I’m just wondering, how does one perform wudu without messing up one’s hair? I often straighten my hair and end up turning it into a frizzy disaster by the end of the day. I’m a little concerned because the career I want after I finish school probably requires a professional appearance… are there any tricks to styling one’s hair so it doesn’t get undone by wudu (besides cornrows)?
(I realize hijab is an obvious answer here, but lets try to think outside the box on this one)
Hekate Liminal Rites, by Sorita d'Este and David Rankine
Kissing the Limitless, by T. Thorn Coyle
Theosophia 
I follow the Shia fiqh, so it might not be what others do, but we just do “mas” (touch) for the head and the feet, not wash them thoroughly in the sink. For the head, it is enough that you touch the scalp, with one or two wet fingers from the middle of the head, up to the front, so if you have your hair parted in the middle or on the side, just touch the skin that shows, so that you are sure it gets wet. That is pretty convenient, specially for public spaces.
I see, so you get the scalp a bit wet but not the hair… This makes sense, because sometimes when I do wudu I barely feel the water reach my scalp because my hair seems to hold on to most of the water. Thank you for your input! I have been researching some Shia practices (mostly Ismaili) and I hope to learn more.
you’re welcome 🙂
I really like that idea, I think that’s what I’ll start doing. Thank you for sharing!
np. glad to hear that it was useful 🙂
I don’t think you will post my comment.
How come any Muslim dares to answer your question assuming you as a corruptive agent that promotes anti Islamic sites on her blog
You linked the following on your page.
tazaqqa who left Islam and now a member of UU.
irshad manji a shaytan says 5times prayer is not obligatory.
mutazila’hs who refused to accept all Quran verses not from Allah.
Other reformist haram websites that teaches against fundamental teachings of Islam.
Well, you didn’t “dare” answer my question, but you “dare” to call me a “corruptive agent”. Are you so ignorant about wudu that all you can do is throw around insults instead of answering a simple question? Or did you come here with the sole purpose of making an ass out of yourself?
As far as I know, Tazaqqa is a Muslim who also attends UU, because UU’s can be of any faith or none. Calling Manji “shaytan” – wow, how very original. And your sentence about the Mu’tazili doesn’t even make sense. If you don’t like the websites I link to, then don’t click on them. I have the links because (even though I disagree with much of what is said on some of them) I find them far more likely to actually respond to criticism and dish it out than certain “proper” Islamic sites do. The links are mainly there so I can easily find the website again – not to please you or anyone else. If you don’t like THIS blog, thats totally fine with me, go somewhere else.
However, if you would like to stay and have a real discussion, you are more than welcome.
Wow, what’s with the hate?! Also, your comment was COMPLETELY irrelevant to the question!
If you disagree with someone, do you really think that a comment like that would make them change their mind? If this is what a “true” Muslim should act like, I pray to Allah every day that I may never become one!
I wish I had a good answer for you, but I struggle with this myself, so if you find out or someone else has an answer please let me know!
Will do! Sara had a good answer, and I’ll look into it further.
Another convert to Islam.
Sarah Joseph (OBE) is CEO and Editor of Emel magazine and commentator on British Muslims. She is a writer and a broadcaster and lectures on Islam both within the UK and internationally. Sarah converted to Islam as a teenager after being brought up as a Catholic.
Sarah Joseph is the daughter of an accountant and a modelling-agency owner mother. Her mother, Valerie Askew, ran the successful Askew’s Modelling Agency. Joseph describes herself as having “grew up in a world where everyone was slim and beautiful.”[citation needed] Joseph was educated at St George’s School, Hanover Square, Mayfair and St Thomas More School, Sloane Square, Chelsea. Her undergraduate degree was in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, King’s College London. Sarah converted to Islam at the age of 16………
sarah joseph,a british convert.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emel_(magazine).
http://www.emel.com/
Interesting convert story, but do you have any suggestions about wudu?
Hey Sophia,
I think wudu is more about the intention and ritual than actually having to soak yourself with water.
I touch my forehead, at the hairline, with my two wet fingers. That’s it. I too had that issue with my hair frizzing out because I have to straighten my hair every morning, and then I remembered, God doesn’t make this religion hard for us, why am I doing this to myself?
When I take wudu I do stand in the tub, but I use very little water, I don’t think the intention is in how wet we get.
Thats what I’ve been doing too! I figured my head didn’t actually become filthy just because I peed, nor did making it damp actually do anything about germs, so it must be purely ritual at that point. But I was worried that I might be wrong, hence this post. Still, I see pictures of hijab-less Muslim women who do their five prayers, and look fabulous and I figured I must be missing something!
Thank you for sharing how you do wudu… I think I’ll try to focus more on the internal aspects of wudu.
what a silly and cunning question u r asking?..
why don’t u go to a nearby masjid and ask about wudu to any REAL(real) muslimah there?.
dont ask fake muslims pretending to be muslim like you.
masterplan, if you are one of those “real” Muslims I should be asking about wudu… why are you having such difficulty answering my question? I suggest you read some of the articles in that emel magazine before calling people fakes. For the record, I’m not Muslim. I’m Islam-curious. I ask questions so I can learn. If you don’t have answers, don’t waste my time and yours.
I didnt know that the Quran teaches in detail how to do wudhu …. it is in brief if im not mistaken …..
It is brief but fairly clear:
Quran 5:6
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favour to you, that ye may be grateful.
PICKTHAL: O ye who believe! When ye rise up for prayer, wash you faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. And if ye are unclean, purify yourselves. And if ye are sick or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have had contact with women, and ye find not water, then go to clean, high ground and rub your faces and your hands with some of it. Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that ye may give thanks.
SHAKIR: O you who believe! when you rise up to prayer, wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you are under an obligation to perform a total ablution, then wash (yourselves) and if you are sick or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy, or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth and wipe your faces and your hands therewith, Allah does not desire to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you, so that you may be grateful.
Of course, every translation is a teensy bit different. But I was mostly wondering how Muslim keep themselves presentable while wiping their heads several times a day… if there is some styling trick I don’t know about.
i do it 5 times a day …. after i do the wudhu i just use more water to put them back in place …. how hard could that be? …. an my hair is quite near to my shoulders from the back …. if u really want to style ur hair that much then u could put a comb in ur purse.
I do keep a comb in my purse – my hair reaches my waist. 🙂 Although I’m planning to cut it to my shoulders this Friday if my health clears up (I’m sick AGAIN! Ugh!), and I’m hoping that will make it easier to keep neat. I have super-curly hair, so any moisture makes it frizz and fluff, and generally makes it scary-looking. And I have read that sprays that block water are considered bad because they also somehow block wudu. I haven’t ruled out hijab as a possibility one day, but I would feel like a poseur if I wore one now. I was hoping there was a trick to looking nice after wudu, but maybe I just have difficult hair…
ow and btw … it still isnt complete and ur right it only gives an overview of how to do wudhu. It doesnt mention about putting water in ur mouth and nose and also a a little rub in ur ears.
btw u can dl the Quran with the saheeh english translation. Its easier to understand since it uses present english rather than classic ones…
http://www.imaanstar.com/quran.php
Thank you for that link! I do prefer translations that use modern English, I just use those ones because I can find them all in one place, and I see them quoted a lot.
i actually think ur hair looks cool when its wet … or maybe its just me …. =/
My hair looks ok when its wet, but then it dries: and all hell breaks loose!
u need to use some herbal products for ur hair rather than those chemicals…..
Blackb3ard911, at least for me the problem is not when the hair is wet…. it’s half an hour later when it’s dried up and frizzy and sticking in all directions.
Sophia,
I find that if I want to make sure to look professional and avoid the frizzed out look, having my hair tied back tightly (pony tail, up-do etc.), helps as there’s no loose hair to get frizzy. I’m not sure if I’m explaining that properly, hopefully you get my point 🙂
Thats what I’ve been doing, but daily up-dos are causing some serious breakage. Maybe a new haircut will help, we’ll see. If its shorter (and less heavy) maybe I can use headbands and clips to keep the front neat, while the rest can hang down (and hopefully give the breaks a chance to grow out).
Sophia, yeah I can relate to that, my hair’s breaking and splitting too, though mine’s only mid-back length.
What I often do is twist it into a bun and just tie a hairband around at the base, that seems to prevent less splitting, but my hair is very thin and light, not sure how it would work if you’ve got thicker, heavier hair?
Actually, blackb3ard911, I use an all-natural cleansing conditioner on my hair: no sulfates, detergents, etc. All herbs and natural oils. It cleanses so I don’t need to use shampoo, and it softens. Since I started using it my hair is easier to handle, so fog or mist doesn’t instantly ruin my hair anymore, but actually wetting it still does.
You made some good points there. I did a search on the topic and found most people will agree with
your blog.
Salam, actually the Quran is COMPLETE and the verse bout wudu is quite clear.
“And We have revealed the Book to you which has clear explanation of everything, and a guidance, mercy and good news for those who submit.” (Qur’an 16:89)
I hav the same question as my hair looks oily heaps if I wet it heaps. Befor I wipe ova my head I shake my hands first to remove excess water.. It makes a big difference 🙂
Salamunalaykom
Thanks so much for your advice, and welcome to the blog!
I am also facing a similar kind of a problem. I have dandruff and it gets very itchy after I perform wudu, the front part of my head. I was wondering if I can do masah instead, but I am not sure if that is right or wrong. I have posted this question on my websites but no response so far. Any one has anything to suggest me please.
Maybe its the water you’re using? Hard water can cause all sorts of skin problems. You could try using only bottled water for your head. I am not Muslim or any sort of theological expert, but I do recall that religion is not supposed to be a hardship. If a sensitive scalp is getting worse because of wudu, then perhaps masah would be appropriate. I think God will hear your prayers either way, as long as they come from your heart.