Muwatta Imam Malik (Riwayat Yahya)

Hazrat Amr bin Yahya al-Mazini narrates from his father that he said: Abdullah bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him), who is the grandfather of Amr bin Yahya and one of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), was asked: Can you show me how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution? He said: Yes. So he called for water for ablution, poured it on his hand and washed both his hands twice, then rinsed his mouth and put water into his nose three times, then washed both his hands up to the elbows twice, then wiped his head with both hands, moving them forward and then backward, that is, he started wiping from the forehead to the nape of the neck and then brought them back from the nape to the forehead, then washed both feet.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When any of you performs ablution, he should rinse his nose with water and use an odd number of stones for istinja (cleaning oneself after relieving oneself)."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever performs ablution should sniff water into his nose, and whoever uses pebbles (for cleaning) should use an odd number."

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, says that if a person takes a handful of water and uses it both for rinsing the mouth and for sniffing into the nose, there is no harm in it.

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that it reached me that Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with them both, went to Umm al-Mu'mineen Sayyidah Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, on the day when Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, passed away. So Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman, may Allah be pleased with him, asked for water for ablution. Then Sayyidah Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: Complete the ablution thoroughly, for I heard from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, he used to say: "Woe to the heels from the Fire."

It is narrated from Abdur Rahman bin Uthman Taimi that Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say: Wash your private parts with water.

Yahya said: Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about a person who performed ablution and, out of forgetfulness, washed his face before rinsing his mouth, or washed his hands before washing his face. Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Whoever washed his face before rinsing his mouth should rinse his mouth and not wash his face again. But whoever washed his hands before washing his face should wash his face and then wash his hands again, so that the washing of the hands comes after the washing of the face, as long as the one performing ablution is still in his place or near it.

Yahya said: Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about a person who forgot to rinse his mouth or put water in his nose during ablution and then performed the prayer. Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: His prayer is valid; it is not necessary for him to repeat the prayer, but for the next prayer he should rinse his mouth or put water in his nose.