The Area of the Face and Hands to be Washed for Wudu’

قُلْتُ لَهُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ حَدِّ الْوَجْهِ الَّذِي يَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَنْ يُوَضَّأَ الَّذِي قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَقَالَ الْوَجْهُ الَّذِي أَمَرَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِغَسْلِهِ الَّذِي لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَزِيدَ عَلَيْهِ وَ لَا يَنْقُصَ مِنْهُ إِنْ زَادَ عَلَيْهِ لَمْ يُؤْجَرْ وَ إِنْ نَقَصَ مِنْهُ أَثِمَ مَا دَارَتْ عَلَيْهِ السَّبَّابَةُ وَ الْوُسْطَى وَ الْإِبْهَامُ مِنْ قُصَاصِ الرَّأْسِ إِلَى الذَّق

“I once asked him (the Imam) about the limits of the face that must be washed for Wudu’ about which Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has also spoken. He (the Imam) said, ‘The face which Allah, most High, has commanded to wash to the limits of which no one has permission for addition or reduction; for addition one c

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَتَوَضَّأُ أَ يُبَطِّنُ لِحْيَتَهُ قَالَ لَا.

“I asked one of the two Imam, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about a man who takes Wudu’, ‘Is he required to wash inside his beard?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘No, he is not required to do so.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لَا تَضْرِبُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ بِالْمَاءِ ضَرْباً إِذَا تَوَضَّأْتُمْ وَ لَكِنْ شُنُّوا الْمَاءَ شَنّاً.

The Messenger of Allah has said, “Do not strike water against your face when taking Wudu’. Allow the water to flow over your face.’”

كَتَبْتُ إِلَى الرِّضَا ع أَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ حَدِّ الْوَجْهِ فَكَتَبَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ الشَّعْرِ إِلَى آخِرِ الْوَجْهِ وَ كَذَلِكَ الْجَبِينَيْنِ.

‘It is from the hairline down to the end and (beginning of) both brows.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَ أَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرافِقِ‌ فَقُلْتُ هَكَذَا وَ مَسَحْتُ مِنْ ظَهْرِ كَفِّي إِلَى الْمِرْفَقِ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ هَكَذَا تَنْزِيلُهَا إِنَّمَا هِيَ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَ أَيْدِيَكُمْ مِنَ الْمَرَافِقِ‌[2] ثُمَّ أَمَرَّ يَدَهُ مِنْ مِرْفَقِهِ إِلَى أَصَابِعِهِ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, the most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . wash your faces and hands to the elbow. . .’ and I passed my hand over my hand to my elbow asking, ‘Should I wash in this manner?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not revealed for that manner. It is only “wash your faces

فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ فِي الْوُضُوءِ لِلصَّلَاةِ أَنْ يَبْتَدِئْنَ بِبَاطِنِ أَذْرُعِهِنَّ وَ فِي الرِّجَالِ بِظَاهِرِ الذِّرَاعِ.

“Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida (a.s.), has said, ‘In the case of women about Wudu’ for Salah (prayer), Allah has made it obligatory in washing their hands to pour water over the interior side of their forearm and for men to pour water over the exterior side of their forearms.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْأَقْطَعِ الْيَدِ وَ الرِّجْلِ قَالَ يَغْسِلُهُمَا[1].

“I once, asked Abu Ja’far (a.s.), about rules of Wudu’ in the case of a cut-off hand or leg. He (the Imam) said, ‘One must wash them.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْأَقْطَعِ قَالَ يَغْسِلُ مَا قُطِعَ مِنْهُ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a cut-off hand for Wudu’. He (the Imam) said, ‘One must wash the cut-off part.”’

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ قُطِعَتْ يَدُهُ مِنَ الْمِرْفَقِ كَيْفَ يَتَوَضَّأُ قَالَ يَغْسِلُ مَا بَقِيَ مِنْ عَضُدِهِ.

“I asked my brother, Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.), about a man whose hand is cut off from the elbow. How he should take Wudu’? He (the Imam) said, ‘He must wash what is left of his arm.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع أَنَّ أُنَاساً يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بَطْنَ الْأُذُنَيْنِ مِنَ الْوَجْهِ وَ ظَهْرَهُمَا مِنَ الرَّأْسِ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِمَا غَسْلٌ وَ لَا مَسْحٌ.

“I once said to abu Ja’far (a.s.), ‘There are people who say that the inside of ears is (part) of the face and their outside is (part) of the head.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘There is no washing or wiping for them.’”