Which Part of the Face Must Be Washed in Wudu?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi
Question
As for the part of the ear that sticks out (that little bump next to the sideburns) should that be washed also?
Furthermore, are there differences regarding that bit of hair that grows on the temple?
If there was a genuine case where someone said they didn’t use to wash there and they actually didn’t, what would the Hanafi scholars say?
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
I pray this finds you in the best of states.
The ears do not need to be washed in order to have a valid wudu as they are not part of the face. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]
From a previous answer at Seekersguidance:
The face is defined as the lengthwise area between the top of the forehead and the bottom of the chin, and from earlobe to earlobe in width. If you have a beard or sideburn, you need to ensure that you are washing up to your ears. Everything in that imaginary circular shape must be washed.
Practically, all you need to do is to cup water into your hands and then pour it over your face, ensuring to pass your wetted hands over the entire area. Ignore misgivings.
Please see: What Are the Limits of Washing the Face Hair in Wudu?
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching far and wide for answers to the fundamental questions of life and was disappointed at the answers he found.
Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.
He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others.
He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.
