Washing the Arms Including Elbows

Washing the Arms Including the Elbows

Note: The arms here which we are ordered to wash begin with the fingertips and hands – which are to be included in this washing – they being part of the arm (yad) which we are ordered to Wash in the aayah.

Allaah ta’ala says:

O Ye who believe! When ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles.

[Soorat-ul-Maa’idah,5:7]

Humraan ibn Abaan reports that

‘Uthmaan (radhiAllaahu’anhu) called for water for wudoo and mentioned the Prophet’s (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) way of making wudoo –

and Humraan said:

Then he washed his right arm including the elbow three times, then the left in the same way.

[Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim as has preceded]

Regarding inclusion of the elbows in the washing of the arms – scholars have differed:

Some of them saying that they must be included in this washing, and others saying that this is not so. And this difference of opinion is due to their disagreement over the meaning of the word “ilaa” (to) in the aayah – does it mean ‘up to/until’ or ‘up to and including’ ?

He who says that it means ‘up to’ does not include the elbows in the washing – just as Allaah ta’ala says:

... thumma 'atimmus-siyaama ilaa -llail: Then complete your fast till the night appears;

[soorat-ul-Baqara, 2:187]

And this is the opinion of some of the companions of Imam Maalik.

Most scholars, however, hold the view that the meaning is ‘up to and including/along with’ – and thus include the elbows in the washing and use as their evidence Allaah ta’ala’s saying:

...wa yayazidkum quwwatan ilaa quwwatikum...: ...and add strength to your strength;

[Soorat-ul-Hud 11:52]

The proof in this matter is the hadeeth of Nu’aim ibn Mijmar who said:

I saw Abu Hurairah make wudoo – he washed his face and completed the wudoo , then washed his right hand until he reached the upper arm, then his left hand till he reached the upper arm” –

then in the end of the hadeeth he said:

“This is how I saw Rasoolullah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) make wudoo .

[Muslim, 1/246]

So, dear reader, it is clear from this hadeeth that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) used to wash the elbows further, he used to increase upon that and wash part of the upper arm.

Jaabir (radhiAllaahu’anhu) said that

when the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallarn) made wudoo , he would pass the water over his elbows.

[Reported by ad-Daaraqutnee (1/15), al-Baihaqee (1/56) and others – 
Ibn Hajr declared it to be hasan. 
And Ash-Shaikh al-Albaanee declared it to be saheeh (Saheeh ul-Jaami’, 4547)].