Book 4: Ablution (Wudu)

Sahih al-Bukhari 135

Abū Hurairah (r.a) reported that the Messenger of Allāh (saw) said: ‘The Prayer of one who does ḥadath will not be accepted until he performs ablution.’ A man from Ḥaḍramawt inquired: ‘What constitutes ḥadath, O Abū Hurairah?’ He replied: ‘It is the passing of wind silently (fusāʾ) or breaking wind audibly (ḍurāṭ).’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 136

Nuʿaim al-Mujmir (r.a) narrated: ‘I went up with Abū Hurairah (r.a) to the roof of the Mosque; he then performed ablution and said: “I have heard the Holy Prophet (saw) say: ‘Indeed, on the Day of Judgement, my followers will be summoned with bright faces and glowing limbs, from the effects of ablution.’ Therefore, whoever from among you can increase their brightness should do so”.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 137

ʿAbbād ibn Tamīm reported that his paternal uncle [ʿAbd Allāh ibn Zaid al-Anṣārī] once approached the Messenger of Allāh (saw) with a concern about a man who suspected that he may have passed wind during Prayer. He [the Prophet (saw)] replied: ‘He should not turn away [from the Prayer] – or he [said] should not leave [the Prayer] – unless he hears a sound or perceives an odour.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 138

Ibn ʿAbbās (r.a) narrated: ‘The Prophet (saw) slept until he was breathing deeply (nafakha), then he offered his Prayer’ – It is possible the narrator said: ‘He laid down until he was breathing deeply (nafakha),’ – ‘Then he stood up and offered his Prayer’. Ibn ʿAbbās (r.a) relates: ‘I stayed overnight at the house of my maternal aunt, Maimūnah (r.a), and the Prophet (saw) slept during the night. After some of the night had passed, the Messenger of Allāh (saw) rose and performed ablution swiftly from a hanging water-skin – ʿAmr described it as light and short – He then stood up to offer the Prayer. I also performed ablution as he had performed ablution, then I came and stood on his left. He pulled me around and made me [stand] on his right. Then, he offered the Prayer for as long as Allāh willed, following which he lay down and slept until he was breathing deeply. Then, the caller to Prayer (muʾadhdhin) came to him and informed him that it was time for Prayer; so he went with him for Prayer and offered the Prayer and did not perform ablution.’

We said to ʿAmr (r.a): ‘Some say that the eyes of the Messenger of Allāh (saw) would sleep but his heart did not sleep.’ ʿAmr (r.a) said: ‘I have heard ʿUbaid ibn ʿUmair (r.a) saying: “The dreams of the Prophets are revelation”,’ then he recited [the verse]: ‘I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you.’ (Sūrat al-Ṣāffāt, 37:103).

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 139

Usāmah ibn Zaid (r.a) narrated: ‘The Messenger of Allāh (saw) returned from ʿArafāt, and when he reached the valley, he descended, relieved himself and then performed ablution, but not a thorough one. I asked: “Shall we pray, O Messenger of Allāh?” He replied: “Prayer will be offered ahead.” So he rode on, and upon reaching Muzdalifah, he dismounted, performed ablution, and made it thorough. Then iqāmah was called and he offered the Maghrib Prayer. Afterwards, everyone settled their camels in their respective places. Then the iqāmah was called for the ʿIshāʾ Prayer and he offered it, without any other Prayer offered between the two.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 140

ʿAṭāʾ ibn Yasār (r.a) narrated regarding Ibn ʿAbbās (r.a) that he once performed ablution and washed his face by taking a handful of water, and with it, he rinsed his mouth and nostrils. He then took another handful of water and did the following: he joined this hand with the other and washed his face with them both. Then he took a handful of water and washed his right hand with it; then he took a handful of water and washed his left hand with it. Then, he passed his wet hands over his head; then he took a handful of water and poured it over his right foot until it was washed; then he took another handful [of water] and washed his left foot with it. Afterwards, he said: ‘This is how I saw the Messenger of Allāh (saw) performing ablution.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 141

Ibn ʿAbbās (r.a) attributes to the Prophet (saw) the following words: ‘When any of you approaches his wife, let him say: “In the name of Allāh, O Allāh! Keep us away from Satan and keep Satan away from what You grant us”. If a child is decreed for them, Satan will not harm it.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 142

Anas (r.a) narrated that whenever the Prophet (saw) went to the toilet, he would supplicate: ‘O Allāh! I seek refuge with you from all apparent impurities (khubth) and hidden impurities (khabāʾith).’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 143

Ibn ʿAbbās (r.a) related: ‘Once the Prophet (saw) entered the toilet, and I had placed water there for ablution. He inquired: “Who placed this?” When informed, he prayed: “O Allāh, grant him a thorough understanding of the faith”.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 144

Abū Ayyūb al-Anṣārī (r.a) narrated that the Messenger of Allāh (saw) said: ‘When relieving oneself, one should neither face the Qiblah nor turn away from it; instead, they should face either east or west.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 145

ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar (r.a) used to say: ‘Some people say that when you sit to answer the call of nature, you should not face the Qiblah or Bait al-Maqdis [Jerusalem]’. ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar (r.a) continued: ‘One day I went up to the roof of our house, and I saw the Messenger of Allāh (saw) answering the call of nature whilst sitting on two bricks facing Bait al-Maqdis.’ And he [Ibn ʿUmar] further said: ‘You may be among those who perform their Prayers while resting on their thighs [during prostration].’ So I replied: ‘By Allāh! I do not know.’

Mālik said: ‘He [Ibn ʿUmar (r.a)] means the person who offers Prayer and does not rise above the ground; he prostrates while sticking to the ground.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 146

ʿĀʾishah (r.a) narrated that the Prophet’s wives used to go out at night to an open area known as al-Manāṣiʿ to relieve themselves. ʿUmar (r.a) would say to the Prophet (saw): ‘Keep your wives veiled.’ But the Messenger of Allāh (saw) would not do so. One night, at the time of the ʿIshāʾ Prayer, Sawdah bint Zamʿah (r.a), wife of the Prophet (saw), who was a tall woman, went out. ʿUmar (r.a) called out to her: ‘O Sawdah! I have recognised you’, hoping that an injunction be revealed concerning the ḥijāb’. So Allāh revealed the verse regarding the ḥijāb (Sūrat al-Aḥzāb, 33:54).

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 147

ʿĀʾishah (r.a) related that the Prophet (saw) said: ‘You are allowed to go out for your needs’. Hishām added: ‘This refers to answering the call of nature’.

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 148

Wāsiʿ ibn Ḥabbān reported that ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar (r.a) said: ‘I ascended to the rooftop of Ḥafṣah (r.a) for a particular need, and I found the Messenger of Allāh (saw) relieving himself, positioned with his back facing the Qiblah and his face directed towards Syria.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 149

Wāsiʿ ibn Ḥabbān narrated that ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar (r.a) said: ‘One day I ascended to the roof of our house, and I found the Messenger of Allāh (saw) sitting on two bricks, facing Bait al-Maqdis.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 150

Anas ibn Mālik (r.a) reported: ‘When the Prophet (saw) used to go out to answer the call of nature, I and a boy would accompany him carrying a container filled with water, which he would use to clean himself.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 151

Anas ibn Mālik (r.a) related: ‘When the Messenger of Allāh (saw) would go out to answer the call of nature, a young boy and I would accompany him carrying a container of water.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 152

Anas ibn Mālik (r.a) said: ‘When the Messenger of Allāh (saw) used to go out to answer the call of nature, a young boy and I would accompany him carrying a container of water and an ʿanazah. He would clean himself with the water.’

Shuʿbah added: ‘An ʿanazah is a staff tipped with a spear-like metal point.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 153

Abū Qatādah (r.a) narrated that the Messenger of Allāh (saw) said: ‘When any of you drinks, do not breathe into the vessel, and when you use the toilet, do not touch your private parts with your right hand or wash them with your right hand.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat

Sahih al-Bukhari 154

Abū Qatādah (r.a) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: ‘When one of you urinates, do not use your right hand to hold your private parts or to clean them. He should also not breathe into his drinking cup.’

Translation: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat