⭑ Method of Wiping the Ears in Wudu According to Authentic Ahadith ⭑
This excerpt is taken from Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai رحمه الله’s book Hadiyyat al-Muslimeen: Important Issues of Salah with Complete Prophetic Prayer (ﷺ).
«عن عبدالله بن عباس رضي الله عنهما وذكر الحديث، وفيه ثم قبض قبضة من الماء ثم نفض يده ثم مسح بها رأسه وأذنيه .. إلخ»
It is narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما that (in describing the Prophet’s ﷺ wudu):
“He took a handful of water, shook his hand, and then wiped his head and ears…” etc.
Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrated this marfū‘ from the Prophet ﷺ.
[Sunan Abi Dawud 1/120, al-Mujtaba, Hadith 137]
Its chain is Hasan. Imam al-Hakim also recorded it in al-Mustadrak (1/147). There are multiple supporting narrations for it in the books of Hadith.
① This Hadith proves that along with the head, the ears should also be wiped during wudu.
② Authentic and Hasan Ahadith mention wiping the head and ears, but there is no mention of wiping the neck.
③ Al-Talkhīs al-Habīr (Vol. 1, p. 93, Hadith 98) quotes from Abu al-Husayn ibn Fāris’s Juz’ — without chain — from Fulaīḥ bin Sulaymān from Nāfi‘ from Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما:
«ان نبي ﷺ قال: من توضأ ومسح بيديه على عنقه، وقي الغل يوم القيامة»
“Whoever performs wudu and wipes his neck with his hands will be protected from the collar (shackles) on the Day of Resurrection.”
Although Ibn Fāris said: “This, In shā’ Allah, is a Sahih Hadith,” Hafiz Ibn Hajar رحمه الله refuted this, saying:
“Between Ibn Fāris and Fulaīḥ is a desert without water; thus the chain between Ibn Fāris and Fulaīḥ must be examined.”
This narration is without a chain, and since religion is based on chains, it is severely rejected.
④ The author of Chalees Hadeesen, Muhammad Ilyas, falsely claimed that Hafiz Ibn Hajar رحمه الله authenticated this narration in al-Talkhīs al-Habīr.
⑤ Muhammad Ilyas al-Taqleedi also falsely claimed:
“Imam al-Shawkani authenticated it in Nayl al-Awtar.”
However, Nayl al-Awtar contains criticism of it (Vol. 1, p. 164, Beirut edition).
⑥ The Prophet ﷺ wiped over his turban (‘imāmah) [Sahih al-Bukhari 1/33, Hadith 205]. In contrast, al-Hidayah (Vol. 1, p. 44) states that wiping over the turban is not permissible. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji‘oon — such a fatwa from al-Hidayah is rejected when set against the Hadith of the Messenger ﷺ in Sahih al-Bukhari.
This excerpt is taken from Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai رحمه الله’s book Hadiyyat al-Muslimeen: Important Issues of Salah with Complete Prophetic Prayer (ﷺ).
⮚ Wiping the Ears
«عن عبدالله بن عباس رضي الله عنهما وذكر الحديث، وفيه ثم قبض قبضة من الماء ثم نفض يده ثم مسح بها رأسه وأذنيه .. إلخ»
It is narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما that (in describing the Prophet’s ﷺ wudu):
“He took a handful of water, shook his hand, and then wiped his head and ears…” etc.
Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrated this marfū‘ from the Prophet ﷺ.
[Sunan Abi Dawud 1/120, al-Mujtaba, Hadith 137]
Its chain is Hasan. Imam al-Hakim also recorded it in al-Mustadrak (1/147). There are multiple supporting narrations for it in the books of Hadith.
❀ Benefits:
① This Hadith proves that along with the head, the ears should also be wiped during wudu.
② Authentic and Hasan Ahadith mention wiping the head and ears, but there is no mention of wiping the neck.
③ Al-Talkhīs al-Habīr (Vol. 1, p. 93, Hadith 98) quotes from Abu al-Husayn ibn Fāris’s Juz’ — without chain — from Fulaīḥ bin Sulaymān from Nāfi‘ from Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما:
«ان نبي ﷺ قال: من توضأ ومسح بيديه على عنقه، وقي الغل يوم القيامة»
“Whoever performs wudu and wipes his neck with his hands will be protected from the collar (shackles) on the Day of Resurrection.”
Although Ibn Fāris said: “This, In shā’ Allah, is a Sahih Hadith,” Hafiz Ibn Hajar رحمه الله refuted this, saying:
“Between Ibn Fāris and Fulaīḥ is a desert without water; thus the chain between Ibn Fāris and Fulaīḥ must be examined.”
This narration is without a chain, and since religion is based on chains, it is severely rejected.
④ The author of Chalees Hadeesen, Muhammad Ilyas, falsely claimed that Hafiz Ibn Hajar رحمه الله authenticated this narration in al-Talkhīs al-Habīr.
⑤ Muhammad Ilyas al-Taqleedi also falsely claimed:
“Imam al-Shawkani authenticated it in Nayl al-Awtar.”
However, Nayl al-Awtar contains criticism of it (Vol. 1, p. 164, Beirut edition).
⑥ The Prophet ﷺ wiped over his turban (‘imāmah) [Sahih al-Bukhari 1/33, Hadith 205]. In contrast, al-Hidayah (Vol. 1, p. 44) states that wiping over the turban is not permissible. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji‘oon — such a fatwa from al-Hidayah is rejected when set against the Hadith of the Messenger ﷺ in Sahih al-Bukhari.
