Is Wiping the Face After Du‘ā Sunnah or Bid‘ah? Scholarly View Explained

❖ Ruling on Wiping the Face After Du‘ā: Authenticity and Scholarly Opinions ❖

Question:​

Is wiping the face after du‘ā considered an innovation (bid‘ah) or is it permissible and supported by evidence?

✔ Answer by:​

Shaykh Saeed Mujtaba Saeedi (حفظه الله)

◉ Summary of the Evidence and Rulings​

➊ Collection of Weak Narrations Reaching the Level of Ḥasan​

• The individual chains of narrations mentioning the wiping of the face after du‘ā may be weak (ḍa‘īf),
• However, when these multiple narrations are gathered, they collectively reach the level of ḥasan (acceptable for virtue-based actions).

➋ Hadith of Ibn ‘Abbās (رضي الله عنه):​

“When the Prophet ﷺ would supplicate, he would wipe his face with his hands after the du‘ā.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1492)

• Though individually the isnād may be weak, this narration is supported by other similar reports, lending it credibility.

➌ Practice of the Companions (Ṣaḥābah):​

• The action of wiping the face after du‘ā is authentically reported from:
  
  • ‘Abdullāh ibn al-Zubayr (رضي الله عنه)
  • ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما)

This provides practical reinforcement for the permissibility of the act.

➍ Opinion of Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله):​

• Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) considered the available reports weak and did not regard them as binding evidence.
• However, a large group of scholars accepted these reports as sufficient for recommending the act, especially in non-obligatory (fadā’il) matters.

Final Verdict (Mawqif):​

• Wiping the face after du‘ā is permissible,
• It is supported by collectively strong Hadiths and the practice of several companions.
• Calling it an innovation (bid‘ah) is an extreme stance, not supported by the majority of scholars.

Summary:​

✔ Wiping the face after making du‘ā is not only permissible but is considered recommended (mustaḥabb) by many scholars.
Declaring it a bid‘ah is unjustified given the existing narrations and practice of the Ṣaḥābah.