The Ruling on Continuity in Ablution

Question:
Continuity in ablution?

Answer:
As for continuity, it has been mentioned previously that it is necessary, and that it is an obligatory part of ablution. For this reason, several hadiths report that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a spot on the foot of one of the people, the size of a fingernail, or the size of a dirham, and he ordered him to repeat the ablution. The hadith of Khalid ibn Ma'dan is good, and so is the hadith of 'Umar, and so is the hadith of Anas; they are all authentic. They indicate that continuity is obligatory and that it is a requirement; because if it were not a requirement, he would have ordered him to wash the spot and been content with that. But when he ordered him to repeat the prayer and the ablution, it indicated that continuity in ablution is necessary.
And because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution with continuity and said, "This is how ablution is performed," it is obligatory for us to perform ablution as he performed it. And because his action is an explanation of the words of Allah, in His saying: [Al-Ma'idah: 6], his explanation (peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies the meaning and makes the ablution clear. Therefore, it is obligatory that the ablution be performed in the order as Allah ordered it, and as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered it. It is also obligatory that it be continuous, without separating between the parts, but continuous in the usual manner; such that one washes each limb before the one before it dries.