1/73. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 512 — Reward for Renewing Wudu
Ablution when in a state of purity
Hadith About Renewing Wudu While Pure
Sunan Ibn Majah : 512
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 512
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْمُقْرِئُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، عَنْ أَبِي غُطَيْفٍ الْهُذَلِيِّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، فِي مَجْلِسِهِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلاَةُ قَامَ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَصَلَّى ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى مَجْلِسِهِ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَتِ الْعَصْرُ قَامَ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَصَلَّى ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى مَجْلِسِهِ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَتِ الْمَغْرِبُ قَامَ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَصَلَّى ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى مَجْلِسِهِ فَقُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ أَفَرِيضَةٌ أَمْ سُنَّةٌ الْوُضُوءُ عِنْدَ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ قَالَ أَوَ فَطِنْتَ إِلَىَّ وَإِلَى هَذَا مِنِّي فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ . فَقَالَ لاَ لَوْ تَوَضَّأْتُ لِصَلاَةِ الصُّبْحِ لَصَلَّيْتُ بِهِ الصَّلَوَاتِ كُلَّهَا مَا لَمْ أُحْدِثْ وَلَكِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ " مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ عَلَى كُلِّ طُهْرٍ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ حَسَنَاتٍ " . وَإِنَّمَا رَغِبْتُ فِي الْحَسَنَاتِ .
Abu Ghutaif Al-Hudhali Narrated from:
I was listening to 'Abdullah bin 'Umar bin Khattab in the mosque, and when the time for prayer came, he got up, performed ablution, and offered prayer, then he went back to where he had been sitting. When the time for 'Asr (Afternoon prayer) came, he got up, performed ablution, and offered prayer, then he went back to where he had been sitting. When the time for Maghrib (Sunset prayer) came, he got up, performed ablution, and offered prayer, then he went back to where he had been sitting.I said: 'May Allah improve you (i.e., your condition) Is it obligatory or Sunnah to perform ablution for every prayer?' He said: 'Did you notice that?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'No (it is not obligatory). If I perform ablution for Morning prayer I can perform all of the prayers with this ablution, so as long as I do not get impure. But I heard the Messenger of Allah say: Whoever performs ablution while he is pure, he will have ten merits." So I wanted to earn the merits.'"
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 512In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 246English translation : Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 512
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 512
This Hadith about renewing wudu while pure records a useful explanation from Abdullah bin Umar. Abu Ghutaif saw him making wudu before Dhuhr, Asr, and Maghrib while staying in the mosque. When asked whether wudu for every prayer was obligatory or Sunnah, Ibn Umar said it was not obligatory. He said that if he made wudu for Fajr, he could pray all the prayers with that wudu as long as he did not become impure. Then he mentioned the saying: whoever performs ablution while pure will have ten merits. His reason was simple: he wanted the merits.
What we learn from this hadith
- Wudu for every prayer is not described here as obligatory.
- One wudu can cover prayers as long as impurity does not occur.
- Ibn Umar renewed wudu because he wanted the stated merits.
- The Hadith teaches the difference between obligation and seeking reward.
