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Wudu takes far too long

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Qibla.com

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

wudhu is taking me ages (at least 20 minutes usually, sometimes more). i assume this is far too long. Perhaps if i explain what i do exactly you can provide some guidance as to where i am going wrong 1 – wash hands to wrist x3 2 – was mouth x3 3 – clean teeth with finger 4 – clean nose with water x3 5 – wipe inner nose with fingers x3 6 – wipe face x3 i do this by putiing water on my face and then wiping the outer area near the ears and then work my way in with wipes to the centre and then wipe the eyes and nose and chin. is this excessive? if os, what should i be doing? 7 – wipe arms to elbow x3. on the third tijme, i just double wipe the elbow area to make sure that has been done ok 8 – wipe head, wipe inner ear, wipe back of ear, wipe inner ear, wipe ear lobes, wipe back of neck left to right, wipe backl of neck bottom to top x3. is this excessive? if i mess this order up, i re-do the process so this section sometimes takes some time 9 – wash the feet x3. i do this by wasking to the ankle, then wiping the bottom, then the toes then the top, then the side then the other side, then around the ankle in one direction and then in the other direction, then left little fingger between each toe, then i carefully clean the tip of each toe. This can take a LONG time – is it excessive? i worry i havent rubbed all the foot otherwise

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and spirits.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against going to excesses, and that cautioned that, “Verily, this religion is ease. Whoever makes their religion too difficult will be overwhelmed.” [Bukhari (39), on the authority of Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him)]

Following one’s misgivings (waswasa) is from “making one’s religion too difficult,” and is considered an innovation that is contrary to the moderation and balance that is at the essence of the Prophetic example. [Nablusi, Sharh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya]

For a while, just wash each limb ONLY once and rub it once. That’s all. Finish wudu within one minute. Do the same for ghusl. And ignore your waswasa. [ibid.; Khadimi/Birgivi, al-Bariqa al-Mahmudiyya Sharh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya]

Once you are no longer feeling the sense of excessiveness that is causing you to take so long, then return to washing each limb three times.

Also: Please search for related answers in the SunniPath Answers (qa.SunniPath.com) on (1) misgivings and (2) the principle of certainty.

And Allah alone gives success.

Faraz Rabbani

This answer was indexed from Qibla.com, which used to have a repository of Islamic Q&A answered by various scholars. The website is no longer in existence. It has now been transformed into a learning portal with paid Islamic course offering under the brand of Kiflayn.

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