Reciting Quran: 113 & 114 while performing ablution is groundless
Fatwa No: 258805

Question

salam alaikum,there is this part of ablution i have never heard or read any were but only heard it from someone,so am not sure if it is sunna; that is reciting suratul falaq when washing the right hand and leg,then suratul nas when washing the left hand and leg.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

Alleging that it is prescribed to recite Al-Falaq and An-Naas chapters (Quran: 113 & 114) while performing ablution is incorrect and has no basis in the Islamic Sharee'ah as far as we know. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Whoever introduces something in this matter of ours [i.e., Islam] that does not originally belong to it, he will have it rejected.” [Al-Bukhari] The Hadeeth was reported with a slightly different wording, reading, “He who does an act which is not in accordance with our matter (i.e. Islam), will have it rejected.” [Muslim]

The reported supplications and Thikr to be recited in ablution are the Basmalah (saying, 'bismillaah', in the Name of Allaah) at the beginning of ablution and to say at its end; “Ash-hadu allaa ilaaha illa Allaah, wahdahu laa shareeka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo wa rasooluhu, Allaahumma ij‘alni min at-tawwaabeen, wa ij‘alni min al-mutatahhireen (which means: I bear witness that none is worthy of worship but Allaah, Alone, there are no partners with Him. And I testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. O Allaah! Make me one of those who often repent to You and those who purify themselves.'”

Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote, “The only reported Thikr to be said in ablution is the Basmalaah before it. All the alleged reports about the (so-called) supplications during ablution are fabricated and totally groundless. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not recite or instruct Muslims to recite any of these claimed formulas of Thikr. What is authentically reported in the Sunnah is that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to recite Basmalah at the beginning of ablution, and say after ending it, ‘Ash-hadu allaa ilaaha illa Allaah, wahdahu laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo wa rasooluhu, Allaahumma ij‘alni min at-tawwaabeen, wa ij‘alni min al-mutatahhireen’. Moreover, another Hadeeth was reported in Sunan An-Nasaa’i about another supplication to be recited after the ablution; which is, “Subhaanak allaahumma wabihamdik ash-hadu allaa ilaaha illaa anta astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayk (which means: Exalted is Allaah, and praise be to You, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except You, I seek Your forgiveness and turn in repentance to You.)’” [Zaad Al-Ma‘aad]

The Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas stated the following in a Fatwa in this regard, “Some people think that there is a specific Thikr to be recited upon washing every part of the body (during ablution), and some reports have been narrated in this regard; however, they are inauthentic. The supplications that some lay Muslims recite upon washing each body part during ablution are Bid`ah (religious innovation). Some say upon washing the face, ‘Allaahumma bayyidh wajhi yawma taswaddu l-wujooh (which means: O Allaah; whiten my face on the Day when faces will be blackened,”) or say ‘Allaahumma a‘tini kitaabi biyameeni wala tu‘tini kitaabi bishimaali (which means: O Allaah, give me my Record in my right hand and not my left)’. However, it is prescribed for a Muslim to just recite Basmallah in the beginning of the ablution. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: …there is no ablution for one who does not mention the Name of Allaah.” It is also prescribed for him to recite the following Thikr after finishing the ablution, ‘Ash-hadu alla ilaaha illa Allaah, wahdahu laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo wa rasooluh, Allaahumma ij‘alni min at-tawwaabeen, wa ij‘alni min al-mutatahhireen’”

Some books on prophetic traditions cited another Thikr to be recited after ablution, “Allaahumma ighfirli Thanbi, wa wassi' li fi daari, wa baarik li fi rizqi (which means: O Allaah, forgive me my sin, and expand for me my abode, and bless for me that which You have provided me.’” Some jurists asserted that this supplication is to be recited after the ablution; however, other scholars classified it as weak. Even if this report is weak, the supplication has been reported as a Thikr to be recited in the prayer. It is reported in a Hadeeth narrated by Ahmad that "...The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, performed ablution, prayed and recited the following supplication, ‘Allaahumma aslih li deeni, wa wassi' 'alayya fi thaati, wa baarik li fi rizqi (which means: O Allaah, correct my religious commitment, and give me abundance in what I have, and bless for me that which You have provided me.’” [Ahmad]

Allaah Knows best.

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