Encyclopedia of Prophetic Hadiths

We returned with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from Makkah to Madīnah, and when we came to some water on the way, some of the people were in a hurry at the time of the ‘Asr prayer and performed ablution hurriedly; and when we reached them, their heels were dry, and no water had touched them. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Beware of negnot washing your heels properly, for not doing so can lead to them being burnt in the Hellfire! So, perform your ablution thoroughly."

Humrān, the freed slave of 'Uthmān ibn' Affān, reported that he saw 'Uthmān ibn' Affān asking (for water) to perform ablution, and he poured water from his vessel over his hands and washed them thrice and then put his right hand in the water and rinsed his mouth and washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out. Then, he washed his face thrice and his forearms up to the elbows thrice. Then, he passed his wet hands over his head and washed each foot thrice. After that, he said: "I saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) perform ablution like this ablution of mine, and he said: 'If anyone performs ablution like this ablution of mine and offers two Rak'ahs during which he does not think of anything else, Allah will forgive his past sins.'"

"When a Muslim—or a believer—performs ablution, and he washes his face, every sin he has looked at with his eyes comes out of his face with the water or with the last drop of water. When he washes his hands, every sin he has struck with his hands comes out of his hands with the water or with the last drop of water. When he washes his feet, every sin his feet walked towards comes out with the water or with the last drop of water—until he comes out cleansed of sins."

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to take a ritual bath with one Sā‘ up to five Mudds, and he used to perform ablution with one Mudd.

"Whoever performs ablution perfectly, his sins will come out from his body, to the extent that it will come out from under his nails."

A man performed ablution and left a small part on his foot equal to the size of a nail unwashed. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw that and said: "Go back and perform your ablution properly." He performed it again and prayed.

I witnessed 'Amr ibn Abi Hasan asking 'Abdullah ibn Zayd about the ablution of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), so he asked for a vessel of water and performed ablution like that of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in front of them. He poured water from the vessel on his hand, washing his hands thrice. Then, he put his hand inside the vessel, rinsed his mouth, sniffed water, and blew it out with three handfuls. He put his hand in the water again and washed his face thrice. Then, he washed his hands twice up to the elbows, after which he put his hand in the water and wiped over his head, bringing them to the front and the back of his head once. Then, he washed his feet up to the ankles.

"There is no Muslim who performs ablution well and then stands and prays two Rak‘ahs while focused on them with his heart and his face, except that Paradise will be guaranteed for him." I said: "What a fine thing this is!" Thereupon, I heard someone in front of me saying: "What he said before it was even finer." I looked and it was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, who said: "I see that you have just come." He said: "If anyone of you performs ablution thoroughly and then says, 'I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant and Messenger of Allah', the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him and he may enter from whichever of them he wishes."