What is the ruling on the basmalah in wudu'?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner asks: What is the ruling on the basmalah in wudu'? I hope for a detailed explanation, and is it true that if one persists in saying the basmalah before wudu' believing that it is a sunnah, his action would be a bid'ah (religious innovation)?

Answer:
The scholars are in agreement on the permissibility of the basmalah in wudu', but the majority hold that it is a sunnah (recommended practice); if one leaves it out, his wudu' is valid. Imam Ahmad holds that it is obligatory, one of the obligations of wudu'; if one leaves it out intentionally, his wudu' is not valid. If he leaves it out due to forgetfulness or ignorance, his wudu' is valid, according to Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him). His evidence is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Although this hadith is weak, it has many corroborating narrations that support and strengthen it. However, the majority of scholars interpreted his statement "no wudu'" to mean "no complete wudu'"; they took it as a negation of perfection, not a negation of validity. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) interpreted it as a negation of validity. Yes.