Is bathing in the sea sufficient in place of wudu'?

Q: If there is a sea or river near me and I bathe in it, and then the time for prayer arrives and I have no water other than it to perform wudu' from, is my bathing sufficient in place of wudu' or not?

A: You must perform wudu' from the sea or river around you. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about performing wudu' with sea water, and he said: If you bathe to remove impurity or dirt, it is not sufficient, for wudu' is necessary. However, if you bathe to remove major ritual impurity and you intend both the minor and major states of impurity with the bath, that is sufficient. But it is better to perform wudu' and then take the bath. This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do: he would first clean himself, then perform wudu' for prayer, and then take the bath. This is the recommended practice. But if one intends both with a single intention, it is sufficient according to the scholars. However, it is better for the Muslim to do what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. The same applies to a woman regarding the bath for menstruation and post-natal bleeding, whether the water is from the seas, rivers, wells, or springs. And Allah the Exalted says: the verse [al-Ma'idah: 6].