Ruling on washing the limbs of wudu' once
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
This is a message from one of the female listeners, who appears to be from Libya and forgot to mention her name. She has a collection of questions, among which is one that says: One time, I saw my sister during wudu' washing her face only once, not three times, and likewise her arms only once, not three times. So I asked her why only once, and she told me: "That is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory." Is that correct, and is it permissible?
Answer: Yes, the obligatory amount is once. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed wudu' once, and he performed it twice, and he performed it three times. So the single wash is obligatory and a fard that must be done. One must rinse his mouth and sniff water once, wash his face once, covering it entirely with water. Likewise, the arms: he covers them with water once. He wipes his head once, including the ears, and washes his foot, covering it with water: the right foot once and the left foot once. This is sufficient if the entire limb is covered with water. The two washes are better if he washes the limb twice, and the third is more complete and better. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) usually washed three times, except for the head, which he wiped once, including the ears. As for the face, hands, and feet, he (peace and blessings be upon him) usually washed them three times, each limb three times. This is the most complete and best. If he washes them twice, or some limbs twice and some three times, or some once and some twice and some three times, all of this is permissible and praise be to Allah. But the single wash is the obligatory one: one rinse of the mouth and one sniff, covering the face with water once, wiping and washing each arm with a single wash, meaning covering it with water from the fingertips to the elbow, covering it with water until it reaches the upper arm. Likewise, the left hand: this is sufficient. Likewise, the foot: he covers it with water from the ankles to the toes and washes the ankles; this is sufficient. But if he repeats it a second time, it is better, and if he repeats it a third time, it is better and better. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Answer: Yes, the obligatory amount is once. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed wudu' once, and he performed it twice, and he performed it three times. So the single wash is obligatory and a fard that must be done. One must rinse his mouth and sniff water once, wash his face once, covering it entirely with water. Likewise, the arms: he covers them with water once. He wipes his head once, including the ears, and washes his foot, covering it with water: the right foot once and the left foot once. This is sufficient if the entire limb is covered with water. The two washes are better if he washes the limb twice, and the third is more complete and better. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) usually washed three times, except for the head, which he wiped once, including the ears. As for the face, hands, and feet, he (peace and blessings be upon him) usually washed them three times, each limb three times. This is the most complete and best. If he washes them twice, or some limbs twice and some three times, or some once and some twice and some three times, all of this is permissible and praise be to Allah. But the single wash is the obligatory one: one rinse of the mouth and one sniff, covering the face with water once, wiping and washing each arm with a single wash, meaning covering it with water from the fingertips to the elbow, covering it with water until it reaches the upper arm. Likewise, the left hand: this is sufficient. Likewise, the foot: he covers it with water from the ankles to the toes and washes the ankles; this is sufficient. But if he repeats it a second time, it is better, and if he repeats it a third time, it is better and better. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.