Islamic Ruling on Sprinkling Water After Wudu
Question: What is the Shariah status of sprinkling water towards the private parts after performing Wudu? If a person does not sprinkle water, will his Wudu be complete? Answer in the light of the Quran and Hadith!
Answer!
Alhamdulillah!
Sprinkling water towards the private parts (either over the clothes or under the clothes) after Wudu is permissible and correct according to Shariah. This action is proven with an authentic chain of narration from the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all). Through this action, Satanic whispers (Waswasa) are removed. Generally, people receive a whisper from Satan after Wudu or during prayer that a drop of urine, etc., has leaked from their private parts… or they feel moisture… due to which they break their prayer and perform Istinja (cleaning) and Wudu again to pray. To protect against this whisper, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has suggested an excellent measure: that water should be sprinkled towards the private parts after Wudu so that when a whisper comes, one can think that these are not drops of urine, etc., but rather the moisture of the water that was sprinkled after Wudu… and thus one can perform their prayer with focus!
Observe the evidences!
Sunan Abu Dawood
Book: The Book of Purification
Chapter: Sprinkling water on the private parts
Hadith Number: 166
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ هُوَ الثَّوْرِيُّ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ الثَّقَفِيِّ أَوِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ الثَّقَفِيِّ، قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا بَالَ يَتَوَضَّأُ وَيَنْتَضِحُ، قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُد: وَافَقَ سُفْيَانَ جَمَاعَةٌ عَلَى هَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ، وقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: الْحَكَمُ، أَوْ ابْنُ الْحَكَمِ.
Translation:
Sufyan bin al-Hakam al-Thaqafi or al-Hakam bin Sufyan al-Thaqafi (RA) says that when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) urinated, he would perform Wudu and sprinkle (a little) water on his private parts.
Takhrij (Reference):
Sunan An-Nasa’i/Purification 102 (134), Sunan Ibn Majah/Purification 58 (461), (Tuhfat al-Ashraf: 3420), Also narrated in: Musnad Ahmad (4/179) (Sahih) [Al-Hakim: 1/171]
↰ Imam Hakim (RA) and Imam Dhahabi have declared this narration Sahih (authentic) on the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim.
Sunan Abu Dawood
Book: The Book of Purification
Chapter: Sprinkling water on the private parts
Hadith Number: 167
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ هُوَ ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجِيحٍ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ ثَقِيفٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَالَ ثُمَّ نَضَحَ فَرْجَهُ.
Translation:
A man from Thaqif narrates from his father, his father says: I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) urinate, then he sprinkled water on his private parts.
Takhrij: See previous reference, (Tuhfat al-Ashraf: 3420) (Sahih)
This narration is also present in Sunan An-Nasa’i!
Sunan An-Nasa’i
Book: The Book of Purification
Chapter: Sprinkling water
Hadith Number: 135
أَخْبَرَنَا الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الدُّورِيُّ، قال: حَدَّثَنَا الْأَحْوَصُ بْنُ جَوَّابٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمَّارُ بْنُ رُزَيْقٍ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، ح وَأَنْبَأَنَاأَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قال: حَدَّثَنَا قَاسِمٌ وَهُوَ ابْنُ يَزِيدَ الْجَرْمِيُّ، قال: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قال: حَدَّثَنَا مَنْصُورٌ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنْ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ، قال: رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَتَوَضَّأَ وَنَضَحَ فَرْجَهُ، قَالَ أَحْمَدُ: فَنَضَحَ فَرْجَهُ.
Translation:
Hakam bin Sufyan (RA) says: I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) perform Wudu and sprinkle water on his private parts. In the narration of Ahmad, instead of wa nadaha farjahu, it is fanadaha farjahu.
Takhrij: See previous (Sahih)
Explanation:
1: There is confusion regarding the name of Hakam bin Sufyan; it appears as Hakam bin Sufyan, Sufyan bin Hakam, Ibn Abi Sufyan, or Abu al-Hakam in various ways. Also, in some narrations, it is from his father and in others, it is not. Therefore, this narration is weak due to Idtirab (confusion/inconsistency) (For details see: Tuhfat al-Ashraf: 3420). However, strengthened by the narrations of Zaid and Jabir (RA) narrated in Ibn Majah, this narration also becomes Sahih.
Sheikh Al-Albani said: Sahih
Sahih and Da’eef Sunan An-Nasa’i Al-Albani: Hadith Number 135
Sunan Ibn Majah
Book: The Book of Purification
Chapter: Sprinkling water (on the area opposite the private parts on the clothes) after Wudu.
Hadith Number: 462
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْفِرْيَابِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَسَّانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنْ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْعُرْوَةَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدِ، عَنْ أَبِيِه زَيْدِ بْنِ حَارِثَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: عَلَّمَنِي جِبْرَائِيلُ الْوُضُوءَ، وَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَنْضَحَ تَحْتَ ثَوْبِي لِمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْبَوْلِ بَعْدَ الْوُضُوءِ.
قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَاتِمٍ. ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ التَّنِّيسِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنِ لَهِيعَةَ، فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ.
Translation:
Zaid bin Harithah (RA) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Gabriel (AS) taught me Wudu and commanded me to sprinkle water under my clothes (on the private parts) for any urine that might exit after Wudu (so that by sprinkling, this doubt is removed).
Takhrij:
Reported only by Ibn Majah (Tuhfat al-Ashraf: 3745, Misbah al-Zujajah: 189), Also narrated in: Musnad Ahmad (4/161) (Hasan)
(Ibn Lahiya is weak in the chain, and narrated with an’ana, but the Hadith is Hasan based on supporting evidences. However, the phrase wa amarani an andaha tahta thawbi is weak and has no supporting evidence, though it is proven by the action of the Prophet. See: Silsilah Al-Ahadith Al-Da’eefah by Al-Albani: 1341, and Silsilah Al-Ahadith Al-Sahihah by Al-Albani: 841, Sahih Abi Dawood: 159).
- Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (RA), when he performed Wudu, would do “Nadh Farjahu”, meaning he would sprinkle water on his private parts.
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 1/167, Hadith 1775, and its chain is Sahih). - Sayyiduna Salamah bin Al-Akwa (RA) used to sprinkle water between his body and clothes.
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 1/167, Hadith 1774, and its chain is Sahih). - Muhammad bin Sirin (RA) (a Tabi’i), when he finished Wudu, would say “with a handful of water in his Izar (waistcloth) like this,” meaning he would pour a handful of water into his Izar. (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 1/167, Hadith 1780, and its chain is Sahih).
- A man complained to Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) that when he is in prayer, he feels moisture on his penis. So Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) said:
“قاتل الله الشيطان انه يمس ذكر الانسان فى صلاته ليريك انه قد احدث فاذ توضات فانضح فرجك بالماء فان وجدت قلت هو من الماء ففعل الرجل ذلك فذهب”
“May Allah destroy Satan; he touches the human’s penis during prayer to show him that he has lost his Wudu. So when you perform Wudu, sprinkle your private parts with water. Then if you find anything (moisture), say (to yourself) it is from the water.” The man did this, and the issue went away.
(Abdur Razzaq: 1/151 – 583)
(Ibn Abi Shaybah: 1/193 – Chapter: Who used to sprinkle their private parts when they performed Wudu). - Dawood bin Qais says: I asked Muhammad bin Ka’b al-Qurazi, “(What should I do when) I find moisture when I perform Wudu?” He said: “When you have performed Wudu, sprinkle water on your private parts. When such a whisper comes to you, consider that this is the same water I sprinkled. Satan will not leave you until he comes to you and troubles you.” (Abdur Razzaq: 1/152).
- From the above Ahadith and Athar, it is proven that after Wudu, if a person sprinkles water on his private parts inside or over the lower garment (Tehband) or trousers, etc., to eliminate Satanic whispers, this is correct according to Shariah.
- Some scholars have placed a condition here of sprinkling water directly on the private parts inside the trousers or Tehband, which is without evidence. The actual purpose is to provide moisture to the private parts so that the whisper ends… whether they provide it by sprinkling over the clothes or under the clothes makes no difference. Furthermore, Izar (Tehband) is used very little nowadays, and for a person wearing trousers, it is a difficult task to sprinkle water inside the trousers.
- This is a Masnoon (Sunnah) act, which is done after completing Wudu, and acting upon it brings reward. Additionally, this act is a cure for getting rid of Satanic whispers. Some have stated the wisdom behind it is that sprinkling water on the private parts prevents drops of urine from coming out… The reason is that the male urethra is like that of a female, and like the udder of a cow, etc.; when one intends to stop the milk in the udder, they sprinkle cold water on it. Similarly, sprinkling water on the private parts stops the drops.
- Generally, this issue of drops leaking from the private parts or doubt regarding it happens with men. If a woman has such an issue, she can also act upon this.
- However, remember that this act is not Fard (obligatory), and Wudu is complete without it as well, as the following Hadith clarifies that if a person does not sprinkle water on the private parts after Wudu, his Wudu is still complete.
A Bedouin came to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked about the method of Wudu. The Prophet (peace be upon him) demonstrated by washing the limbs of Wudu three times each. Then he said: “Wudu is like this. Now whoever adds to this has done wrong, transgressed, and committed oppression.”
[Sunan An-Nasa’i Hadith Number-140]
Sheikh Al-Albani said: Hasan Sahih
Sahih and Da’eef Sunan An-Nasa’i Al-Albani: Hadith Number 140
Takhrij:
Sunan Abi Dawood/Purification 51 (135) in extended form, Sunan Ibn Majah/In it 48 (422), (Tuhfat al-Ashraf: 8809), Musnad Ahmad 2/180 (Hasan Sahih).
- It should be clearly noted that this does not mean that if someone genuinely has a disease of leaking urine drops or if someone’s urine accidentally leaks out, they should knowingly turn it into a ‘whisper’ and pray in a state of impurity. This is not permissible. Yes, separate rulings exist for a sick person: they should wash the private parts, etc., or change clothes if possible, and perform one complete prayer with one Wudu… during this time, even if real drops continue to come, they will complete their prayer, and for the next prayer, they will achieve purification again. We will explain the details of this InshaAllah in a separate series.
(And Allah Almighty knows best regarding the truth )
Reference: https://alfurqan.info/problems/1622
