Valid ablution is mandatory for any Muslim to pray and there is no other view on this subject. For ablution to be correct one must be sane, have the intention, follow the proper order and wash the obligatory parts.

Basis of obligation

The basis of making the ablution obligatory when wanting to pray is the Quran,

No Muslim has ever expressed a contrary view. Thus, the ablution is required on the basis of the Qur’an, the Sunnah and the unanimity of scholars.

Requirements

For ablution to be valid, it must comply with the following requirements:

1-Belief in Islam, sanity and sense of discrimination: It cannot be done by an unbeliever, a mad person or a child that does not discriminate between actions.

2-Intention:

There is no need for a verbal declaration of intention as this was not done by the Prophet (peace be upon him).

3-Clean water: Ablution cannot be done using water that has been contaminated by impurity.

4-Removal of anything that prevents skin contact with water, such as the presence of wax or dough on some spots, or nail varnish.

5-Immediate progress from one action to the next.

6-Following the proper order.

7-Washing all the organs that are required to be washed.

The obligatory part

1-Washing one’s whole face, 

2-Washing one’s arms up to the elbows, as the relevant verse makes clear: 

3-Wiping one’s head with one’s wet hand. There are different views on this, though the one we uphold is to wipe one’s whole head. However, some scholars consider wiping a part of one’s head sufficient. 

To wipe a part of one’s hair that is not close to one’s head is invalid.

4-Washing one’s feet up to the ankles, 

5-Following the proper order: This is required because Allah mentions it in order and the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed his ablutions in the same order mentioned by Allah: the face, then the arms, then the head then the feet. This is clearly indicated by the hadith reported by 'Abdullah ibn Zayd and in other hadith describing the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) ablution.

6-Continuous progress: This means washing one organ immediately after the one before it, without delay. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to perform his ablution without leaving gaps between washing the different parts. This is further confirmed by the hadith reported by Khalid ibn Ma'dan:

 Had it not been necessary for ablution to be consecutive without any gap, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have told the man only to wash the unwashed part, not to repeat his ablution.

The recommended part

Certain actions are recommended when performing the ablution. These are Sunnah, which means that a person who does them earns a reward, while the one who omits them misses out on a reward but his ablution is valid. These are:

1-Saying, ‘In the name of Allah’ at the beginning,

2-Brushing one’s teeth. 

3-Washing one’s hands three times at the start, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) did that as reported by his companions who explained how he performed his ablution.

4-Rubbing one’s face to ensure that one’s wet fingers go through one’s thick beard.

5-Starting with the right hand or foot, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) did that:

6. Washing one’s face, hands and feet three times. What is obligatory is once only, but it is recommended to do it three times, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) did that.

7-Rinsing one’s mouth. 

8-Cleaning one’s nose. 

9-Wiping one’s ears using one’s forefinger to wipe the inside of one’s ears and one’s thumb to wipe the outside.

10-Glorification after the ablution.

11-Economy in using water.

He might use only one quarter of this amount for ablution.