"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'There is no man who performs Wudu' and does it well, then prays, but when he prays it, he will be forgiven whatever (sins he commits) between that and the next prayer."
Hadith Text & Reference
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'There is no man who performs Wudu' and does it well, then prays, but when he prays it, he will be forgiven whatever (sins he commits) between that and the next prayer."
Source: Sunan an-Nasa'i 146 | The Book of Purification
Commentary on the Hadith
This noble hadith establishes the tremendous spiritual benefit of performing ablution (wudu) properly and then offering prayer. The phrase "does it well" refers to perfecting the wudu by fulfilling all its obligatory acts (fara'id) and recommended acts (sunan) with presence of heart and proper intention.
The forgiveness mentioned encompasses minor sins, as major sins require specific repentance (tawbah). This divine mercy is conditional upon performing wudu completely and correctly, then praying with proper submission (khushu').
Scholars explain that this forgiveness applies to sins committed between prayers, showing Allah's infinite mercy in making acts of worship expiations for minor transgressions. This encourages Muslims to maintain ritual purity and regular prayer throughout the day.
Legal Rulings & Spiritual Insights
The hadith emphasizes the importance of perfecting wudu, not merely performing it hastily. Each limb washed carries spiritual purification beyond physical cleansing.
This forgiveness is a continuous cycle - each prayer cleanses the minor sins committed since the previous prayer, provided one maintains proper wudu and prayer conditions.
Imam Nawawi commented that such hadiths demonstrate Islam's facilitation and Allah's generosity in providing multiple paths to forgiveness beyond formal repentance.