bathing at the mouth of a well, screened by a cloth while in iḥrām. ʿAbdullāh ibn Hunayn greeted him and explained that he had been sent by Ibn ʿAbbās to ask: “How did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wash his head while in iḥrām?”

In a fine display of pedagogy and zeal for conveying knowledge, Abū Ayyūb (may Allah be pleased with him) loosened the cloth, exposed his head, and told a man beside him to pour water over it. The man poured, whereupon Abū Ayyūb ran his hands over his head, moving them forward and back, and said to ʿAbdullāh ibn Hunayn, “This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ bathe.”

When the envoy returned and reported that ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās’s view had been vindicated—truth being their guide and rightness their aim—al-Miswar withdrew his objection, acknowledged his companion’s merit, and said, “I shall never dispute with you again.”

Lessons derived from the ḥadīth

1. It is permissible for a muḥrim to wash his head, whether for comfort, cleanliness, cooling off, or the removal of major ritual impurity (janābah).
2. While washing, one may pass the hands over the hair provided no hairs are plucked or made to fall out.
3. The report shows the legitimacy of debating questions of scholarly judgment, differing therein, and referring the issue to whoever is thought to possess knowledge of it.
4. A solitary report is acceptable in religious matters, and acting upon it was common and approved among the Companions.
5. When disagreement arises, one must return to the scriptural texts and set aside personal reasoning and analogy in their presence.
6. It is permissible to greet someone who is performing ablution or bathing and to converse with him when necessary.
7. Concealing oneself while bathing is recommended; if one fears being seen, it becomes obligatory.
8. Seeking another person’s help in acts of purification is permissible.
9. Ibn ʿAbbās’s question to Abū Ayyūb indicates that he already knew, by transmitted knowledge, that a muḥrim may bathe and that Abū Ayyūb was familiar with the practice; he therefore asked about the manner of washing, not its basic permissibility.
10. Shaykh al-Islām stated: It is recommended to bathe before entering iḥrām even if the female pilgrim is menstruating or experiencing postpartum bleeding. Should the pilgrim need further grooming—such as trimming the nails, plucking the underarm hair, or shaving the pubic area—he may do so.