I have heard a fatwa saying that if I perform wudu’ for reciting Quraan, it is not permissible to pray before I perform another wudu’ for praying. And if I performed wudu’ to pray, it is not permissible to recite Quraan before performing another wudu’ for reciting. How correct is this fatwa? What are the evidences for this fatwa? If the fatwa is correct then what should my intention be while performing wudu’?.

Praise be to Allaah.

This fatwa is not correct, rather if a person does wudoo’ for any purpose for which it is mustahabb or obligatory to do wudoo’, his wudoo’ is valid and his impurity is removed, and it is permissible for him to do the action for which he did wudoo’ and other actions, so long as he does not break his wudoo’. 

If a person does wudoo’ so that he may read Qur’aan, it is also permissible for him to pray with that wudoo’. If a person does wudoo’ so that he may pray, it is also permissible for him to read Qur'aan. 

Abu Ishaaq al-Shiraazi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: If he intends to purify himself in order to pray or to do something which is not permissible to do except with wudoo’, such as touching the Mus-haf and the like, then it is sufficient because that is not permissible without wudoo’. So if he intends to purify himself for that, it includes the intention to remove impurity. 

Al-Nawawi said in al-Sharh: What he mentioned was stated by al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) and our companions are agreed upon it. Then if he intends to purify himself for something which is only permissible in a state of purity, then impurity is removed and that which he intended and other things become permissible to him. End quote. 

Al-Majmoo’ (1/365). 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: If a person does wudoo’ to remove impurity and does not intend to pray, is it permissible for him to pray with that wudoo’? 

He replied: If a person does wudoo’ without intending to pray, and he only does wudoo’ in order to remove impurity, he may offer whatever prayers he wishes, both obligatory and naafil, until he breaks his wudoo’. End quote. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (11/149). 

But what should the Muslim intend when he does wudoo’? 

He should intend to remove minor impurity, or he should intend to do wudoo’ for the sake of some action for which it is obligatory or mustahabb to do wudoo’. Examples of things for which wudoo’ is required include prayer and touching the Mus-haf. Examples of things for which wudoo’ is mustahabb include reciting Qur’aan and remembering Allaah (dhikr), and when going to sleep. 

And Allaah knows best.