PART 3
15- The method for 'wudu' (ablution)
The Quran says:The method for ablution before prayer is given in the Quran, and it consists of four simple steps:
“O you who believe, when you observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), you shall wash your faces and your arms to the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles” 5:6
Hadith attributed to the prophet:
Despite this simple and clear command from God, yet we read in hadith that the prophet performed his ablution in a different manner, adding other steps not given in the Quranic ablution. We must be reminded here that ablution for salat is a part of our religious rituals. This is different from washing or having a bath at other times. God gave us 4 simple steps in order to test our obedience, will we follow the simple command, or will be tricked by Satan into altering God's command under the false impression that we are doing good by washing other parts of our bodies to be more clean!
Please check the following page which details the purpose of ablution:
God commanded Muhammad and all believers to follow the Quran and nothing else, thus it goes without saying that the prophet of God would have never changed or altered God's commands.
In a number of hadith we read the opposite. We read that Muhammad either improvised or invented a different method of wudu. Did Muhammad disregard God's commands, or were these hadith false accusations against the prophet?
Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 4, Number 142:
Narrated 'Ata' bin Yasar:
Ibn 'Abbas performed ablution and washed his face (in the following way): He ladled out a handful of water, rinsed his mouth and washed his nose with it by putting in water and then blowing it out. He then, took another handful (of water) and did like this (gesturing) joining both hands, and washed his face, took another handful of water and washed his right forearm. He again took another handful of water and washed his left forearm, and passed wet hands over his head and took another handful of water and poured it over his right foot (up to his ankles) and washed it thoroughly and similarly took another handful of water and washed thoroughly his left foot (up to the ankles) and said, "I saw Allah's Apostle performing ablution in this way"
In another hadith, it is claimed that the prophet instructed the believers that they must wash their noses when they perform ablution!
We also read a weird narration about the necessity to clean the private parts with stones and that it must be done with an odd number of stones!
Volume 1, Book 4, Number 162:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "Whoever performs ablution should clean his nose with water by putting the water in it and then blowing it out, and whoever cleans his private parts with stones should do it with odd number of stones"
16- The prophet takes people out of hell!
The Quran says:
God is the only Enforcer and Judge on Judgement Day:
“Master of the Day of Judgment." 5:6
"They will realize then that all power belongs to God alone" 2:165
In addition to the above, God confirms that that no one, not even the prophet, has the power to take anyone out of hell:
"With regard to those who have deserved the retribution, can you save those who are already in Hell?" 39:19
Hadith attributed to the prophet:
When we read Volume 9, Book 93, Hadith 601, which speaks of the intercession of Muhammad, we read that on the Day of Judgement none of the prophets were worthy of interceding except Muhammad! The hadith then follows that on Judgement Day, and through the right of intercession, Muhammad was able to take out of hell several groups of people!
Not only does this hadith blatantly contradict 39:19 which states that no one has the authority to take out of hell the ones who were sent there by God, but it also implies that God's sentences are subject to alteration! This hadith also indicates that Muhammad has the right to intercede when the Quran states very clearly that there will be no intercession on Judgement Day. Please see the section of intercession at:
17- The violation of the rules of a WILL:
The Quran says:
God commands all believers who have not yet left a will, to do so if they feel death approaching:
It is clear from these words that God did not set a limit as to what we can leave in our will. So in theory, we are able to leave a part of our wealth, or all our wealth in a will.
In addition, God specifies that our will should be primarily for the benefit of our parents and our relatives.
Hadith attributed to the prophet:
When we read hadith, we find a number of hadith which are in total violation to the rules set out in 2:180.
Volume 4, Book 51, Number 6:
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
“I recommend that people reduce the proportion of what they bequeath by will to the fourth (of the whole legacy), for Allah's Apostle said, "One-third, yet even one third is too much.”
In addition to the above hadith, we also find a number of other hadith that prohibit leaving a will to anyone who is a lawful beneficiary:
- Sahih il-Tarmathi
For example our parents, or our children who are lawful beneficiaries as per the Quranic inheritance laws, however, and by virtue of the above hadith we cannot include them in our will!
Some scholars, in an attempt to endorse their cherished hadith, have claimed that