How much water should I use for wudu and ghusl — can using too much be wasteful?

The Sunnah is moderation: Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would perform ghusl with a sa' of water up to five mudds, and perform wudu with a single mudd (Sahih al-Bukhari 201) — roughly three quarters of a litre for wudu. Allah says, "and be not excessive; indeed, He does not like those who commit excess" (Quran 7:31), so leaving the tap running needlessly, or washing the limbs more than three times, goes against the guidance of the Prophet. Your wudu remains valid if you use more water than this, but using far more than you need loses you the reward of following the Sunnah and falls into waste, which is blameworthy. Water is a trust, and being sparing with it is part of the perfection of worship, not a defect in it.

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