Kindly please revert back to me with the authenticity of the below Hadith.
As I have been rinsing my mouth after eating my meal whenever I am in wudu.
Abu Dawud (Purification (Kitab Al-Taharah) – 195)
Abu Sufyan ibn Sa’id ibn al-Mughirah reported that he entered upon Umm Habibah who presented him a glass of sawiq (a drink prepared with roasted flour and water) to drink. He called for water and rinsed his mouth. She said: O my cousin, don’t you perform ablution? The Prophet (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said:
Perform ablution after eating anything cooked with fire, or he said: anything touched by fire.
Answer
Firstly, the impression in your query is that if this narration is authentic, it needs to be followed.
That is an incorrect notion, which I intend to dispel in detail in a dedicated article soon insha Allah.
Briefly, one should understand that ‘Not every Sahih (authentic) Hadith is suitable for practice.’
There are several authentic narrations which are not practicable because of abrogation, or for being judged as the speciality of Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam).
The Hadith in question
This Hadith is classified as sound (hasan) by my Beloved and most esteemed Teacher; Al-Muhaddith Sahykh muhammad ‘Awwamah (may Allah protect him) and has other authentic supports too from various Sahabah (radiyallahu’anhum).
(Footnotes on Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Hadith: 555)
Despite their authenticity, the majority of the Jurists and Hadith masters have declared it unsuitable for practice because of abrogation.
Imam Muslim’s ruling of abrogation on such Hadiths
Imam Muslim (rahimahullah) aptly first quoted Hadiths like the one in your question; which imply the need for repeating one’s wudu after consuming something that was cooked on the fire.
He then follows that up with many narrations which prove the opposite, clearly assigning the rule of abrogation for the former Hadiths.
This is the view of the vast majority of Jurists (Fuqaha) and Hadith Experts (Muhaddithun).
Clear Proof for abrogation
A clear Hadith that established the abrogation is the one of Sayyiduna Jabir (radiyallahu’anhu) in which he states:
‘The latter of the two practices of Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasllam) was that he would not repeat wudu after consuming that which was touched by the fire.’
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 194)
Summary
Despite the Hadith in your question being authentic, its rule is cancelled. One is not required to repeat his wudu after meals.
Note: Some Hadiths use the word ‘wudu’ in its linguistic meaning for after meals. The linguistic wudu means to wash the hands and mouth only.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar