Bulugh al-Maram
The Book of Purification
كتاب الطهارة
In another wording: “He began at the front of his head, moving both hands to the nape of his neck, then brought them back to the place where he began.” 1 — Al-Bukhari (185) and Muslim (235).
Chapter 4
الوضوء
Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both), describing the ablution, said: Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) wiped his head, inserted his two index fingers into his ears, and wiped the outside of his ears with his two thumbs. Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i reported it, and Ibn Khuzaymah graded it authentic. 1 — Abu Dawud (135) and al-Nasa'i (1/88) reported it through Amr ibn Shu'ayb, from his father, from his grandfather. It has other corroborating reports, but Abu Dawud’s version of this hadith contains a wording that is not authentic, as explained in “the Original.” Ibn Khuzaymah graded the hadith authentic (174), but his version does not contain the point used as evidence here.
Translation notes
إلا أن في هذا الحديث عند أبي داود لفظة لا تصح كما في "الأصل".
The Arabic note says that one word in Abu Dawud’s version is not authentic but does not identify that word within this unit; it points to ‘the Original’ for the explanation.
Which specific wording is being identified as unauthentic in the cited work?
Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When one of you wakes from sleep, let him blow water out of his nose three times, for Satan spends the night on his nose.” Agreed upon. 1 — Authentic. Al-Bukhari (3295) and Muslim (238) reported it.
Translation notes
فَإِنَّ اَلشَّيْطَانَ يَبِيتُ عَلَى خَيْشُومِهِ
The Arabic says Satan spends the night ‘upon’ his khayshum (nose/nasal area); the witness renders it ‘inside’ the nostrils.
Should ‘inside’ be retained as an interpretation from the witness, or should the translation stay closer to the Arabic preposition?
Abu Huraira also reported: “When one of you wakes from sleep, let him not dip his hand into the vessel until he has washed it three times, for he does not know where his hand spent the night.” Agreed upon; this is Muslim’s wording. 1 — Authentic. Al-Bukhari (162) and Muslim (278) reported it.
Laqit ibn Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Perform ablution thoroughly, pass your fingers between your fingers, and draw water thoroughly into your nose—unless you are fasting.” The Four reported it, and Ibn Khuzaymah graded it authentic. 1 — Authentic. Abu Dawud (142 and 143), al-Nasa'i (1/66 and 69), al-Tirmidhi (38), Ibn Majah (448), and Ibn Khuzaymah (150 and 168) reported it through Asim ibn Laqit ibn Sabrah, from his father.
Translation notes
وَخَلِّلْ بَيْنَ اَلْأَصَابِعِ
The Arabic says to pass between the fingers; the witness specifies fingers of both hands and toes, which is more explicit than this unit.
Should the added reference to toes be treated as witness explicitation outside the supplied wording?
In one report from Abu Dawud: “When you perform ablution, rinse your mouth.” 1 — Sunan Abi Dawud (144); authentic.
Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pass his fingers through his beard during ablution. Al-Tirmidhi reported it, and Ibn Khuzaymah graded it authentic. 1 — Al-Tirmidhi (31) and Ibn Khuzaymah (1/78–79) reported it. Al-Tirmidhi said, “A good, authentic hadith.” I say: He means on the basis of its corroborating reports, for there are reports supporting it from more than ten Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). I have explained this in detail in “the Original.”
Translation notes
قلت: يعني بشواهده، فله شواهد عن أكثر من عشرة من الصحابة رضي الله عنهم
The English witness includes the report but omits the attached explanation that al-Tirmidhi’s grading refers to corroborating reports from more than ten Companions.
Should the witness be recorded as covering only the report wording and brief grading?
Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was brought two-thirds of a mudd, and began rubbing his forearms. Ahmad reported it, and Ibn Khuzaymah graded it authentic. 1 — Ahmad (4/39) and Ibn Khuzaymah (118) reported it; this is Ibn Khuzaymah’s wording.
Translation notes
Mudd is a named measure; this source does not provide a conversion.
بِثُلُثَيْ مُدٍّ
The source specifies two-thirds of a mudd but gives no conversion for this named measure.
Should an approved gloss or conversion for mudd be added in a separate glossary?
Abdullah ibn Zayd also reported that he saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) take water for his ears that was different from the water he had taken for his head. Al-Bayhaqi reported it. 1 — Al-Bayhaqi (1/65) said, “This chain is authentic.”
Translation notes
هذا إسناد صحيح
The English witness adds an attribution to al-Tirmidhi that is not present in this Arabic unit.
Should the witness’s extra grading attribution be treated as outside the supplied Arabic text?
In Muslim’s version through this route, it reads: “He wiped his head with water other than the surplus remaining on his hands, and this is the established wording.” 1 — Authentic. Muslim (236) reported it, and al-Bayhaqi said, “This is more authentic than the preceding one.”
Translation notes
‘Established wording’ renders al-mahfuz, a technical description of the wording judged preserved in transmission.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: ‘My community will come on the Day of Resurrection with bright faces and limbs shining from the traces of ablution. So whoever among you can lengthen his radiance, let him do so.’ Agreed upon; this is the wording of Muslim. (1)
(1) Authentic. Reported by al-Bukhari (136) and Muslim (246) (35). The words, ‘So whoever can …,’ are an insertion from the words of Abu Hurayrah. And Allah knows best.
Translation notes
وقوله: "فمن استطاع …" مدرج من كلام أبي هريرة.
The note attributes this clause to Abu Hurayrah as an insertion, although it appears within the preceding prophetic report in the source text.
Should punctuation distinguish this clause as Abu Hurayrah’s insertion in the translated report?
‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) liked to begin on the right when putting on his sandals, combing his hair, performing ablution, and in all his affairs. Agreed upon. (1)
(1) Authentic. Reported by al-Bukhari (168) and Muslim (268) (67) through Masruq, from ‘Aishah, with this wording.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘When you perform ablution, begin with your right side.’ The Four reported it, and Ibn Khuzaymah graded it authentic. (1)
(1) Authentic. Reported by Abu Dawud (4141), al-Tirmidhi (1766), al-Nasa’i in al-Kubra (5/482), Ibn Majah (402), and Ibn Khuzaymah (178); the wording is Ibn Majah’s. Abu Dawud’s and Ibn Khuzaymah’s wording is: ‘When you dress and when you perform ablution, begin with your right sides.’ Al-Tirmidhi’s and al-Nasa’i’s wording is: ‘When he put on a shirt, he began with his right side.’ From this, the error of al-Hafiz (may Allah have mercy on him) in attributing the hadith to its compilers in this unqualified manner becomes clear.
Translation notes
إِذَا تَوَضَّأْتُمْ فابدأوا بِمَيَامِنِكُمْ
The Arabic ‘mayamin’ is plural and may refer to the right-hand limbs/sides; the witness says ‘right limbs,’ while the annotation quotes plural ‘right sides.’
Should the main wording use ‘right limbs’ to make the plural scope explicit?
Al-Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution and wiped over his forelock, his turban, and his leather socks. Muslim reported it. (1)
(1) Authentic. Reported by Muslim (274) (83).
Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both), in describing the Prophet’s Hajj, reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Begin with that with which Allah began.’ Al-Nasa’i reported it in this imperative wording; Muslim has it in the declarative wording. (1)(2)
(1) Authentic. Al-Nasa’i (536). (2) Muslim (2/888), that is, with the wording ‘I begin’; see no. (742).
He (Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah) reported: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when performing ablution, used to let the water run over his elbows. Al-Daraqutni reported it with a weak chain. (1)
(1) Very weak. Reported by al-Daraqutni (1/15/83).
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘There is no ablution for one who does not mention Allah’s name over it.’ Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah reported it with a weak chain. (1)
(1) Good due to its corroborating reports. Reported by Ahmad (2/418), Abu Dawud (101), and Ibn Majah (399).
Translation notes
The main text describes the chain as weak; the annotation grades the report good in light of corroborating reports.
Al-Tirmidhi’s version, from Sa‘id ibn Zayd: (1)
(1) Sunan al-Tirmidhi (25).
Ahmad said: ‘Nothing concerning it is established.’ (1)
(1) As in Masa’il Ibn Hani’ (1/16/3). I say: However, the hadith is good due to its corroborating reports, and more than one hadith scholar has authenticated it. I have discussed it in detail in al-Asl.
Translation notes
The Sunnah.com witness omits the source’s annotation giving the compiler’s response to Ahmad; both are translated here from Arabic.
قَالَ أَحْمَدُ
The English witness contains only Ahmad’s statement and omits the following annotation with the compiler’s response.
None; the missing annotation has been translated from the Arabic source.