Sunnats and Aadaab of Wudhu- Part 3

1. Make khilaal of the beard. Khilaal of the beard should be made by passing wet fingers through the beard from the bottom (from beneath the chin). Khilaal is sunnah for the one whose beard is thick due to which the skin beneath the hair is not visible. If the beard is thin and the skin beneath the hair is visible, then in this case, khilaal of the beard will not be made. Instead, when washing the face, it will be necessary to make the water reach the skin of the face.

عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا توضأ أخذ كفا من ماء فأدخله تحت حنكه فخلل به لحيته وقال هكذا أمرني ربي (سنن أبي داود، الرقم: 145)

Hazrat Anas (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that when Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) would make wudhu, he would take a handful of water and place it under his chin to make khilaal of his beard, and Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “My Rabb has commanded me (to make khilaal of the beard) in this manner.”

2. Take water in both the palms and wash the right arm including the elbow thrice. Thereafter, take water in both the palms and wash the left arm including the elbow thrice. It is sunnah to commence the washing of the arms from the fingers going up to the elbows. If one washes the arms from the elbows going down towards the fingers, the washing will be valid, however this is against the sunnah method of washing the arms.

عن عبد الله بن زيد بن عاصم المازني ثم الأنصاري رضي الله عنه أنه رأى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم توضأ … ثم غسل وجهه ثلاثا ويده اليمنى ثلاثا والأخرى ثلاثا (صحيح مسلم، الرقم: 236)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Zaid bin Aasim (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that he saw Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) perform wudhu … (While performing wudhu,) Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) then washed his face thrice. Thereafter, he washed his right arm thrice and then his left arm thrice.

3. Make khilaal of the fingers. Khilaal of the right hand will be made before the left hand. Khilaal will be made by placing the left hand above the right hand and passing the fingers of the left hand through the fingers of the right hand, and thereafter placing the right hand above the left hand and passing the fingers of the right hand through the fingers of the left hand. Khilaal can also be made through intertwining the fingers of the right hand with the fingers of the left hand.

عن عاصم بن لقيط بن صبرة عن أبيه رضي الله عنه قال قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا توضأت فخلل الأصابع (سنن الترمذي، الرقم: 38)

Hazrat Laqeet bin Sabirah (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “When you perform wudhu, ensure that you make khilaal of the fingers.”

4. Make masah of the entire head once. The method of masah is for one to take both his hands and pass them over the entire head, commencing from the front and moving towards the back of the head.

عن سلمة بن الأكوع رضي الله عنه قال رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم توضأ فمسح رأسه مرة (سنن ابن ماجة، الرقم: 437)

Hazrat Salamah bin Akwa’ (radhiyallahu anhu) reports, “I saw Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) performing wudhu. (While performing wudhu, I saw that) he made masah of his head once.”

5. Make masah of the ears. When making masah, use the index finger to make masah of the internal portion of the ear and the thumb to make masah of the external portion of the ear (behind the ear). Thereafter, insert the small finger or index finger into the ears.

عن عمرو بن شعيب عن أبيه عن جده (أي عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص) رضي الله عنهما قال إن رجلا أتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال يا رسول الله كيف الطهور فدعا بماء فى إناء … ثم مسح برأسه وأدخل إصبعيه في أذنيه ومسح بإبهاميه على ظاهر أذنيه وبالسباحتين باطن أذنيه (سنن أبي داود، الرقم: 135)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr bin Aas (radhiyallahu anhuma) reports that a person once came to Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and asked, “O Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)! How should one perform wudhu?” Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) requested for some water to be brought in a utensil … (Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) then began to demonstrate the method of performing wudhu until) he thereafter made masah of his head and placed his fingers in his ears, making masah of the outer portion of the ears with his thumbs and the inner portion of the ears with his index fingers.