2/26. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 278e — Three Times in the Hand Washing Narration
It is disliked for the person who wants to perform wudu’, and others, to put his hand in the vessel (containing water) before washing it three times, if he is not sure whether something impure is on his hands or not
Hand Washing Hadith and the Mention of Three Times
Sahih Muslim : 278e
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 278e
وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُغِيرَةُ، - يَعْنِي الْحِزَامِيَّ - عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مَخْلَدٍ - عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَكْرٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، وَابْنُ، رَافِعٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالاَ جَمِيعًا أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي زِيَادٌ، أَنَّ ثَابِتًا، مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، فِي رِوَايَتِهِمْ جَمِيعًا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ كُلُّهُمْ يَقُولُ حَتَّى يَغْسِلَهَا . وَلَمْ يَقُلْ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمْ ثَلاَثًا . إِلاَّ مَا قَدَّمْنَا مِنْ رِوَايَةِ جَابِرٍ وَابْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ وَأَبِي سَلَمَةَ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ وَأَبِي صَالِحٍ وَأَبِي رَزِينٍ فَإِنَّ فِي حَدِيثِهِمْ ذِكْرَ الثَّلاَثِ .
This hadith has been transmitted through other chains of transmitters on the authority of Abu Huraira in which it is reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made a mention of washing the hand, and did not instruct to wash it three times. But the hadith narrated from Jabir and Ibn Musayyab. Abu Salama, and Abdullah b. Shaqiq, Abu Salih, Abla Razin, there is a mention of" three times".
Reference : Sahih Muslim 278eIn-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 113USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 2, Hadith 545
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 278e
This report explains how the same hand washing hadith was transmitted through several chains from Abu Huraira. Some narrations mention washing the hand but do not state the number three. The text then points out that the mention of three times appears in the narrations of Jabir, Ibn Musayyab, Abu Salama, Abdullah b. Shaqiq, Abu Salih, and Abu Razin. So the main value of this entry is careful wording. It does not give a new separate practice beyond the hand washing report. It helps readers understand why the phrase wash hands three times appears in some routes. This is useful for people searching for the Sahih Muslim hand washing hadith and its different narrations.
What we learn from this hadith
- Different chains may preserve different wording details of the same report.
- Some routes mention washing the hand without stating the number three.
- The text names specific narrators whose reports mention three times.
