intend the reward as well, knowing that he will be recompensed for this deed so long as he perfects and beautifies it. Allah alone grants success.

1027 – It is narrated from him that he said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) perform ablution exactly as I have just done. Then he said, ‘Whoever performs ablution in this manner will have his past sins forgiven, and his prayer and his walk to the mosque will be reckoned for him as extra (supererogatory) worship.’” Reported by Muslim.

1028 – Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When a Muslim—or believing—servant performs ablution and washes his face, every sin his eyes committed is washed away with the water, or with the last drop of water. When he washes his hands, every sin his hands wrought is removed with the water, or with the last drop of water. When he washes his feet, every sin toward which his feet walked departs with the water, or with the last drop of water, until he emerges cleansed of all sins.” Reported by Muslim.

Explanation

These hadiths cited by the author—may Allah have mercy on him—in the chapter entitled “Clarifying the Virtue of Ablution” include the hadith of ʿUthmān (may Allah be pleased with him). In it he performed ablution by washing his palms three times, rinsing his mouth and nose three times with three handfuls of water, washing his face three times, washing his arms up to and including the elbows three times, wiping his head with both hands—moving them forward and then back—wiping his ears, and washing his feet up to the ankles three times.