Continuity (Muwālāh) in Wuḍūʾ

The disagreement

They agreed that a small separation in washing the limbs of wuḍūʾ—such that one does not leave washing a limb until the previous one dries, within moderate time—does not harm.

And they differed if the separation is prolonged until the limb dries, into two opinions.

The opinions

• Continuity (muwālāt) is an obligation in wuḍūʾ

Aḥmad / Mālik

• Continuity is not from the obligations of wuḍūʾ

Abū Ḥanīfah / al-Shāfiʿī

Reason for the disagreement

The الاشتراك (shared implication) in the particle “wa” (and) in the verse of wuḍūʾ:

it may connect things that are consecutive (المتتابعة), and it may connect things that are separated(المتراخية); and also the اختلاف in his ﷺ action—whether it is carried upon obligation or recommendation.

Effect of the disagreement

• The wuḍūʾ becomes invalid if a limb dries before starting the next limb.
• (According to the other view) the wuḍūʾ does not become invalid if a limb dries before starting the next one.

Evidence

First opinion

• His statement تعالى:

﴿إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ﴾ [المائدة: ٦]

The (الواو) is for conjunction(العطف) and implies muwālāt.

• Prophet ﷺ did not leave continuity in wuḍūʾ in his actions, and this explains the generality of the verse.
• Ḥadīth of Khālid ibn Maʿdān:

(That the Prophet ﷺ saw a man praying, and on the apparent part of his foot there was a place the size of a dirham that water had not touched, so he commanded him to repeat wuḍūʾ and prayer)

[Reported by: Aḥmad and authenticated by al-Albānī].

If muwālāt were not obligatory, he would have ordered him only to wash that spot.

Second opinion

• His statement تعالى:

﴿إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ﴾

The (الواو) is for conjunction (العطف) and implies permissibility to do in late التراخي.

• It is established from him ﷺ in the ḥadīth of Maymūnah:

(He used to perform wuḍūʾ at the beginning of his purification and delay washing his feet until the end)

[agreed upon]. And this is in ghusl.

• It is established from Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه that he performed wuḍūʾ in the market, then later wiped over his khuffs after his wuḍūʾ had dried.

[reported authentically].

• Qiyas (Analogy) with ghusl.

The preferred opinion

The first opinion: (muwālāt is obligatory), because the generality of the verse is explained by his ﷺ continuous practice upon muwālāt, and it is supported by the ḥadīth of Khālid ibn Maʿdān.

References

Bidāyat al-Mujtahid wa Nihāyat al-Muqtaṣid (1/37), Badā’iʿ al-Ṣanā’iʿ (1/118), Tabyīn al-Ḥaqāʾiq (1/64), al-Tafrīʿ (1/92), al-Maʿūnah (1/23), Wiqāyat al-Ṭālib (1/91), al-Bayān (1/136), al-Sharḥ al-Kabīr (1/307), al-Mughnī (1/191), Sharḥ Ibn Zāḥim (1/109).