Question

I have a problem of waswas in gusl and wadu for many years now. It takes me too long.

1. In farz gusl I dont understand how to to wash the inner part of the ear. Do we have to put some water inside or just passing wet fingers(massah) like we do in wadu enough.

2. While washing the back it takes too long before I am satisfied that no spot is left dry because the hand can’t reach the entire back so I can’t rub the entire back. What is the solution to this?

3. How much time does it normally take to do wadu and gusl so I can time myself to complete it quickly. Please give some advice on how to do quick wadu and gusl without wasting water.
JazakAllah.

Answer

In washing the ear, using wet fingers inside and tracing the innards of the ear is sufficient. Directing water precisely to the cavity of the ear is not necessary. As for washing the back, if you are standing in the shower and have the stream aimed at your back for a short while, this is more than sufficient. Your hand will reach the areas it can, and those areas it cannot, there’s no tension. The shower stream will reach it. There is no need to complicate things beyond this. To simplify things further, opt for baths over showers. That way, you can ensure that water has entered and passed every inch of the body, including the ears.

As for how long wudu should take, consider the following hadith of Sahih Muslim: ‘Anas said: “that the Prophet performed ablution with one Mudd and took bath with a Sa’ up to five Mudds“.’

A Mudd is 0.75lt, and a Sa’ is 3 litres. The Prophet’s wudu was made with 0.75lt of water, while his ghusl was made with between 3-3.75 litres. According to our standards, we recognise that this is a minimal amount of water, but the Prophet did it. This exemplifies that even a very small amount or a small duration is sufficient if the limbs are adequately washed.

The difficulty here is that a person with satanic whispers or OCD will not feel that their endeavours are sufficient. Please refer to the following video by Mufti Muhammad Ibn Adam, which details a spiritual and practical guide to deal with waswasa concerning wudu and ghusl: https://youtu.be/Ok7Byi9u8Z0

صحيح مسلم (حديث 325) حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ مِسْعَرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ جَبْرٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَتَوَضَّأُ بِالْمُدِّ وَيَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَمْدَادٍ ‏.‏

Answered by:
Maulana Ikramul Hoque Miah

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel