Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Jubair bin Nufair narrates from his father that Sayyiduna Abu Jubair (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with his daughter, whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had married. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered water for ablution for them and said: "Abu Jubair! Perform ablution." Abu Jubair started (the ablution) from the mouth. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Do not start from the mouth, because the disbeliever starts from the mouth." Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called for water for ablution (and performed ablution in this order): He washed his hands until he cleaned them, rinsed his mouth three times and put water into his nose, washed his face three times, washed his right arm up to the elbow three times and then the left arm three times, then wiped his head and washed both feet.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution, he would move the water around his elbows.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would sometimes wash each limb once during ablution, sometimes twice, and sometimes three times. He would adopt each of these methods.

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked for water for ablution, and washed his face, both hands, and both feet once each, and said: "This is the ablution without which Allah does not accept prayer." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) asked for water and washed (the limbs) twice each and said: "This is the ablution; whoever performs ablution like this, Allah will grant him double the reward." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) asked for water and washed (the limbs) three times each and said: "This is the ablution of your Prophet and the Prophets before him." Or he said: "This is my ablution and the ablution of the Prophets before me."

Amr bin Shu'aib narrates from his father, and he from his grandfather Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them), who says: A Bedouin came to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked about ablution. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated ablution to him, in which he washed each limb three times. Then he said: "Ablution is done in this way. Whoever washes (the limbs) more than this (amount), he does wrong, exceeds the limit, and acts unjustly."