Book 3: Purification

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you put on your clothes and when you perform ablution begin with the right side.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Sa'id b. Zaid reported God’s messenger as saying, "He who does not mention God’s name while performing ablution is not credited with having performed it.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it. Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it from Abu Huraira, and Darimi from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri from his father, and they added at the beginning, “He who has not performed ablution is not credited with observing prayer”.

Laqit b. Sabira said that he asked God's messenger to tell him about ablution and he replied, “Perform ablution completely, let the water run between the fingers and toes,* and snuff up water freely unless you are fasting!’ *In the text only asabi’ is used, but this word is used for either fingers or toes, and on the analogy of the following traditions I have translated it as above. There it says “the asabi’ of your hands and your feet". Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it up to “between the fingers and toes”.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you perform ablution let the water run between your fingers and your toes.” Tirmidhi transmitted it and Ibn Majah transmitted something similar. Tirmidhi said that this is a gharib tradition.

Al-Mustaurid b. Shaddad said that he saw God’s messenger rubbing his toes with his little finger when he performed ablution. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas said that when God’s messenger performed ablution he took a handful of water, and putting it under his chin, made it go through his beard, saying, “Thus did my Lord command me.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Uthman said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to make the water go through his beard. Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Hayya said: I saw ‘Ali perform ablution. He washed the palms of his hands till he cleaned them, then rinsed his mouth three times, snuffed up water three times, washed his face three times and his forearms three times, wiped his head once, then washed his feet up to the ankles, after which he stood up and, taking the remainder of his ablution water, he drank it standing. Then he said, “I wanted to show you how God’s messenger performed ablution.” Tirmidhi and Nasa'i transmitted it.

‘Abd Khair said: We were sitting looking at ‘Ali when he performed ablution. He inserted his right hand, filled his mouth, rinsed it, snuffed up water and ejected the mucus with the left hand, doing this three times, then said, "If anyone is pleased to look at God's messenger’s method of performing ablution, this is how he did it.” Darimi transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Zaid said that he saw God’s messenger rinse his mouth and snuff up water from one hand, doing that three times. Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet (ﷺ) wiped his head and also the inside of his ears with his forefingers and the outside with his thumbs. Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ar-Rubaiyi‘ daughter of Mu'awwidh said that she saw the Prophet (ﷺ) performing ablution, saying that he wiped his head front and back, his temples and his ears once. A version says that he performed ablution and inserted his two fingers in his ear-holes. Abu Dawud transmitted it. Tirmidhi transmitted the first version, and Ahmad and Ibn Majah the second.

‘Abdallah b. Zaid said that he saw the Prophet (ﷺ) perform ablution, and that he wiped his head with water which was not what was left over after washing his hands, [i.e. clean water]. Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Muslim transmitted it with additions.

Abu Umama mentioned how God’s messenger performed ablution, saying that he used to wipe the corners of his eyes, and he said that the ears are treated as part of the head. Ibn Majah, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and the last two mentioned that Hammad said he did not know whether “the ears are treated as part of the head” belongs to what Abu Umama said, or to what God’s messenger said.

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, quoting his father on the authority of his grandfather, said that a nomadic Arab came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked him about ablution. He demonstrated it, performing each detail three times and then said, “This is how ablution should be performed. If anyone does more than this, he has done wrong, transgressed, and done wickedly.” Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Abu Dawud transmitted something to the same effect.

‘Abdallah b. al-Mughaffal on hearing his son say, “O God, I ask Thee for the white palace on the right of paradise,” said, “Sonny, ask God for paradise and seek refuge in Him from hell, for I heard God’s Messenger say, ‘There will be some among this people who will go over the score in ablution and supplication.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ubayy b. Ka‘b reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “Ablution has a devil called al-Walahan, so guard against the confusion caused by water.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said, “This is a gharib tradition whose isnad is not considered by traditionists to be strong, because we know of no one but Kharija who traced it to the Prophet, and in the opinion of our school he is not strong.”

Mu'adh b. Jabal said that he saw God’s messenger wiping his face with the hem of his garment when he performed ablution. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘A'isha said that God’s messenger had a cloth with which he dried his limbs after ablution. Tirmidhi who transmitted it said, “This is a tradition which is not of value, and Abu Mu'adh the transmitter is considered by traditionists to be weak.”