Is washing the hands before eating a general ruling, or is it only reported regarding the one in a state of major ritual impurity?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : In *Sahih al-Jami'* you mentioned a hadith in Abu Dawud from 'A'ishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan an-Nasa'i 256Sahih (Darussalam) After tracing it, you stated that this hadith is rare regarding the Sunnah of washing the hands before eating. Then you mentioned that this suffices for the other hadith, which was when he intended to eat another hadith Sunan al-Bayhaqi 10:1912 and you mentioned it in *Da'if al-Jami'*. When we returned to *Da'if al-Jami'*, you stated there that no authentic hadith was found regarding washing the hands. What do you mean by this expression?
The Shaykh : I intended that the first hadith I mentioned in the authentic collection was clarified to be when he was in a state of major ritual impurity, so the hadith is not general in its application.
The questioner : So do we understand from this phrase...?
The Shaykh : Yes, I added this as a correction from a narration in *Sunan al-Nasa'i* to the printed edition. If it is decreed for us to reprint it, we will include this addition, if Allah wills, and that will be the answer.
The questioner : So, other than for the one in a state of major ritual impurity, O Shaykh, washing the hands is not prescribed?
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The questioner : Before food, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : A few bites. Please, whoever is invited should respond. Please, come.
if the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wanted to sleep while he was Junub, he would perform Wudu', and if he wanted to eat he would wash his hands.
كان إذا أراد أن ينام وهو جنب توضأ وإذا أراد أن يأكل غسل يديهThe blessing of food, ablution before it and after it
بركة الطعام الوضوء قبله وبعدهThe Shaykh : I intended that the first hadith I mentioned in the authentic collection was clarified to be when he was in a state of major ritual impurity, so the hadith is not general in its application.
The questioner : So do we understand from this phrase...?
The Shaykh : Yes, I added this as a correction from a narration in *Sunan al-Nasa'i* to the printed edition. If it is decreed for us to reprint it, we will include this addition, if Allah wills, and that will be the answer.
The questioner : So, other than for the one in a state of major ritual impurity, O Shaykh, washing the hands is not prescribed?
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The questioner : Before food, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : A few bites. Please, whoever is invited should respond. Please, come.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.