❖ 8 Shar‘i Guidelines Regarding Seeking Help During Wudhu ❖
Source: Fatāwā al-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Volume 1, Page 360
Is it permissible to seek help from another person while performing Wudhu?
All praise is due to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
✔ Seeking assistance from others without a valid Shar‘i excuse is not the practice of a God-fearing and cautious believer.
This is based on an authentic Hadith:
Thawbān رضي الله عنه narrated:
“Whoever guarantees that he will not ask people for anything, I guarantee him Paradise.”
Thawbān رضي الله عنه said: “I give that guarantee,” and thereafter never asked anyone for anything.
(Abu Dāwud 1/239, Nasā’ī 1/362, Mishkāt 1/163)
The Prophet ﷺ made a similar condition with Abū Dharr رضي الله عنه:
“If your whip falls, pick it up yourself.”
(Musnad Aḥmad 5/181, Mishkāt 1/164)
❖ Conclusion:
Without excuse, asking for help—especially for personal tasks—is discouraged in Islam.
✔ In cases of necessity—such as injury, illness, or disability—seeking assistance is not only allowed but may even be obligatory upon fellow Muslims to offer help.
This is affirmed in Al-Fiqh al-Islāmī (1/252).
➤ In Ibn Mājah (1/67):
Chapter: A man seeking help during Wudhu by having someone pour water for him
✔ Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah رضي الله عنه narrated:
“The Prophet ﷺ went to relieve himself. When he returned, I brought water for him. I poured the water, and he washed his hands and face. When his sleeves were tight, he pulled his hands out from under and washed them. He wiped over his socks and led the prayer.”
✔ Rubayyiʿ bint Muʿawwidh رضي الله عنها narrated (in Bukhārī and Muslim):
“I brought a pot of water to the Prophet ﷺ. He said: ‘Pour the water.’ I poured while he washed his face and hands, and then wiped his head with fresh water and washed his feet three times.”
(Abu Dāwud: 117, 122; 1/27)
❖ These hadiths prove:
✔ Pouring water for someone during Wudhu is permissible, even without an excuse.
✔ Ibn Taymiyyah, in Al-Muntaqā bi Sharḥ al-Nayl (1/218), quoted the hadith of Mughīrah and said:
“This hadith proves that seeking help in Wudhu is permissible.”
✔ Al-Baḥr al-Rā’iq mentions:
“There is consensus on the permissibility of assistance in pouring water, as the Companions used to pour water for the Prophet ﷺ.”
Some rely on a narration wherein the Prophet ﷺ supposedly said to ʿUmar رضي الله عنه:
“I do not take help from anyone during Wudhu.”
✔ Imām Nawawī, in Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab, declared this fabricated:
“This narration is baseless; it has no authentic origin.”
✔ It was recorded by Bazār and Abū Yaʿlā, but the chain includes unknown and unreliable narrators.
“The Prophet ﷺ never allowed anyone else to handle his Wudhu water.”
(Ibn Mājah, Daraqutnī)
⚠ This narration includes Muṭahhar ibn Haytham, a weak narrator.
In contrast, authentic narrations prove that the Prophet ﷺ accepted assistance from:
✔ Usāmah ibn Zayd
✔ Rubayyiʿ bint Muʿawwidh
✔ Ṣafwān ibn ʿAssāl رضي الله عنهم
✔ The real point of difference is not over pouring water, but over having someone else wash your limbs during Wudhu.
⚠ There is no authentic report that the Prophet ﷺ ever allowed others to wash his limbs, nor does any of his statements support this.
Anyone claiming it's permissible for a responsible person to appoint someone else to wash their limbs must provide evidence.
✔ Imām al-Bukhārī titled a chapter in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (1/30):
“Chapter: A man letting his companion pour water during Wudhu”
Then he quoted the narrations of Usāmah and Mughīrah.
✔ Ibn Ḥajar, in Fatḥ al-Bārī (1/229), wrote:
“These narrations indicate the permissibility of pouring water, but not of washing the limbs.”
✔ Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṭabarī and others cite Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
“I do not mind seeking help in Wudhu, just as I do not mind during bowing and prostration.”
This may refer to pouring water, not to washing limbs, especially since other narrations show Ibn ʿUmar used to pour water himself when washing his feet.
✔ Al-Sunan al-Kubrā of Bayhaqī (1/83) also records narrations regarding pouring water during Wudhu.
❀ Without a valid excuse, it is not permissible to have others wash your limbs.
❀ In cases of genuine necessity, it is permissible and sometimes even required.
❀ Seeking help solely to pour water is permissible, though not preferred.
❀ There is no authentic proof permitting assistance in washing limbs during Wudhu.
Hādha mā ʿindī, wallāhu aʿlam bis-ṣawāb.
Source: Fatāwā al-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Volume 1, Page 360
❖ Question
Is it permissible to seek help from another person while performing Wudhu?
❖ Answer
All praise is due to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
✿ ① Seeking Help Without a Valid Excuse
✔ Seeking assistance from others without a valid Shar‘i excuse is not the practice of a God-fearing and cautious believer.
This is based on an authentic Hadith:
Thawbān رضي الله عنه narrated:
“Whoever guarantees that he will not ask people for anything, I guarantee him Paradise.”
Thawbān رضي الله عنه said: “I give that guarantee,” and thereafter never asked anyone for anything.
(Abu Dāwud 1/239, Nasā’ī 1/362, Mishkāt 1/163)
The Prophet ﷺ made a similar condition with Abū Dharr رضي الله عنه:
“If your whip falls, pick it up yourself.”
(Musnad Aḥmad 5/181, Mishkāt 1/164)
❖ Conclusion:
Without excuse, asking for help—especially for personal tasks—is discouraged in Islam.
✿ ② Seeking Help Due to a Valid Excuse
✔ In cases of necessity—such as injury, illness, or disability—seeking assistance is not only allowed but may even be obligatory upon fellow Muslims to offer help.
This is affirmed in Al-Fiqh al-Islāmī (1/252).
✿ ③ Seeking Help for Pouring Water
➤ In Ibn Mājah (1/67):
Chapter: A man seeking help during Wudhu by having someone pour water for him
✔ Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah رضي الله عنه narrated:
“The Prophet ﷺ went to relieve himself. When he returned, I brought water for him. I poured the water, and he washed his hands and face. When his sleeves were tight, he pulled his hands out from under and washed them. He wiped over his socks and led the prayer.”
✔ Rubayyiʿ bint Muʿawwidh رضي الله عنها narrated (in Bukhārī and Muslim):
“I brought a pot of water to the Prophet ﷺ. He said: ‘Pour the water.’ I poured while he washed his face and hands, and then wiped his head with fresh water and washed his feet three times.”
(Abu Dāwud: 117, 122; 1/27)
❖ These hadiths prove:
✔ Pouring water for someone during Wudhu is permissible, even without an excuse.
✿ ④ Scholarly Opinions and Juristic Agreement
✔ Ibn Taymiyyah, in Al-Muntaqā bi Sharḥ al-Nayl (1/218), quoted the hadith of Mughīrah and said:
“This hadith proves that seeking help in Wudhu is permissible.”
✔ Al-Baḥr al-Rā’iq mentions:
“There is consensus on the permissibility of assistance in pouring water, as the Companions used to pour water for the Prophet ﷺ.”
✿ ⑤ Weak Narrations Misused in This Issue
Some rely on a narration wherein the Prophet ﷺ supposedly said to ʿUmar رضي الله عنه:
“I do not take help from anyone during Wudhu.”
✔ Imām Nawawī, in Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab, declared this fabricated:
“This narration is baseless; it has no authentic origin.”
✔ It was recorded by Bazār and Abū Yaʿlā, but the chain includes unknown and unreliable narrators.
✿ ⑥ Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما’s Report
“The Prophet ﷺ never allowed anyone else to handle his Wudhu water.”
(Ibn Mājah, Daraqutnī)
⚠ This narration includes Muṭahhar ibn Haytham, a weak narrator.
In contrast, authentic narrations prove that the Prophet ﷺ accepted assistance from:
✔ Usāmah ibn Zayd
✔ Rubayyiʿ bint Muʿawwidh
✔ Ṣafwān ibn ʿAssāl رضي الله عنهم
✿ ⑦ The Real Juristic Disagreement
✔ The real point of difference is not over pouring water, but over having someone else wash your limbs during Wudhu.
⚠ There is no authentic report that the Prophet ﷺ ever allowed others to wash his limbs, nor does any of his statements support this.
Anyone claiming it's permissible for a responsible person to appoint someone else to wash their limbs must provide evidence.
✿ ⑧ Clarifications from Major Scholars
✔ Imām al-Bukhārī titled a chapter in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (1/30):
“Chapter: A man letting his companion pour water during Wudhu”
Then he quoted the narrations of Usāmah and Mughīrah.
✔ Ibn Ḥajar, in Fatḥ al-Bārī (1/229), wrote:
“These narrations indicate the permissibility of pouring water, but not of washing the limbs.”
✔ Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṭabarī and others cite Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:
“I do not mind seeking help in Wudhu, just as I do not mind during bowing and prostration.”
This may refer to pouring water, not to washing limbs, especially since other narrations show Ibn ʿUmar used to pour water himself when washing his feet.✔ Al-Sunan al-Kubrā of Bayhaqī (1/83) also records narrations regarding pouring water during Wudhu.
Conclusion
❀ Without a valid excuse, it is not permissible to have others wash your limbs.
❀ In cases of genuine necessity, it is permissible and sometimes even required.
❀ Seeking help solely to pour water is permissible, though not preferred.
❀ There is no authentic proof permitting assistance in washing limbs during Wudhu.
Hādha mā ʿindī, wallāhu aʿlam bis-ṣawāb.
