Explaining Sahih Muslim Book 2 - Hadith 1-6
Chapter 1: The virtue of wudu’.
Abu Malik at-Ash'ari reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Cleanliness is half of faith and al-Hamdu Lillah (all praise and gratitude is for Allah alone) fills the scale, and Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah) and al-Hamdu Lillah fill up what is between the heavens and the earth, and prayer is a light, and charity is proof (of one's faith) and endurance is a brightness and the Holy Qur'an is a proof on your behalf or against you. All men go out early in the morning and sell themselves, thereby setting themselves free or destroying themselves. (Explaining Sahih Muslim Book 2 - Hadith 1)
Chapter 2: The obligation of purifying oneself for the salat.
It was narrated from Simak bin Harb, that Mus'ab bin Sa'd said:
'" 'Abdullah bin 'Umar came to visit Ibn 'Amir when he was sick and he said: 'Won't you supplicate to Allah for me, O Ibn 'Umar ?' He said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "No Salat is accepted without Wudu' (purification), and no charity (is accepted) that comes from Ghulul [1] " and you were the governor of Al-Basrah.' " [1] Goods pilfered from the spoils of war prior to their authorized distribution. (Explaining Sahih Muslim Book 2 - Hadith 2)
A hadith like this is narrated from the Apostle (ﷺ) with the same chain of transmitters by Muhammad b. Muthanna, Ibn Bashshar, Muhammad b. Ja'far, Shu'ba. (Explaining Sahih Muslim Book 2 - Hadith 3)
Hammam b. Munabbih who is the brother of Wahb b. Munabbih said:
This is what has been transmitted to us by Abu Huraira from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and then narrated a hadith out of them and observed that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The prayer of none amongst you would be accepted in a state of impurity until he performs ablution. (Explaining Sahih Muslim Book 2 - Hadith 4)
Chapter 3: The description of wudu’ and its perfection.
Humran, the freed slave of 'Uthman, said:
Uthman b. 'Affan called for ablution water and this is how he performed the ablution. He washed his hands thrice. He then rinsed his mouth and cleaned his nose with water (three times). He then washed his face three times, then washed his right arm up to the elbow three times, then washed his left arm like that, then wiped his head; then washed his right foot up to the ankle three times, then washed his left foot like that, and then said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) perform ablution like this ablution of mine. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who performs ablution like this ablution of mine and then stood up (for prayer) and offered two rak'ahs of prayer without allowing his thoughts to be distracted, all his previous sins are expiated. Ibn Shihab said: Our scholars remarked: This is the most complete of the ablutions performed for prayer. (Explaining Sahih Muslim Book 2 - Hadith 5)
Humran, the freed slave of 'Uthman said:
I saw Uthman call for a vessel (of water) and poured water over his hands three times and then washed them. Then he put his right hand in the vessel and rinsed his mouth and cleaned his nose. Then he washed his face three times and his hands up to the elbow three times; then wiped his head, then washed his feet three times. Then he said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said: He who performed ablution like this ablution of mine and offered two raka`ahs of prayer without allowing his thoughts to be distracted, all his previous sins would be expiated. (Explaining Sahih Muslim Book 2 - Hadith 6)