Question
Why is that we are required to do Wudu everytime before we do prayer, and not before reading the Quran,even though both the acts are communication with the Lord?.I am asking about the wisdom behind this and not the evidence?. Thanks.
Answer
Wudu (i.e. ablution) is not only a physical act that cleanses the body but it is the very beginning stage of purifying one’s soul to commune with the Almighty. The Islamic prayer is not a mere recitation of God’s words rather it is a reflection within one’s self to reach out to the Creator. Every limb, every emotion, every element of the senses are focused on this journey towards God. It is this preparation of the person’s state that sets them apart from the world to focus in on communicating with God. While the entire being is concentrated towards God during prayer, the recitation of the Qur’an may be for different reasons. One can be memorizing or quoting parts of the Qur’an for specific reasons that have nothing to do with communication but instead reciting for another purpose. The leeway that is given to recite the Qur’an without wudu is just for such things as guiding someone, memorizing, correcting, teaching or giving da’wah (i.e. propagation). Consider a situation in which someone comes up to you and asks about what the Qur’an says about something in particular, how feasible would it be to ask them to hold on until you wash up and then come back to recite. Or another situation in which you are correcting someone who misspoke a verse from it and you happened to hear it. Such restrictions would be intolerable to say the least. The difference between reciting and praying is vastly different because the latter obligates you to take yourself out from the traffic of life and settle into a state of spiritual connection.
When these points are considered one can appreciate the reasoning and common sense behind the requirement for wudu for prayer while the lack of it for recitation.
I hope I have clarified the issue.
God knows best.