the Companions agrees with him—and what is authentically established from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, contradicts rather than supports his practice—his action is not a sunnah that Muslims are obliged to follow. At most, it may be a matter open to independent scholarly judgment and one over which the Muslim community has differed; it must therefore be referred back to Allah and the Messenger.

There are many comparable examples. Ibn Umar used to put water into his eyes during ablution and take fresh water for his ears. Abū Hurayra used to wash his arms up to the upper arms during ablution, saying, “Whoever can extend the radiant mark on his face should do so.” It is also reported that he used to wipe his neck, saying, “This is where the shackle is placed.”

Although some scholars considered these practices recommended, following these two Companions, others disagreed with them, saying:

The other Companions did not perform ablution in this manner. The Prophet’s ablution, as authentically reported through several chains in the two Sahīh collections and elsewhere, did not include taking fresh water for the ears, washing beyond the elbows and ankles, or wiping the neck. Nor did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “Whoever can extend the radiant mark on his face should do so.” Rather, these were Abū Hurayra’s own words, incorporated into some hadith reports. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said only:

“You will come on the Day of Resurrection with your faces, hands and feet radiant from the effects of ablution.”

When performing ablution, he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—would wash just into the upper arm and the shin. Abū Hurayra said, “Whoever can extend the radiant mark on his face should do so.” Some supposed that washing the upper arm extended this radiant mark, but this makes no sense: that mark is on the face, not on the hands and feet. The hands and feet have their own radiant markings. The radiant mark on the face cannot be extended, for the face