Thus, the hadith provides no indication either of continuity or of the prescribed order. And there is nothing to show that observing the prescribed order is a duty.
Ibn al-Qayyim’s statement in Zād al-Maʿād (1/69):
“His minor ablution was performed in the prescribed order and without interruption; he never departed from this even once,”
is not acceptable with regard to the prescribed order, in view of the hadith of al-Miqdām ibn Maʿdī Karib, who said:
“Water for minor ablution was brought to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he performed minor ablution. He washed his hands three times, then washed his face three times, then washed his forearms three times; then he rinsed his mouth and cleansed his nose three times, wiped his head and ears, both their outer and inner parts, and washed his feet three times each.”
Ahmad narrated it (4/132), and Abu Dawud narrated it from him (1/19), with an authentic chain of transmission.
Al-Shawkani said (1/125):
“Its chain is sound, and al-Diyaʾ also included it in al-Mukhtārah.”
This shows that he, peace and blessings be upon him, did not adhere to the prescribed order on some occasions. That is evidence that the prescribed order is not a duty, while his observance of it in most circumstances is evidence that it is recommended. And Allah knows best.
262 — “When he entered the morning, he would say: ‘O Allah, by You we enter the morning, by You we enter the evening, by You we live, and by You we die; and to You is the resurrection.’ And when he entered the evening, he would say: ‘O Allah, by You we enter the evening, by You we enter the morning, by You we live, and by You we die; and to You is the final return.’”
Al-Bukhari narrated it in al-Adab al-Mufrad (no. 1199): Muʿallā narrated to us; he said: Wuhayb narrated to us; he said: Suhayl ibn Abi Salih narrated to us, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: He then mentioned it in a raised narration.
I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission. All its narrators are trustworthy and are among Muslim’s narrators. Muʿallā is Ibn Mansur al-Razi, whom al-Bukhari also relied upon in his Sahih,