Performing ablution or wudhu is part of the Islamic procedure to achieve purity before prayer is performed. This act of cleansing certain parts of the body is usually done at a specified ablution area in a mosque or prayer room. However, the current ablution areas are usually catered for people without physical disabilities and less consideration is taken for the elderly and wheelchair users.

Therefore, based on the guidance of lecturers, a research was conducted by Muhammad Shafiq Bin Sadali, a final year UPM Industrial Design student, to focus on the abovesaid matter. Qualitative and quantitative methods were both applied to collect the appropriate data which led to proper design solutions. Survey and observation were also conducted to analyse the weaknesses of existing wudhu places which include factors of accident occurrences and to identify the suitable needs of the elderly while performing wudhu. This also includes the study on ergonomic evaluation whereby its purpose is to obtain the anthropometric dimension. Based on the results, a wudhu station was designed which focuses towards the ergonomic, styling, function, and safety aspects.

The design and styling are inspired by a crescent-moon since the curved shape of the waning moon has become synonymous as an Islamic symbol. This can be seen on the upper and lower parts of the design. Besides having commendable styling and its applicability for people with special needs, this product is designed based on a ready-to-assemble (RTA) concept which can be installed in places namely mosques, residential areas, and offices. Furthermore, this novel product is also equipped with a light sensor placed underneath the sink so that the user could see while washing their feet when performing wudhu at night or in poorly lit areas.

Finally, after being granted copyright protection in December 2020, the ergonomic wudhu station is expected to be further developed, especially in terms of producing actual size functional prototype using the proposed materials.

Date of Input: 27/04/2021 | Updated: 27/04/2021 | arizy