Completing Ablution Leads To Expiation of Previous Sins

أَنَّ حُمْرَانَ مَوْلَى عُثْمَانَ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ عَفَّانَ - رضى الله عنه - دَعَا بِوَضُوءٍ فَتَوَضَّأَ فَغَسَلَ كَفَّيْهِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ مَضْمَضَ وَاسْتَنْثَرَ ثُمَّ غَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ غَسَلَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى إِلَى الْمِرْفَقِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ غَسَلَ يَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ مَسَحَ رَأْسَهُ ثُمَّ غَسَلَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُمْنَى إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ غَسَلَ الْيُسْرَى مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَوَضَّأَ نَحْوَ وُضُوئِي هَذَا ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ نَحْوَ وُضُوئِي هَذَا ثُمَّ قَامَ فَرَكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ لاَ يُحَدِّثُ فِيهِمَا نَفْسَهُ غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ وَكَانَ عُلَمَاؤُنَا يَقُولُونَ هَذَا الْوُضُوءُ أَسْبَغُ مَا يَتَوَضَّأُ بِهِ أَحَدٌ لِلصَّلاَةِ

Humran, the freed slave of 'Uthman, said, “Uthman b. 'Affan called for ablution water and this is how he performed the ablution: he washed his hands thrice, he then rinsed his mouth and cleaned his nose with water (three times), he then washed his face three times, then washed his right arm up to the elbow three times, then washed his left arm like that, then wiped his head, then washed his right foot up to the ankle three times, then washed his left foot like that, and then said, ‘I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) perform ablution like this ablution of mine.’ Then, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘He who performs ablution like this ablution of mine and then stands up (for prayer) and offers two rak'ahs of prayer without saying anything in between, all his previous sins will be expiated.’” Ibn Shihab said, “Our scholars remarked, ‘This is the most complete ablution performed for prayer.’”

Narrated in Sahih Muslim, Book 2 Hadith 5

Grade: Sahih (authentic)

Translation adapted from sunnah.com

Lessons:

1. One should strive to make ablution (wudhu’) as how Rasulullah s.a.w. had shown to the Companions (Sahabat).

2. Complete wudhu’ consists of:

a. Washing both hands up to the wrists thrice

b. Rinsing the mouth and nose thrice each

c. Washing the face thrice

d. Washing the right arm up to the elbow thrice, followed by the same for the left elbow

e. Wiping the head

f. Washing the right foot up to the ankle thrice, followed by the same for the left foot

3. Whoever performs wudhu’ like the above and offers two rak’ahs of prayer without saying anything in between (i.e. focusses on performing the prayer and nothing else), his previous sins will be expiated.

Let us strive to perform our ablution thoroughly.