How many times ablution is performed

Abu Hayyah said: I saw Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) perform ablution. First he cleaned his hands, then he washed his face three times, then he washed his forearms three times, then he wiped his head, then he washed both his feet including the ankles. Then he stood up and drank the water left over from his ablution. Then he said: I wanted to teach you the way the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution.

Abd Khayr said: During ablution, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) rinsed his mouth three times, cleaned his nose three times from a single palmful, and washed his face three times. Then he put his hand into the vessel and wiped his head, and then washed his feet. After that he said: This is the ablution of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Humran said: Once Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) called for water and performed ablution, then he smiled. Then he said: Will you not ask me why I smiled? The people said: O Commander of the Believers, why did you smile? He said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) perform ablution just as I have performed it. He rinsed his mouth and cleaned his nose, washed his face three times, washed his forearms three times, wiped his head, and purified (washed) his feet.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) that in ablution the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) washed his face three times, washed his forearms twice, wiped his head, and wiped his feet twice.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with them both) that once a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about the method of ablution. He called for water and washed the limbs three times each. Then he said: "This is the way of ablution. Whoever falls short of it or adds to it has done wrong and transgressed."

Sayyidah al-Rubayyi' bint Mu'awwidh bin Afra' (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to our house. We placed water for ablution for him, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution washing each limb three times, and then he also wiped his head. He began the wiping of the head from the back.

Abd Khayr said: Once Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Shall I not show you the ablution of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? Then he performed ablution, washing each limb three times.

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution. He washed his hands three times, rinsed his mouth three times, cleaned his nose three times, and performed the ablution washing each limb three times.

It is narrated from Abu Anas that Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) performed ablution at a place called al-Maqa'id and said: Shall I not show you the ablution of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? Then he performed ablution, washing each limb three times.

Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to wash the limbs three times each.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution in this way: first he took water, and with that water he rinsed his mouth and also put water into his nose. Then he took water a second time and washed his blessed face with it. Then he took water a third time and washed his right forearm with it, then he took water and washed his left forearm with it, then he took water and wiped his head and ears. He wiped the inner parts of the ears with his index fingers and the outer parts of the ears with his thumbs. Then he took water and washed his right foot with it, then he took water and washed his left foot with it.

Ata said: Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) performed ablution washing each limb three times. He wiped his head once and washed his feet, then he said: This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) perform ablution.

Thabit said: I asked Abu Ja'far: Has this narration of Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reached you, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) washed the limbs of ablution once each? He said: "Yes", this narration has reached me.

Sayyiduna Qarazah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) took us to a place called Sirar. There he performed ablution and washed the limbs twice each.

Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: In ablution, washing the limbs three times each is better, and if ablution is performed washing them twice each, that is also permissible.

Concerning rinsing the mouth, cleaning the nose, washing the face, washing the forearms and washing the feet, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Doing it twice is permissible, and doing it three times is superior.

Muslim bin Subayh said: I saw Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) wash the limbs three times each during ablution, then he wiped his head and ears.

Yazid said: I saw Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Layla during ablution rinse his mouth and put water into his nose once or twice, then he washed his face three times, then he washed his forearms three times each, then he wiped his head, then he washed both his feet three times each. I did not see him pass his fingers through his beard (khilal). Then he said: I saw Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) perform ablution in just this way.

Muslim said: I saw Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Layla performing ablution; he was washing the limbs three times each.

Isma'il bin Ibrahim said: I saw Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) performing ablution in Dar al-Nadwah; he washed the limbs once each.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that in ablution the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) washed the limbs once each.

Al-Sha'bi said: Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to wash the limbs twice each in ablution. Amir (al-Sha'bi) said: Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) also used to do the same.

Asim bin Ubaydullah said: I saw Salim bin Abdullah washing the limbs once each in ablution.

Ibrahim said: If you wash the limbs twice each in ablution, that is sufficient, and if you wash them three times, that is the care and perfection of ablution.

Abu Ja'far said: Ablution should be performed an odd number of times.

Ja'far bin Burqan said: I asked al-Zuhri: "How many times is it sufficient to wash the face and the forearms in ablution?" He said: In my view, washing once thoroughly is sufficient. I said to him: But Maymun says that the face should be washed three times and the forearms three times! He said: That is the care and perfection of ablution.

A man of the Ansar narrates from his father that once Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Shall I not teach you the ablution of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? The people said: Certainly, teach us. He called for water and with it rinsed his mouth three times, cleaned his nose three times, and washed his face three times and his forearms three times. Then he wiped his head, then washed his feet, and said: The ears are part of the head. Then he said: I have made clear to you the way the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution washing each limb twice.

Al-Hasan al-Basri said: Performing ablution once, twice or three times (all three ways) is permissible.

Al-Qasim said: Whoever performs ablution well may wash the limbs once each.