HOW MANY LITRES DO I USE?

Wudhu is a great Ibaadah (act of worship). Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is reported to have said that when a person performs wudhu in the proper manner, all the (minor) sins that were committed are washed off by means of the wudhu. However, certain acts spoil this great Ibaadah and deprive one of the full benefits and virtues of wudhu. Among these acts is the wasting of water.

1.3 LITRES

It has been very conservatively estimated that at average most people use more than six litres of water for one wudhu. This is in stark contrast to the amount of water that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) used for his wudhu. Sayyidina Aisha (radhiyallahu anha) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) used one mudd of water for wudhu and one saa for ghusal (Abu Dawood). One mudd amounts to approximately 1.03 litres and one saa is approximately 4.1 litres. In other words, we generally use more water for wudhu than Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) used for ghusal.

Once Hazrath Jaabir (radhiyallahu anhu) narrated the saying of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) that one mudd of water suffices for wudhu and one saa for ghusal. A person sitting there remarked: “It does not suffice for me.” Hazrath Jaabir (radhiyallahu anhu) silenced him by saying: “It sufficed for him [Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)] who was better than you and who even had more hair than you” (hence he would require more water than you to wash the head during ghusal) (Ibn Majah).

ISRAAF:

To use more than what is necessary is termed israaf. Regarding israafAllah Ta’ala declares: “Verily Allah Ta’ala does not love the wasters.” On one occasion Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) asked a person who was performing wudhu: “Why are you wasting water?” The person enquired: “Is there israaf even in wudhu?” Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) replied: “Yes indeed, (do not waste) even if you are at the bank of a river” (Ibn Majah).

 

Hence it is necessary to become conscious of this important aspect and refrain from wasting water during wudhu.