Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

assalamo alaikum and ramadan mubarak

dear brother

i am very confused, regarding wudu my friend says there is masah for the neck while performing the wudu, i never do, she says i am wrong. i am wondering whether she is right. pls. let me know the sunna way, i will be thankful to you,

jazakallah

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Answer:

Wiping the neck during wudu

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 6:

O you who have believed, when you rise to offer the ‘salaah’ you must wash your faces and hands, and arms upto the elbows, and wipe your heads with wet hands, and wash your feet upto the ankles. And if you have become unclean (due to sexual intercourse, etc.), cleanse yourself with a full bath. If, however, you are sick or on a journey, or if any of have relieved himself, or if you have ‘touched’ women (meaning sexual intercourse), and you can find no water; then cleanse yourselves with pure dust. Strike your palms on it and wipe your hands and faces with it. Allah does not will to make life hard for you, but He wills to purify you and complete His blessing upon you, so that you may show gratitude.

The Sunnah of the Prophet to do wudoo is as follows:

1. Make intention that you want to purify (wudoo) yourself for
   prayer. This is not necessarily a vocal neeyat, just an intention in the heart; as Allah indeed knows even the secrets of the hearts. The fact that you are going for wudoo is itself a neeyat that you want to purify yourself for salaah.
2. Then say, "Bismillah ar Rahmaan ar Raheem" as you wash your hands.
3. Then do the "kulli" (gargle)
4. Then hold the water in the cup of your hands and
   sniff the water until you feel it reaches the inner bones of your nose and
   blow out the water.
5. Then wash the face from forehead to the chin.
6. Then wash the right hand all the way upto to elbow making sure the elbow is
   washed properly. Then wash the left hand in the same way.
7. Then wipe your wet hands over your head, then your ear.
8. Then properly wash your feet upto the ankles making sure water reaches the inner flesh of your foot-fingers right upto the ankles.

Everything should be done preferably three times as was the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) , but once is sufficient.

In Surah Maidah, Allah has made obligatory the following for wudoo:
1. washing of the face

2. washing of the hands

3. wiping of your head

4. washing of the feet.

The kulli, nose and ear washes are the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) and if
one does not do these acts, he will still be in the state of wudoo and
available for prayer.

Your Question: my friend says there is masah for the neck while performing the wudu, i never do, she says i am wrong. i am wondering whether she is right.

There is absolutely no evidence in the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) that he performed the ‘massa’ or wiping of the neck during his wudu. To wipe or do the ‘massa’ of the neck during wudu or to believe that this formulates a part of the wudu is an innovation and the believers who wish to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) should avoid doing so.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan