Ghanimah Hudna Istijarah (asylum) Prisoners of war Social Haqq al-Nas ( The right(s) of the people ) Islamic studies v t e Wuḍūʾ ( al-wuḍūʼ ) is the Islamic procedure for cleansing parts of the body, a type of ritual purification , or ablution. The 4 Fardh (Mandatory) acts of Wudu are: washing the face, then the arms, then wiping the head, then washing or wiping the feet, and doing these in order, without any big breaks between them. Wudu is an important part of ritual purity in Islam . It is governed by fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), which specifies rules concerning hygiene and defines the rituals that constitute it.It is typically performed before prayers ( salah or salat ).Activities that invalidate wudu include urination , defecation , flatulence , deep sleep, light bleeding (depending on madhhab ), menstruation , postpartum and sexual intercourse .Wudu is often translated as 'partial ablution', as opposed to ghusl as 'full ablution' where the whole body is washed.It also contrasts with tayammum ('dry ablution'), which uses sand or dust in place of water, principally due to water scarcity or other harmful effects on the person. Purification of the body and clothes is called taharah . The New Encyclopeida of Islam .
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The opening as it stood in 2025 5 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Islamic ritual washing before prayer Political Islamic leadership Caliphate Majlis-ash-Shura Imamate Wilayat al-faqih Bay'ah Dhimmi Aman Family Criminal Etiquette Adab Gender segregation ( Purdah ) Mahram Honorifics Toilet Economic Hygiene Military Jihad Ghanimah Hudna Istijarah (asylum) Prisoners of war Social Haqq al-Nas ( The right(s) of the people ) Islamic studies v t e For other uses, see Wudu (disambiguation) . Wuduʾ ( Arabic : الوضوء , romanized : al-wuḍūʼ , lit. ' ablution ' [wuˈdˤuːʔ] ) is the Islamic procedure for cleansing parts of the body, a type of ritual purification , or ablution.The steps of wudu are washing the hands, rinsing the mouth and nose, washing the face, then the forearms, then wiping the head, the ears, then washing or wiping the feet, while doing them in order without any big breaks between them.Wudu is an important part of ritual purity in Islam that is governed by fiqh , which specifies hygienical jurisprudence and defines the rituals that constitute it.Ritual purity is called tahara .Wudu is typically performed before Salah or reading the Quran . Activities that invalidate wudu include urination , defecation , flatulence , deep sleep, light bleeding (depending on madhhab ), menstruation , postpartum status, and sexual intercourse . Wudu is often translated as " partial ablution" , as opposed to ghusl , which translates to " full ablution", where the whole body is washed.An alternative to wudu is tayammum or " dry ablution ", which uses clean sand in place of water due to complete water scarcity or if one is suffering from moisture-induced skin inflammation or illness or other harmful effects on the person.Two Muslim friends by a serene river in Nepal performing wudu (the sacred ablution before Salah ( Namaz ) in 2014 Glasse, Cyril (2001). The New Encyclopeida of Islam .
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Today
In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “important part of ritual purity in islam”. Today it says “procedure for cleansing parts of the body”. 2 sections present on 6 October 2023 are absent today. Read the current article and compare.
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since October 7, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
important part of ritual purity in islam
Now
procedure for cleansing parts of the body
Sections that no longer exist
Present on October 6, 2023, absent today, with no near-matching heading in the current article and the article shorter overall, so this is not a renamed heading or a topic absorbed into a fuller treatment. 2 sections of 400 characters or more gone since October 6 2023, with the article 5,951 characters shorter.
Performing wudu from large bodies of water
Performing wudu from a well
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