Part 6

2 Al-Tirmidhi (55) [1/77], Muslim (552) [2/112], Aba Dawid (169) [1/89], An-Nasa’i (148) [1/100] and [bn Majah (470) [1/273].

7 Al-Bukhari (165) [1/350], (60) [1/189], and Muslim (572) [2/125], (569) [2/123].

8 Aba Dawid (858) [1/376], An-Nasd’i (1135) [1/574], Ibn Majah (460) [1/268]; see also Al-Tirmidhi (302) [2/101].

Islam is a religion of easiness and simplicity, not difficulty and strictness; it decrees suitable rulings for each case, which ensure fulfilling legal purposes and duties with no difficulty.

This applies to the rulings on ablution decreed by Allah. To illustrate, sometimes there is something covering the organs washed during ablution which is hard to remove and maybe needed as a means of protection, either for the feet (such as kKhuffs and the like), or for the head (such as turbans and the like), or for protecting wounds or the like (such as splints, bandages, etc. It is deemed permissible for the one performing ablution to just wipe over such coverings instead of removing them and washing what is underneath. This is the easiness made by Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, for His servants, relieving them from difficulty and strictness.

As for the permissibility of wiping over the khuffs (and their likes, such as socks) during ablution, instead of removing them and washing underneath, it

is stated in many mutawétir, sahith’ hadiths that the Prophet (PBUH) used to wipe over them whether at home or on a journey; he (PBUH) enjoined doing the same.

As regards the legal proofs of the permissibility of wiping over the khuffs, Al-Hasan said, “I was told by seventy of the Companions of Allah's Messenger (PBUH) that he used to wipe over his khuffs (with his wet hands during ablution).”* Moreover, Al-Nawawi said, “The permissibility of wiping over the khuffs was reported by innumerable Companions.” Imam Ahmad also said,” There is not a shadow of doubt in my mind concerning the legality of wiping over the khuffs, as there are forty hadiths of the Prophet (PBUH) indicating its permissibility:”” In addition, Ibnul-Mubarak and others stated that there was no disagreement among the Companions concerning the permissibility of wiping over the khuffs during ablution*. Likewise, Ibnul-Mundhir and others reported the scholars’ consensus on the permissibility of such an act during ablution’. In addition, the Adherents of the Sunnah and Muslim Community unanimously agree on its permissibility, unlike those innovators in religion who do not deem it permissible.

This act is permitted and observing it is better than taking off the khuffs and washing the feet, as the former is a sign of making use of the legal permission made by Allah, Almighty and Ever-Majestic be He, following the example of the Prophet (PBUH), and contradicting the religious innovators. Wiping over the khuffs is a spiritual removal of the impurities underneath. Also, the Prophet (PBUH) never changed the condition of his feet to perform ablution; if he (PBUH) was wearing two khuffs, he used to wipe over them, and if not, he used to wash his feet. Therefore, it is impermissible to put on khuffs just before ablution in order to wipe over them while performing ablution.

The Duration of the Validity of Wiping over the Khuffs without Taking Them off

It is permissible for a resident (i.e. not a traveler) to keep wearing khuffs and wipe over them during ablution for a period of one day and night. As for a traveler whose journey legally allows shortening prayer (i.e. when the destination is far enough), the period of permissibility is three days and nights, according to the hadith related by Imam Muslim, which states that the Prophet (PBUH) specified three days (during which one can wipe over his khuffs) for

a traveler and one day and night for a resident*. For both (the resident and the traveler), the period of permissibility (of wiping over the khuffs) starts from the time of being in a state of ritual impurity (caused by passing urine, stool or wind) after wearing the khuffs, as ritual impurity necessitates ablution (for prayer). Still, some scholars view that the duration begins from the first ablution after being in a state of ritual impurity.

The Conditions of Wiping over the Khuffs, the Socks, and the Like

1To be in a state of ritual purity (i.e. a state of ablution) upon wearing

them, for it is stated in the Two Sahihs’ and other books of Hadith that the Prophet (PBUH) said to the one who wanted to help him (ie. the Prophet) in taking his khuffs off to perform ablution:

“Leave them as I had put them after performing ablution.” “ It is also narrated that Safwan Ibn * Assal said:

“We are commanded (by the Prophet) to wipe over the khuffs if we put them on while being in a state of ritual purity (i.e. after performing ablution).""

Thus, it is quite obvious that the ruling is dependent on being in a state of ritual purity when putting the khuffs on, so if one is in a state of ritual impurity when putting them on, it is impermissible for one to wipe over them.

2The khuffs must be lawfully acquired, gotten, and made. To clarify, if

they are taken by force, or made of silk (for men), it is impermissible to wipe over them during ablution. In a word, a legal permission is not applied to what is already illegal.

The khuffs and their likes must completely cover the feet up to the ankles. One cannot wipe over them unless they are thick enough and covering the parts of the feet which are to be washed. Thus, if they are too short to cover the feet up to the ankles, or are not thick enough to conceal underneath, it is impermissible to wipe over them.

Since it is permissible to wipe over the khuffs, it is permissible to wipe over any foot coverings, such as socks made of wool or suchlike material, which are thick enough to cover underneath. That is due to the fact that the Prophet (PBUH) wiped over his socks and his shoes while performing ablution, as

stated in the hadith related by Ahmad and other compilers of Hadith, and deemed sahih (authentic) by Al-Tirmidhi " Wiping over such things during ablution is valid until the legal period of permission ends regardless of the frequency of taking them off and putting them on.

As regards the turban, it is permissible to wipe over it on two conditions. The first is that the turban must be covering the area of the head which is traditionally covered. The second condition is that the turban must be wrapped round the lower jaw up to the head, one or more than one turn, or to be with a back tail. It is stated in many hadiths related by more than one of the Imams that the Prophet (PBUH) wiped over his turban during ablution. To illustrate, “Umar Ibnul-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“He who is not purified by wiping over the turban (i.e. does not deem it sufficient for wiping over the head), then may Allah not purify him.”

It is worth mentioning that it is permissible to wipe over the khuffs and turbans only in case of purification from the state of minor ritual impurity, but not major ritual impurity (e.g. jandbah); one has to take off one’s khuffs and turban and wash underneath in the latter case.

As for splints, bandages, and the like, it is permissible to wipe over them during ablution (without removing them). Moreover, one is permitted to wipe over plasters that cover wounds; all such coverings are permitted to be wiped over provided they cover only the injured area or the necessary parts which need to be covered for treatment. However, if the splint, the bandage, or the like, covers more than the injured area unnecessarily, the unnecessary parts must be removed. In addition, it is permissible to wipe over splints in both states of ritual impurity (minor and major ritual impurity), and there is no fixed period for the permissibility of wiping over them. In other words, it is permissible to wipe over the splint until it is removed or the broken limb heals. Ina nutshell, the permissibility of wiping over the splint during purification is dependent on the necessity of the cover.

The proof of the permissibility of wiping over the splint is the following hadith narrated by Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him); he reported:

“Once, we were on a journey and one of us was injured in his head by a stone. Then that man had a wet dream, so he asked his companions saying, ‘Is it permissible for me to perform tayammum

(dry ablution with clean earth)?’ They answered him saying, ‘We do not see any legal permission for you as you are able to use water? So, the man had a ritual bath after which he died. When we came to Allah’s Messenger (PBUH), we told him about this. He (PBUH) said, ‘They killed him; may Allah kill them! Why did they not ask when being ignorant, for inquiry is the cure for ignorance? It would have been sufficient for him to perform tayammum (instead of ablution) and to bandage his wound with a piece of cloth over and then to wipe over it (the piece of cloth). ”

(Related by Abd Dawdd and Ibn Majah, and deemed sahth (authentic) by Ibnus-Sakan) ”

Wiping is to be applied to the upper part of the khuffs or the socks. As for the turban, most of it should be wiped over, especially its folds. However, the splint has to be wholly wiped over.

Wiping over the khuffs (during ablution) is to be by passing one’s wet fingers from one’s toes towards one’s leg. The right foot is to be wiped over with the right hand, and vice versa. Also, one should open one’s fingers during wiping, and should not repeat wiping. May Allah guide us all to useful knowledge and righteous deeds,

2 Mutawatir (continuously recurrent) hadith is a hadith reported by a large number of narrators whose agreement upon telling a lie is inconceivable (this condition must be met in the entire chain from the beginning to the end).

3 Sahih (authentic) hadith is a hadith whose chain of transmission has been transmitted by truly pious persons who have been known for their uprightness and exactitude; such a hadith is free from eccentricity and blemish.

4 See Ibnul-Mundhir’s Al-Awsat [1/430, 433], Az-Zayla’i’s Nasb Ar-Rayah [1/162], and Tbnul-Mulaqqin’s Al-I'lam Befawéid ‘Umdat Al-Alkém [1/615}.

9 The Two Sahihs: The Two Authentic Books of Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

12 Ahmad (18167) [4/343], Abi Dawdd (159) [1/85], Al-Tirmidhi (99) [1/167] and Ibn Majah (559) [1/341].

13 Aba Dawid (336) [1/172]; see also Abd Dawid (337) [1/172] and Ibn Majah (572) (1/321).

Given that you have become now aware of how ablution is performed, what its conditions are, and what its obligatory practices and acts of the Sunnah are, you need now to know what causes ablution to be nullified. In this way, you will avoid performing an act of worship (such as prayer) while your ablution is null, and so will be the act of worship performed in that state. Every Muslim should know that there are things that nullify ablution and that it becomes completely null if any of them is done; in this case, one has to re-perform ablution to do any act of worship necessitating ablution.

The things nullifying ablution (any of which makes it invalid) are certain matters identified by the Lawgiver' to be affecting the validity of ablution.

1Direct nullifiers: They are the matters that cause the nullification of ablution directly, such as urine, stool, and whatever comes out of the anus and the sexual organ.

of ablution indirectly, or makes the validity of ablution suspicious. Such matters include unconsciousness or similar states like sleeping, fainting, insanity, etc. The reason is that if one is in a state of unconsciousness, one becomes unable to feel what comes out of one’s body or what one does. Thus, doubt in such cases is regarded as an actual nullifying factor.

For more clarification, we can classify the things nullifying ablution as follows:

1) Whatever comes out of the stool and urine exits, such as stool, wind,

urine, sperm, pre-seminal fluid, and unusual menstrual blood. Stool and urine are among the direct things nullifying ablution, according to the religious texts and juristic consensus, as when Allah, Exalted be He, revealed the cases that obligate ablution He said:

“.. Or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself...” (Qur’an: Al-M@aidah: 6) As for sperm and pre-seminal fluid, they nullify ablution according to

the sahih (authentic) hadiths reported in this regard, and the juristic consensus reported by Ibnul-Mundhir and others’.

As regards istihddah, it nullifies ablution according to the hadith reported by Fatimah Bint Abii Hubaysh mentioning that she was afflicted with istihddah, and when she asked the Prophet (PBUH) about its ruling, he (PBUH) said to her:

“Perform ablution and then (you can) offer prayer, for it is (due only to) a vein.”

This hadith was related by Abii Dawfd and Ad-Daraqutni,’ who said that all the transmitters of that hadith were trustworthy.

Likewise, breaking wind nullifies ablution according to the sahih (authentic) hadiths narrated in this regard, as well as the juristic consensus. For example, the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Allah will not accept the prayer of anyone of you if he passes urine, stool or breaks wind until he performs ablution.”

Also, he (PBUH) said regarding one’s uncertainty whether one had broken wind or not:

“One should not leave prayer (to re-perform ablution) unless one hears sound (of breaking wind) or smells something.”

As for what comes out of one’s body other than urine, stool, and the aforesaid secretions, such as blood, vomit, nosebleed and the like, scholars disagree whether such things nullify ablution or not. Yet, the preponderant opinion is that it does not nullify ablution. However, if one re-performs ablution in this case to avoid such a juristic disagreement, it will be better.

2)Among the things nullifying ablution is mental unconsciousness either due to insanity or due to sleeping, fainting and the like. Thus, the ablution of one in such a state is deemed null, as there is suspicion in this case that something has come out of one’s body (such as a drop of urine, wind, or the like) while one is unaware. Still, dozing is regarded as an exceptional case (i.e. it does not nullify ablution) as the Prophet's Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to doze while waiting for prayer at the mosque’. Ina word, only deep sleeping causes the nullification of ablution according to the ample legal proofs.

3) Eating meat of camels, little or much, is also one of the things nullifying ablution, according to the explicit sahih (authentic) hadith of Allah's Messenger (PBUH) in this regard ” Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said that there are two sahih (authentic) hadiths ascribed to Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) in this connection. Still, eating any lawful meat other than that of camels does not cause ablution to be null.

There are some other issues on which scholars disagree whether they nullify ablution or not, such as touching one’s penis, touching a woman lustfully, washing the body of a deceased person, and apostasy. Some scholars view that each of the above-mentioned matters causes the nullification of ablution, while others maintain that it does not. The issue is still controversial and subject to analogical deduction, yet re-performing ablution in such cases so as to avoid that juristic disagreement will be better.

There is still an important issue in this regard that should be clarified, namely the case when one is certain about the validity of one’s ablution, then one suspects that any of the things nullifying ablution has taken place; what

should one do in this case? It is stated that the Prophet (PBUH), in the hadith related by Imam Muslim on the authority of Aba Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), said:

“Ifany one of you feels any flatulence (while being in a state of ablution) and is doubtful whether anything (like wind) has issued from him or not, he should not leave the mosque (to re-perform ablution) unless he hears a sound (of breaking wind) or perceives a smell.”

This honorable hadith, as well as similar ones that state the same meaning, indicates that if one who is certain about one’s purity then doubts it, one should deem oneself pure (despite one’s suspicion) and act accordingly. This is because the original ruling is that one is still in a state of purity, as purity is certain in this case, and the nullification of ablution here is based on mere suspicion. Thus, certainty is not to be eliminated because of suspicion. This is, in fact, a great generic ruling to be applied in all cases; namely, the original ruling is to remain applicable until otherwise is verified. By contrast, if one is certain about the nullification of one’s ablution and suspects its validity, one has to re-perform ablution, as the original case here is one’s minor ritual impurity, which is not abrogated due to mere suspicion.