Sat 19 Jan 2019
Lesson 41: Supplications when Making Wudhu (Ablution) and warning against innovation
- Hadith of Abu hurairah (Reported by Imam Ahmed, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and others)
- The hadith indicates that
- There is no prayer without wudhu (ablution)
- You cannot have wudhu without starting it with “Bismillaah” (In the Name of Allah)
- Therefore this hadith indicates that one should begin with saying bismillaah when making ablution
- However the scholars have differed over the ruling of whether or not saying bismillaah is an obligation (ie it must be done) or whether it is something mustahab (liked)
- The majority of scholars have said that it is something mustahab (liked) to say “bismillaah”
- However other scholars have said that it is obligatory to say “bismillaah” at the beginning of making
- What did Shaikh Ibn Bāz (may Allah have mercy on him) say about the one who forgot to say bismillaah
- The hadith indicates that
Innovations in Wudhu
- Some people say that one should make a supplication after finishing every body part during wudhu, this is an innovation and should not be done
- Some people when they wash out their mouths recite a supplication, is this from the Sunnah?
- Others recite supplications after washing nose, face, hands, wiping the head and ears and the feet etc, these are all innovations and should not be done
- All of these supplications are not from the Sunnah and despite good intentions it is obligatory upon all Muslims that we suffice with what is found in the Sunnah (as that is enough for us) and we must stay away from what people invent
- What did Ibn Qayyim say about the above?
- There is a hadith which mentions doing the above however it is fabricated
- Question: Why do people make up hadith?
Why do people make up hadith?
- 1. To defend their position
- The story of those those trying to discredit Imam Ash-Shāfi’i (may Allah have mercy on him)
- 2. To try to spread good (although it is the opposite which they are doing)
- The story of the shaikh who invented narration to encourage good
- The story of the man who fabricated a hadith by quoting Imam Ahmed and Yahya Ibn Ma’een (may Allah have mercy on them both)
Supplication at the end of the Wudhu
- It is liked for a Muslim to say the supplication below.
- Supplication: Ash hadu an-laa ilaaha illallaah wa anna Muhammadan ‘abdullaahi wa rasuuluhu
- Translation: I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger
- ‘Uqba b. ‘Amir reported: “We were entrusted with the task of tending the camels. On my turn when I came back in the evening after grazing them in the pastures, I found Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) stand and address the people. I heard these words of his: If any Muslim performs ablution well, then stands and prays two rak’ahs setting about them with his heart as well as his face, Paradise would be guaranteed to him. I said: What a fine thing is this! And a narrator who was before me said: The first was better than even this. When I cast a glance, I saw that it was ‘Umar who said: I see that you have just come and observed: If anyone amongst you performs the ablution, and then completes the ablution well and then says: I testify that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger, the eight gates of Paradise would be opened for him and he may enter by whichever of them he wishes” [Sahih Muslim]
- There is another narration which adds a an extra part to this supplication
- It is possible to say another supplication at the end, what is this?
- Overall when performing wudhu we say “Bismillaah” at the beginning and the above supplications at the end. There is nothing in between them during the ablution.
Q&A
- What does it mean to perfect one’s wudhu?
- What about Tattoos? Should you remove them or cover them?
- What if you have been advised to avoid water contact for medical reasons, how does this affect wudhu? Can you do tayammum for this?
- If you enter the mosque and the congregational prayer or a circle of knowledge is taking place, should you give salaam?
- How should one deal with a non Muslim neighbour who is causing noise?
Next week: Entering and leaving the Mosque