The rulings of Purification [Taharah] are discussed in this article. Taken from Kanz ad-Daqaiq which is studied in many instituations around the world and famous for its brevity. All the rulings are based on the Hanafi Madhab. Some additonal notes are also included.
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In the name of Allah, most merciful, most compassionate.
Rulings of Purification
Obligatory acts in Wudu
The obligatory acts [Faraidh] in Wudu are 4. These are:
- Washing the [entire] face from the top of the forehead, including the earlobes until the chin.
- Washing the hands until [including] the elbows.
- Wiping a quarter of the head and the beard.
- Washing the feet until the ankles.
Commentary:
These obligatory acts is found in the Quran –
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ
O you who believe, when you rise for Salāh, (prayer) wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and make Masah (wiping by hands) of your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. [Quran: 5:6]
The author states ‘Wipe quarter of the head and the beard’. Regarding the beard there is a slight difference.
A narration from Hasan [Allah bless him] from Imam Abu Hanifah [Allah bless him], that a quarter of the head must be wiped and a quarter of the beard must be wiped.
Another narration from Bishr [Allah bless him] from Imam Abu Yusuf [Allah bless him] and another narration by Imam Abu Hanifah [Allah bless him], that a quarter of the head must be wiped and the entire beard must be wiped.
However the authentic view on this issue is – It is obligatory to wash the entire beard if it is thick/dense.
If it is sparse/thin, such that you can see the skin then – it is obligatory to wash under it [i.e – the skin], and this is if it is not a flowing beard.
As for a beard which is flowing then there is no difference that it is not obligatory to wash or wipe it, rather it is Sunnah.
Sunan of Wudu
- At the start to wash the hands till the wrists
- Tasmiyah [Saying Bismillah before beginning]
- Siwak [before Wudu is preferred]
- Wash your mouth [gargle] and nose
- To do khilal [pass wet fingers through] of the beard and fingers [including toes]
- Wash everything three times
- Niyah [to form an intention, does not have to be verbally]
- Wipe the entire head once
- Wipe the ears with water
- Perform Wudu according to the correct order of the texts [Quran and Hadith]
- Perform Wudu continuously
Commentary
It is mustahab [preferred] to begin everything with the right [so wash your right hands first then left] and to wipe the neck. A person will not be sinful and his ritual ablution [Wudu] will be perfectly valid if he misses any of the Sunan. However, great reward will be missed out and also by performing the Sunan, he will come out of the difference of opinion. This is because according to some of the Imams of Fiqh – forming an intention, pronouncing the Tasmiyah before performing the ritual ablution, to perform the ritual ablution continuosly and in order – is obligatory. [Imams of Fiqh here primarly refer to Imam Malik, Imam Shafi and Imam Ahmad – Allah bless them]
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