What is the ruling on the invocation of Allah's name in ablution, and if it is obligatory, is it excused by forgetfulness? And if one forgets it, does he invoke the name at the end of the ablution or in the middle of it?
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The questioner : He says: What is the ruling on the invocation of Allah's name in ablution, and if it is obligatory, is it excused by forgetfulness? And if one forgets it, does he invoke the name at the end of it or in the middle of the ablution?
The Shaykh : Recently, we were asked this question, and we answered that the hadith is valid, and that it necessitates the invalidity of the one who leaves the invocation of Allah's name before ablution. As for the one who forgets,[Al-Baqarah 2:286], and as we also mentioned just now, his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Ibn Majah 2045Sahih (Darussalam), so the one who forgets the basmalah before ablution is like the one who forgets the invocation of Allah's name before slaughter; this forgetful person is not held accountable, so his slaughtered animal is lawful and his ablution is valid, and consequently his prayer is valid.
As for the last part of the question, which is: if one forgets the ablution and then remembers it during the ablution, does he invoke the name? We say: Yes, he invokes the name; because he is still performing ablution, and it is valid to say that he invoked the name for his ablution. It is not so if he invokes the name at the end of his ablution. Here we say what we said just now regarding the issue of analogical reasoning: We say that analogical reasoning is the fourth principle of the principles of Islamic sacred law, but as Imam al-Shafi'i said: "Analogical reasoning is not applied except out of dire necessity." So now, there is no dire necessity here. What is the dire necessity that justifies for us to analogize the invocation of the name after ablution to the invocation of the name after food? There is an explicit text on the subject:. We say: There is no dire necessity here for this analogical reasoning as one of us might feel. As for the one who forgets and then remembers during the ablution, he has invoked the name for the ablution, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said.
The Shaykh : Recently, we were asked this question, and we answered that the hadith is valid, and that it necessitates the invalidity of the one who leaves the invocation of Allah's name before ablution. As for the one who forgets,
Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred.
رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَاAllah has forgiven my nation for mistakes and forgetfulness, and what they are forced to do.
إنَّ الله وضع عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيان وما استُكرهوا عليهAs for the last part of the question, which is: if one forgets the ablution and then remembers it during the ablution, does he invoke the name? We say: Yes, he invokes the name; because he is still performing ablution, and it is valid to say that he invoked the name for his ablution. It is not so if he invokes the name at the end of his ablution. Here we say what we said just now regarding the issue of analogical reasoning: We say that analogical reasoning is the fourth principle of the principles of Islamic sacred law, but as Imam al-Shafi'i said: "Analogical reasoning is not applied except out of dire necessity." So now, there is no dire necessity here. What is the dire necessity that justifies for us to analogize the invocation of the name after ablution to the invocation of the name after food? There is an explicit text on the subject:
Whoever forgets to mention the name of Allah at the beginning of his food, let him mention it at the end.
من نَسِيَ أن يذكر اسم الله في أوَّل طعامه ؛ فليسمِّ في آخره
Source
www.al-albany.com
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