Rare Ahadith about Wudu’

“Once I visited Ali al-Rida (a.s.). There was a water jug in front of him and he was about to take Wudu’ for Salah (prayer). I went closer to pour water to help him to take Wudu’. He said, ‘Hold it, O Hassan.’ I then asked, ‘Why do you stop me from pouring water so you take Wudu’ and I can receive rewards for it?’ He replied, ‘You will receive rewards, but I will be burdened.’ I then asked, ‘How can that happen?’ He replied, ‘Have you not heard the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, “Those who wish to meet (receive mercy from) their Lord should do good deeds and not allow anyone else to share in (their) worshipping their Lord.” (18:110) I am about to take Wudu’ for Salah (prayer). I do not want anyone to share with me my act of worship.’”

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Wudu’ is the opening of Salah (prayer), Takbir marks the field of Salah (prayer) and Taslim marks the end of the field of Salah (prayer).”’

“Once I was in the presence of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when a man of the followers of al- Mughirah asked him about matters of tradition (the Sunnah). The Imam replied, ‘There a tradition is set about everything that a son of Adam may need from Allah and His Messenger. There are those who have recognized such traditions and there are those who have rejected them.’ The man then asked, ‘What is the tradition about using the restroom?’ The Imam replied, ‘Speak of Allah and seek protection with Allah against Satan, the one condemned to be stoned. When you finish using a restroom you should say this. “All praise belongs to Allah who has relieved me of the discomfort with ease and good health.’” The man then asked, ‘Should one say such expressions in such a condition before looking back at what has come out?’ The Imam replied, ‘To every man on earth there are two angels assigned. When he is in such a condition, they bend his neck down saying, “O son of Adam, look down to the thing for which you have been struggling, into what kind of thing it has turned.’””

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘For taking Wudu’, then using a towel, one gains a good deed. Instead of using a towel if one allows the moisture from Wudu’ to dry up, one gains thirty good deeds.”

“Abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), has said, ‘If one takes Wudu’ for Maghrib Salah (prayer), this Wudu’ is expiation for the sins committed during the day that has just passed, except the major sins. If one takes Wudu’ for morning Salah (prayer), this Wudu’ is expiation for the sins committed during the night that has just passed, except the major sins.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once, ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), while Muhammad, his son was present, asked him to bring water for Wudu’. He brought water and he (’Amir al-Mu’minin) poured with his right hand onto his left hand and said, ‘All praise belongs to Allah who has made water purifying and has not made it impure.’ He then used water to clean his private parts and said, ‘O Lord, protect my private parts and keep them chaste, cover the parts of my body to be concealed and save them from the fire.’ He then cleansed his nostrils and said, ‘O Lord, do not deprive me of the fragrance of paradise; make me of those who enjoy the fragrance, goodness and delight of paradise.’ He then rinsed his mouth and said, ‘O Lord, allow my tongue to speak of You and make me of those with whom You are happy.’ He then washed his face and said, ‘O Lord, make my face white on the Day when faces turn black and do not make my face black on the Day when faces turn white.’ He then washed his right hand and said, ‘O Lord, please give the book of the record of my deeds in my right hand and eternity in my left hand.’ He then washed his left hand and said, ‘O Lord, do not give the book of the record of my deeds in my left hand and do not chain it to my neck. I seek protection with You against the cutting sections of hell.’ He then wiped his head and said, ‘O Lord, cover me up with Your mercy, blessings and forgiveness.’ He then wiped his feet and said, ‘O Lord, keep my foot firm on the bridge on the Day when feet slip and make my deeds gain Your happiness in my favor.’ He then turned to Muhammad and said, ‘O Muhammad, if one takes Wudu’ the way I did and says what I said, Allah creates from every drop of water an angel who glorifies, says Tasbih, Takbir and Tahlil of Allah and the reward for this is written in favor of the person taking Wudu’.’”

“I heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.), say while speaking to people in Makkah, ‘One day the Messenger of Allah completed his Salah (prayer) of the morning and sat in the Masjid with his companions until sunrise. Thereafter, people one by one left the Masjid except two men, one from the people of Ansar and the other from Thaqif. The Messenger of Allah then said to them, “I understand you need to ask me questions. You may ask if you like and I will answer. If you like, I can tell you what your questions are before you ask. If you wish, you may ask me.” They said, “Please inform us before we ask you our questions; it is more enlightening, frees us from doubts and strengthens our belief more.” The Messenger of Allah then said, “You, gentleman from Thaqif, have come to ask me about your Wudu’ and Salah (prayer) regarding what is good for you in them. You should keep in mind that when you place your hand in your water container and say ‘In the name of Allah’ the sins that your hands may have committed scatter away from you. The sins that your eyes and mouth may have committed scatter away from you when you wash your face. When you wash your arms to your elbows, the sins from your left and right scatter away from you. When you wipe your head and feet the sins into which you may have walked scatter away from you. This is what you gain from your Wudu’.’””

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Wudu’ is part of belief.’”

“I once was in the presence of abu al-Hassan (a.s.), and he (the Imam) performed al-Dhuhr and al-‘Asr Salah (prayer) before me. I remained in his presence until al-Maghrib. He (the Imam) asked for Wudu’ (water) and he took Wudu’ for al-Maghrib Salah (prayer), then said to me, ‘You need to take Wudu’. I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, my Wudu’ is still valid.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Even so you should take Wudu’; to those who take Wudu’ for al-Maghrib it serves as expiation for the sins that they may have done during that day except the major sins. Taking Wudu’ in the morning serves as expiation for the sins that one had committed during the night before except the major sins.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘For having al-Tuhr (cleansing) over al-Tuhr one receives a reward for ten good deeds.”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When anyone of you completes his Wudu’, he must take water in his palm and wipe with it his back; it will free his neck from the fire.’” (This perhaps is because of Taqiyah)

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who takes Wudu’ with water of roses for Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’” (Fatwa best explains this Hadith.)

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about touching the bones of a dead person. He (the Imam) said, ‘If it is after one year, it is not harmful.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘If one sleeps in Masjid al-Haram or Masjid of the Messenger of Allah and experiences wet dream, one must take Tayammum and must not pass through the Masjid without Tayammum until one is out of the Masjid, then take Ghusl (bath). This applies to one experiencing Hayd (menses) also and she must take Tayammum as mentioned. In the case of other Masjid, passing through them in such conditions is permissible but such people must not sit in them with such conditions.’”

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of a snake that enters in a Hub (large water container) which has water in it and then comes out. He (the Imam) said, ‘If one can find other water it should be spilled away.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of one who had a nosebleed; then he blew his nose and parts of it became small segments which came in contact with his water container. Can he take Wudu’ with such water? He (the Imam) said, ’If nothing is visible in the water container it is not harmful. However, if things show in it he must not use it for Wudu’. I (the narrator) then asked him (the Imam) about a man who has nosebleed while taking Wudu’ and a drop falls in his water container. Can he take Wudu with such water? He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot take Wudu’ with such water.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who needs to take Wudu’ for Salah (prayer). However, he is not able to find water. He finds a certain amount of water which is enough for his Wudu’ but it costs one hundred dirham or one thousand dirham. He has that much dirham to buy and take Wudu’, should he buy the water or instead take Tayammum? He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he must buy. This kind of thing has happened to me and I bought water to take Wudu’. What is bought (in this case) is a great deal.’” (For such Ahadith about an act or issue of the five categories of deeds the qualities such as Wujub, (Obligatory), Hurmat (Prohibited), Istihbab (Preference), Kirahat (Detestability) or Ibahah (Permissibility) one must consult fatwas of one’s Mujtahid.)