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Fatwa CenterObserving the Prescribed Sequence in Washing Body Parts During Ablution
Question
Due to my ignorance or misunderstanding, every time that I thought I had a barrier to wuzu on my skin, I thought that as long as my skin was wet still from wuzu I could still clean that part again. But I did not understand that I would have to wash the remaining limbs again in order. I simply washed the limb that required washing and that was it. What do I need to do?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Scholars held different opinions regarding the ruling on observing the prescribed sequence in washing the body parts during the ablution as to whether it is obligatory or an act of the Sunnah. Al-Mawsoo‘ah Al-Fiqhiyyah Al-Kuwaytiyyah (the Kuwaiti Fiqh Encyclopedia) reads: “Observing the prescribed sequence in washing the body parts during the ablution is obligatory according to the Shaafi‘i and Hanbali scholars because the body parts (that should be washed during ablution) were mentioned in that specific sequence in the verse where Allah, The Exalted, Says (what means): {when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles.} [Quran 5:6]
The Hanafi and Maaliki scholars, on the other hand, held that it is not obligatory to observe that sequence in washing the body parts during the ablution and maintained that it is rather an act of the Sunnah.” [End of quote]
Based on the above, your ablution is valid according to many scholars, and accordingly, your prayer with it is valid and adequate in clearing your liability from the obligation in this regard, and you are not required to redo it.
However, you have to observe the prescribed sequence in washing the body parts during the ablution in the future, taking into consideration the view of the scholars who held that it is obligatory.
Allah Knows best.
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