Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (5/276)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

The evidence for this is the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him, to the women who were washing his daughter: “Begin with her right side and with the parts of her body washed in ablution.” (1)

This is not obligatory, as shown by the Prophet’s instruction concerning the man whose camel threw him down at Arafah and who died: “Wash him with water and lote leaves.” (2) He did not say, “Perform ablution for him.” This shows that ablution is not obligatory, but recommended.

If someone were to say: Does not the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him, “Begin with her right side and with the parts of her body washed in ablution,” indicate that ablution is recommended, since he mentioned it together with beginning with the right side, which is recommended? We say: This cannot serve as proof, for this is a case of inference through conjunction, and such an inference is weak. Rather, the sound evidence for its being recommended is the hadith of the man whose camel threw him down, and we have already explained how it proves this.

“He does not put water into his mouth or nose. He inserts his two fingers, moistened with water, between his lips and wipes his teeth; and he inserts them into his nostrils and cleans them, but does not put water into them. Then he forms the intention to wash him and says Bismillah, …”

His statement, “He does not put water into his mouth or nose,” means that he does not put water into his mouth in place of rinsing the mouth, nor into his nose in place of inhaling water into the nose. This is because, when a living person puts water into his mouth, he rinses it around and spits it out. But if we were to pour water into the deceased’s mouth, it would run down into his stomach and might cause something dormant to move. The same applies to inhaling water into the nose: the deceased cannot inhale water into his nose, nor can he expel it. Therefore, we say: Do not put water into his mouth or his nose.

His statement, “He inserts his two fingers, moistened with water, between his lips and wipes”

(1) Narrated by al-Bukhari (1256) and Muslim (939 [42]) on the authority of Umm Atiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her. (2) Its source has previously been cited, p. 269.

ودليل ذلك قول النبي ﷺ للنساء اللاتي يغسلن ابنته: «ابدأن بميامنها، ومواضع الوضوء منها» (١). وليس على سبيل الوجوب بدليل أمر النبي ﷺ أن يغسل الرجل الذي وقصته ناقته بعرفة فمات، فقال: «اغسلوه بماءٍ وسدر» (٢)، ولم يقل: وضئوه، فدل على أن الوضوء ليس على سبيل الوجوب، بل على سبيل الاستحباب. ولو قال قائل: ألا يدل قوله ﷺ: «ابدأن بميامنها، ومواضع الوضوء منها» على استحباب الوضوء؛ لأنه قرنه بالبدء بالميامن وهو مستحب؟ فنقول: لا يتم الاستدلال به على ذلك؛ لأن هذا من باب دلالة الاقتران وهي ضعيفة، بل الذي يصح دليلاً على الاستحباب: حديث الذي وقصته ناقته، وقد ذكرنا وجهه. وَلَا يُدْخِلُ المَاءَ فِي فِيهِ، وَلَا فِي أَنْفِهِ، وَيُدْخِلُ إصْبَعَيْهِ مَبْلُوْلَتيْنِ بِالْمَاءِ بَيْنَ شَفَتَيْهِ فَيَمْسَحُ أَسْنَانَهُ،، وَفِي مِنْخَرَيهِ فَيُنَظِّفُهُمَا، وَلَا يُدْخِلُهُمَا المَاءَ، ثُمَّ يَنْوِي غَسْلَهُ، وَيُسَمِّي، ............ قوله: «ولا يدخل الماء في فيه ولا في أنفه»، أي: لا يدخل الماء في فيه بدل المضمضة، ولا في أنفه بدلاً عن الاستنشاق؛ لأن الحي إذا أدخل الماء تمضمض به ومجّه وخرج، والميت لو صببنا الماء في فمه لانحدر لبطنه وربما يحرك ساكناً، وكذلك نقول في مسألة الاستنشاق: الميت لا يستنشق الماء، ولا يستطيع أن يستنثره، وحينئذٍ نقول: لا تدخل الماء في فمه ولا أنفه. قوله: «ويدخل إصبعيه مبلولتين بالماء بين شفتيه فيمسح

(١) أخرجه البخاري (١٢٥٦)؛ ومسلم (٩٣٩) (٤٢) عن أم عطية ﵂. (٢) سبق تخريجه ص (٢٦٩).