O Allah, make me among those who repent and those who purify themselves” (1) at its conclusion. Another hadith in Sunan al-Nasā’ī (2) also gives words to be said after ablution: “Glory and praise be to You, O Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.”
At the beginning of his ablution, he did not say (3), “I intend to remove ritual impurity,” or “I intend to make prayer permissible”—neither he nor any of his Companions ever did so. Not a single word to this effect has been reported from him through any chain of transmission, whether authentic or weak.
He never washed any part more than three times. Nor has it been established that he washed beyond the elbows and ankles. Abū Hurayra, however, used to do so, interpreting the hadith about extending the radiance of ablution (4) in this way. As for Abū Hurayra’s hadith (5) describing the Prophet’s ablution (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), which states that he washed his arms until
(1) Recorded by Muslim (234), transmitted by ‘Uqba ibn ‘Āmir from ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), without the words “O Allah, make me among those who repent …”. This addition is recorded by al-Tirmidhī (55), who said: “Its chain of transmission contains inconsistencies.” It will be discussed again in the sections on remembrance (2/460).
(2) Al-Nasā’ī, al-Kubrā (9829), from Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī. Also recorded by al-Tabarānī in al-Awsat (1478) and al-Hākim (1/564). Al-Nasā’ī also recorded it as mawqūf (attributed to the Companion) (9830, 9831); on this basis, he judged the marfū‘ version (attributed to the Prophet) defective and preferred the mawqūf version. Al-Dāraqutnī did likewise in al-‘Ilal (2301). Al-Bayhaqī said in al-Da‘awāt al-Kabīr (1/118): “The well-known version is mawqūf.” The mawqūf version was also recorded by ‘Abd al-Razzāq (6023) and Ibn Abī Shayba (19, 30513), and its chain is authentic. See al-Talkhīs al-Habīr (1/264–265) and al-Sahīha (2333).
(3) ن: “He did not used to say.”
(4) Recorded from Abū Hurayra by al-Bukhārī (136) and Muslim (246). As for Abū Hurayra’s practice, Muslim recorded it at the beginning of his hadith.
(5) Recorded by Muslim (246/34).