What is the ruling regarding the prayers of someone who was performing ablution incorrectly for many years? Must they be made up?
The question includes several matters:
1. If the wiping of the head is done with pre-existing wetness on the hands, it is not sufficient and constitutes abandoning a pillar of ablution. 2. Ensuring water reaches between the toes is an obligation in ablution. 3. Rinsing the mouth, sniffing water into the nose, and wiping the ears are Sunnah acts in ablution. 4. If the head was not wiped with fresh water, or if the water did not reach between the toes, then the previous prayers are invalid and must be redone. If the number cannot be determined, one must continue making up for them until one's duty is discharged. This is the view of the majority of scholars.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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