The Proof for Wiping Over the Khuffayn
There are many authentic ahaadeeth that describe the act of wiping over the khuffayn
Is there proof from the Qur’aan and the Sunnah to wipe over the khuffayn?
There are many authentic ahaadeeth that describe the act of wiping over the khuffayn and it is known from the Qur’aan that authentic ahaadeeth must be acted upon. Allah ﷻ says,
وَمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ فَٱنتَهُوا۟ ۚ ( سورة : الحشر ٧)
“And whatever the Messenger has given you – take it; and what he has forbidden you – refrain from” (Soorat al-Hashr: 7)
The Prophet ﷺ wiped over the khuffayn after Allah ﷻ revealed the following aayah to him:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًۭا فَٱطَّهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَـٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءًۭ فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًۭا طَيِّبًۭا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍۢ وَلَـٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ( سورة المائده : ٦ )
“O you who have believed, when you rise to prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janaabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.” (Soorat al-Maa idah: 6)
Ibn Hajar states, “All the preservers (of ahaadeeth) are of the opinion that wiping over the khuffayn has come through continuous chains of narrators. Some (preservers) have collected all the narrations and there are more than eighty (narrations) in number. This includes ahaadeeth from the ten people who were promised Paradise.” (Fath Al-Baaree)
همام بن الحارث قال رأيتُ جرير بن عبد الله بال ثُم توضأ ومسح على خُفَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قام فصلى، فقال رأيتُ النَّبيِّ صنَع مِثْل هذا ( البخاري )
One of the strongest ahaadeeth on wiping over the khuffayn narrates that Hammaam ibn Al-Haarith said, “I saw Jareer Ibn ‘Abdullaah passing urine and then he performed ablution and passed his hands over his khuffayn, stood up and offered Salah” When he was asked about it, he replied that he had seen the Prophet doing the same.” (Al-Bukhaari)
What we learn from the lesson:
- There are over eighty ahaadeeth that mention the permissibility of mas-h over the khuffayn.
“Discussion:”
- Why is it compulsory to act upon authentic ahaadeeth?
- How many authentic ahaadeeth mention wiping over the khuffayn?
