It is also authentically reported from her—may Allah be pleased with her—that “during the illness in which the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—passed away, he would blow lightly over himself while reciting the surahs of refuge. When his condition became grave, I would blow lightly over him while reciting them, then wipe him with his own hand because of its blessing.”1.

Thus, the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—continued to observe this practice of seeking refuge even as his illness intensified. He would recite these surahs and blow lightly into his noble hand, then instruct Aisha—may Allah be pleased with her—to pass his hand over his body, since his illness and pain prevented him from doing so himself.

Aisha’s words—may Allah be pleased with her—in the hadith, “Whenever he retired to bed,” mean whenever he returned to it, settled into it, and lay within it. From the same root comes ma’wā, meaning the place to which a person retreats.

Her words, “every night,” indicate that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—consistently observed this practice of seeking refuge every night.

Her words, “he brought his palms together,” mean that he joined his hands, placing one against the other while holding them open toward his face, so that he could blow directly into them.

Her words, “then he blew lightly into them,” refer to his two hands. This light blowing resembles ordinary blowing but is less than spitting: air is expelled from the mouth together with a slight amount of saliva.

Her words, “He would then wipe with them as much of his body as he could,” establish that the sunnah is for a person to wipe with his hands whatever parts of his body he is able to reach.

It should be understood here that wiping the face and body is specific to this occasion. It cannot properly be generalized to every remembrance or supplication, for no hadith establishing such a practice has been authentically reported from the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—;