Explanation of the author's statement: "Then his hands with the elbows."
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : The author said, "Then his hands with the elbows". Regarding his statement "then his hands, the right then the left," he did not mention "the right then the left" here because it was previously mentioned in the Sunnah of wudu' that it is recommended to begin with the right. He washes his hands with the elbows. The word "with" does not agree with the expression of the verse, for Allah the Mighty and Majestic says "up to" [Al-Ma'idah 5:6]. The author's expression contradicts the apparent meaning of the verse, because the apparent meaning of "up to the elbows" is that the elbows are not included, as it is well known that the starting point of a limit is included, but the ending point is not. So if I say to you "from this to this," what you enter from the "from" side is yours, and what you enter from the "to" side is not yours. This is the well-known rule among the scholars. However, they said that "up to" here means "with," and they cited as an analogy the saying of Allah the Exalted [An-Nisa 4:2], meaning "with your wealth." But there is a point of consideration in this analogy, for the verse regarding wealth is not like the verse regarding washing, as it is well known that he said [An-Nisa 4:2] "combined with your wealth." It is well known and clear that a person does not consume the wealth of another unless he combines it with his own wealth. So the verse "do not consume" implies the meaning of combining. But the verse of wudu' is not like that. However, we can say that the limit in it is included, based on the evidence of the Sunnah. It is established that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) performed wudu' until he reached the upper part of the arm, and he said, "This is how I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) do it." Reaching the upper part of the arm means that the elbow was included. It was also narrated from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he performed wudu' and circulated the water over his elbows. Then someone might say that the limit is not included when the starting point of the limit is mentioned with "from," but if it is not mentioned, then it is included. Therefore, if someone asks whether it is better in washing the hand to start from the fingertips, or from the elbow, or from the middle of the forearm.
The questioner : The fingertips.
The Shaykh : How is that? Why?
The questioner : Because the verse...
The Shaykh : Yes, some.
The questioner : It is obligatory to include, because in the language, "hand" is used for the area from the fingertips to...
The Shaykh : Yes, it is obligatory to include, but where do you start? That is, if you want to wash it, do you start from the tips of the fingers, or from the middle of the forearm and go to the fingers and then return, or from the elbow?
The questioner : From the tips of the fingers.
The Shaykh : Why?
The questioner : Because of the presence of "up to"...
The Shaykh : Because of the word "up to." But it can be said that Allah did not say "from," and it is necessary to mention "up to," because if He had said "wash your hands," the obligation would have been to wash only the palm, its beginning, because if "hand" is used alone, it means the palm, as evidenced by the saying of Allah the Exalted[Al-Ma'idah 5:38], and cutting off the hand of the thief—where from? From the palm. And also His saying regarding tayammum, "so wipe your faces and your hands with it." The hand in tayammum is up to the palm, as evidenced by the action of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), where he performed tayammum up to the palm. And I say that this is not clear to me, because the starting point is mentioned, and the ending point must be mentioned so that we know the limit of the obligation. And if someone insists on the apparent meaning, which is not apparent, and says, "I see that it is better to start with the fingertips," I hope there is no harm in that.
The questioner : Okay, Shaykh, the fingertips, because they need washing more.
The Shaykh : We washed them, may Allah reward you, at the beginning, before the face. We washed them before the face. In any case, the issue is this: I do not recall anything in the Sunnah that indicates this, and the verse is not clear on it. And his saying "with the elbows" means that the author's expression "with" is in the category of interpretation and clarification.
wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows
فاغسلوا وجوهكم وأيديكم إلى المرافقAnd do not consume their properties into your own
ولا تأكلوا أموالهم إلى أموالكمAnd do not consume their properties into your own
ولا تأكلوا أموالهم إلى أموالكمThe questioner : The fingertips.
The Shaykh : How is that? Why?
The questioner : Because the verse...
The Shaykh : Yes, some.
The questioner : It is obligatory to include, because in the language, "hand" is used for the area from the fingertips to...
The Shaykh : Yes, it is obligatory to include, but where do you start? That is, if you want to wash it, do you start from the tips of the fingers, or from the middle of the forearm and go to the fingers and then return, or from the elbow?
The questioner : From the tips of the fingers.
The Shaykh : Why?
The questioner : Because of the presence of "up to"...
The Shaykh : Because of the word "up to." But it can be said that Allah did not say "from," and it is necessary to mention "up to," because if He had said "wash your hands," the obligation would have been to wash only the palm, its beginning, because if "hand" is used alone, it means the palm, as evidenced by the saying of Allah the Exalted
[As for] the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands
والسارق والسارقة فاقطعوا أيديهماThe questioner : Okay, Shaykh, the fingertips, because they need washing more.
The Shaykh : We washed them, may Allah reward you, at the beginning, before the face. We washed them before the face. In any case, the issue is this: I do not recall anything in the Sunnah that indicates this, and the verse is not clear on it. And his saying "with the elbows" means that the author's expression "with" is in the category of interpretation and clarification.