Question:
The Qur’an mentions four essential actions in wudu:
- washing the face
- washing the arms
- wiping the head
- washing the feet
Does wiping the head include wiping the ears? If not, is it wrong to wipe the ears or rinse the mouth?
Answer:
The Prophetﷺ did wipe the ears during wudu, and there are hadith describing how he did so. For example, he wiped the inner part of the ears with the index fingers and the outer part with the thumbs. However, the scholars differ about whether ear-wiping is obligatory or recommended.
The Qur’an only makes four actions obligatory:
- Washing the face
- Washing the arms up to the elbows
- Wiping the head
- Washing the feet up to the ankles
Other actions such as:
- Brushing the teeth or miswak
- rinsing the mouth
- cleaning the nose
They are considered Sunnah actions that complete the ablution (wudu) but are not mandatory. There are narrations in Sunan an-Nasa’i describing how the Prophetﷺ wiped his ears during ablution (wuḍūʾ).
One narration reported from Abdullah ibn Abbas states: “The Messengerﷺ ﷺ of Allahﷻ ﷺ wiped his head and his ears — the inside of them with his index fingers and the outside of them with his thumbs.”
This hadith is recorded in Sunan an-Nasa’i (Book of Purification).
The narration explains the method used by the Prophetﷺ while performing wuḍūʾ:
- He wiped the head with wet hands.
- He then wiped the ears.
- The index fingers were used for the inside of the ears.
- The thumbs were used for the outside of the ears.
This indicates that cleaning/wiping the ears is part of the wuḍūʾ practice.
Another hadith recorded in Sunan an-Nasa’i states: “The ears are part of the head.”
Because of this statement, many scholars consider wiping the ears to be connected to wiping the head during ablution.
Based on these narrations:
- Many scholars say wiping the ears in wuḍūʾ is Sunnah (recommended).
- Some scholars consider it obligatory because the ears are described as part of the head.
The common method followed by Muslims is:
- After wiping the head,
- Use the same wetness of the hands,
- Insert the index fingers lightly into the ear openings,
- Wipe the outer ear with the thumbs.
Some scholars argued because of certain hadiths saying that “the ears are part of the head.” However, those narrations are considered weak by many scholars.
Therefore, the stronger view is:
- wiping the ears is Sunnah, not obligatory
- leaving it does not invalidate wudu
But doing it follows the practice of the Prophetﷺ and brings additional reward.