salahdin
Junior Member
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
A Description of How the Prophet (SAW) Made Wudoo'
By Fahd ibn 'Abdir Rahman ash-Shuwaib and Translated by Dawood Burbank al-Britanee.
Ad-Dalk (Rubbing the Water over the Body Parts):
This is part of the wudoo authentically reported from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). Al-Mustawrid ibn Shadad said: I saw Rasoolullah (sailallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) when he made wudoo rubbing his toes with his litle finger. [Saheeh as has preceded].
50. Abdullah ibn Zaid (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) narrates that the Prophet (sallallaahu'alaihiwasallam) made wudoo and said Rub in this way. [See Nail-ul-Autaar, 4/39].
51. He (radhiAllaahu'anhu) also narrates that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) made wudoo with two thirds of a mudd[3] (of water) and rubbed over his forearms. [Ibn Khuzaimah (no.118), and its isnaad is Saheeh - and al-Haakim (1/161) reports it by way of Yahyaa ibn Abi Zaa'idah].
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Performing the Wudoo in the Order Mentioned in the Ayaah
As for what is narrated regarding the 'order' as mentioned in the Aayah, then there is nothing to contradict that - and this order is obligatory (waajib) and it is said: Sunnah. [See Fiqh al Imam Sa'eed ibn al Musayyib, 1/64].
As for what is related with regard to the Prophet's wudoo (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) then it has been reported sometimes out of the regular order. And the proof is:
52. Al-Miqdaam ibn Ma'd Yakrib said: I came to the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) with water for wudoo , so he washed his hands three times, then washed his face three times, then washed his forearms three times, then washed his mouth and nose three times, then wiped his head and ears - their outsides and insides - and washed each of his feet three times. [Ahmad (4/132), Abu Dawood (1/19) with Saheeh isnaad. Ash-Shaukaanee (1/1~5) said: Its isnaad is good, and it is reported by ad-Diyaa in 'al-Mukhtaarah'. And al-Albaanee records it in 'as-Saheehah', no.261] .
So this is a proof that he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) did not always stick to the regular order - and this is a proof that it is not obligatory - however, his sticking to it mostly shows that it is Sunnah. And Allaah Knows best.
As-Suyooti says as is reported from him in 'Aun al Ma'bood' ( 1/48): It is used as a proof - that is the aforementioned hadeeth - by him who says that sticking to the regular order in wudoo is not obligatory as he washed his mouth and nose after washing his arms.
The author of 'Aun al Ma'bood' says: This narration is 'shaadh'[4] - and therefore not to be taken in contradiction to the established narrations which put the washing of the mouth and nose before the washing of the face.
I say: The difference of opinion between the scholars here is with regard to those parts of wudoo which are Sunnah. As for the obligatory duties - then they are according to the order mentioned in the noble Aayah, and the best thing is to perform all of the actions in the way mentioned in the majority of the ahaadeeth - and Allaah Knows best.
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Al-Mawaalaat (Washing Each Part Directly After the Previous one - Leaving no Time Gap in Between)
Nothing other than this is established from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). It is however established that Ibn 'Umar (radhiAllaahu' anhu) urinated within the market, then made wudoo and so washed his face and hands and wiped his head, then he was called to pray over a Janazzah so he entered the mosque then wiped over his leather socks, then prayed over it. [Reported by Maalik (no.72) and al-Baihaqee (1/84). And 'Ataa didn't see anything wrong with leaving such gaps whilst making wudoo and it is the saying of al-Hasan, an-Nakha'ee and the better reported of the two sayings of ash-Shaafi'ee].
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Beginning with the Right
That is washing the right hand before the left - and likewise the feet.
53. 'Aaishah (radhiAllaahu 'annaa) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to like to begin with the right in putting on shoes, combing his hair, in purification and in all of his affairs. [Al-Bukhaaree (al Fath) 1/235, Muslim (no.267) and others].
54. Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu'anhu) narrates that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said When you dress and when you make wudoo , then begin with the right. [Abu Dawood (4141), at-Tirmidhee (1766), an-Nasaa'ee (402). Al-Albaanee declares it to be saheeh].
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Economizing in the Use of Water and not Being Wasteful
55. Anas (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) said: The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to make wudoo with a mudd (of water) and make ghusl with a saa' or up to five mudds. [Muslim (1/156) and others]. A saa' is equal to four mudds. ( A mudd is that amount of water which is held by the two hands cupped together.)
If you consider this hadeeth well, O my Muslim Brother, you would feel ashamed of what some people do these days - one of them opening the water tap and making wudoo and sometimes talking to his companion whilst the water is running out - what an excess in wastefulness! So he who does that should fear Allaah and remember this hadeeth and keep it in mind and follow the Sunnah with regard to using the water sparingly and not being wasteful - and here the true following of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is made clear and the true Muslim's belief. It is from the Sunnah for the Muslim who wishes to make wudoo to have with him a container large enough for a mudd of water - in order to force himself to return to the following of the Sunnah.
A Description of How the Prophet (SAW) Made Wudoo'
By Fahd ibn 'Abdir Rahman ash-Shuwaib and Translated by Dawood Burbank al-Britanee.
Ad-Dalk (Rubbing the Water over the Body Parts):
This is part of the wudoo authentically reported from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). Al-Mustawrid ibn Shadad said: I saw Rasoolullah (sailallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) when he made wudoo rubbing his toes with his litle finger. [Saheeh as has preceded].
50. Abdullah ibn Zaid (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) narrates that the Prophet (sallallaahu'alaihiwasallam) made wudoo and said Rub in this way. [See Nail-ul-Autaar, 4/39].
51. He (radhiAllaahu'anhu) also narrates that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) made wudoo with two thirds of a mudd[3] (of water) and rubbed over his forearms. [Ibn Khuzaimah (no.118), and its isnaad is Saheeh - and al-Haakim (1/161) reports it by way of Yahyaa ibn Abi Zaa'idah].
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Performing the Wudoo in the Order Mentioned in the Ayaah
As for what is narrated regarding the 'order' as mentioned in the Aayah, then there is nothing to contradict that - and this order is obligatory (waajib) and it is said: Sunnah. [See Fiqh al Imam Sa'eed ibn al Musayyib, 1/64].
As for what is related with regard to the Prophet's wudoo (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) then it has been reported sometimes out of the regular order. And the proof is:
52. Al-Miqdaam ibn Ma'd Yakrib said: I came to the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) with water for wudoo , so he washed his hands three times, then washed his face three times, then washed his forearms three times, then washed his mouth and nose three times, then wiped his head and ears - their outsides and insides - and washed each of his feet three times. [Ahmad (4/132), Abu Dawood (1/19) with Saheeh isnaad. Ash-Shaukaanee (1/1~5) said: Its isnaad is good, and it is reported by ad-Diyaa in 'al-Mukhtaarah'. And al-Albaanee records it in 'as-Saheehah', no.261] .
So this is a proof that he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) did not always stick to the regular order - and this is a proof that it is not obligatory - however, his sticking to it mostly shows that it is Sunnah. And Allaah Knows best.
As-Suyooti says as is reported from him in 'Aun al Ma'bood' ( 1/48): It is used as a proof - that is the aforementioned hadeeth - by him who says that sticking to the regular order in wudoo is not obligatory as he washed his mouth and nose after washing his arms.
The author of 'Aun al Ma'bood' says: This narration is 'shaadh'[4] - and therefore not to be taken in contradiction to the established narrations which put the washing of the mouth and nose before the washing of the face.
I say: The difference of opinion between the scholars here is with regard to those parts of wudoo which are Sunnah. As for the obligatory duties - then they are according to the order mentioned in the noble Aayah, and the best thing is to perform all of the actions in the way mentioned in the majority of the ahaadeeth - and Allaah Knows best.
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Al-Mawaalaat (Washing Each Part Directly After the Previous one - Leaving no Time Gap in Between)
Nothing other than this is established from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). It is however established that Ibn 'Umar (radhiAllaahu' anhu) urinated within the market, then made wudoo and so washed his face and hands and wiped his head, then he was called to pray over a Janazzah so he entered the mosque then wiped over his leather socks, then prayed over it. [Reported by Maalik (no.72) and al-Baihaqee (1/84). And 'Ataa didn't see anything wrong with leaving such gaps whilst making wudoo and it is the saying of al-Hasan, an-Nakha'ee and the better reported of the two sayings of ash-Shaafi'ee].
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Beginning with the Right
That is washing the right hand before the left - and likewise the feet.
53. 'Aaishah (radhiAllaahu 'annaa) said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to like to begin with the right in putting on shoes, combing his hair, in purification and in all of his affairs. [Al-Bukhaaree (al Fath) 1/235, Muslim (no.267) and others].
54. Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu'anhu) narrates that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said When you dress and when you make wudoo , then begin with the right. [Abu Dawood (4141), at-Tirmidhee (1766), an-Nasaa'ee (402). Al-Albaanee declares it to be saheeh].
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Economizing in the Use of Water and not Being Wasteful
55. Anas (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) said: The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to make wudoo with a mudd (of water) and make ghusl with a saa' or up to five mudds. [Muslim (1/156) and others]. A saa' is equal to four mudds. ( A mudd is that amount of water which is held by the two hands cupped together.)
If you consider this hadeeth well, O my Muslim Brother, you would feel ashamed of what some people do these days - one of them opening the water tap and making wudoo and sometimes talking to his companion whilst the water is running out - what an excess in wastefulness! So he who does that should fear Allaah and remember this hadeeth and keep it in mind and follow the Sunnah with regard to using the water sparingly and not being wasteful - and here the true following of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is made clear and the true Muslim's belief. It is from the Sunnah for the Muslim who wishes to make wudoo to have with him a container large enough for a mudd of water - in order to force himself to return to the following of the Sunnah.