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

“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 cannot receive any reward and for reduction one commits a sin. That limit is the area of the face which one’s forefinger, middle finger and thumb cover in width and in depth from the hairline on the forehead down to one’s chin and the area of the face over which the two fingers (middle finger and thumb) pass downward is of the face, besides this is not of the face.’ I (the narrator) then said, ‘Is the temple not of the face?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not (part) of the face.’”

“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.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah has said, “Do not strike water against your face when taking Wudu’. Allow the water to flow over your face.’”

“I wrote to al-Rida (a.s.), and asked him about the limits of the area of the face. He wrote this back to me, ‘It is from the hairline down to the end and (beginning of) both brows.’”

“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 and hands to the elbow’” He (the Imam) passed his hand over his elbow toward his fingers.”

“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.’”

“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.’”

“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.”’

“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.’”

“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.’”