Darulifta Ahlesunnat (Dawateislami)
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: When washing the face during wudu, is it necessary to wash the area next to the ears, i.e., the area between the sideburns and the ears, which doesn’t have any hair?
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Hair does not grow between the earlobes and the sideburns, i.e., the patches of hair that are parallel to the ears. According to sharī’aĥ, when washing the face in wudu, it is fard to wash this area as well. This area is not excluded from part of the face; rather, it is included.
Regarding washing this area when performing wudu, it is stated in Tanwir Al-Absar Wa Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar:
یجب غسل ما بین العذار والاذن لدخولہ فی الحد، بہ یفتیٰ
(Tanwir Al-Absar Wa Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar Ma’a Radd Al-Muhtar, Vol. 1, The essentials of wudu, p. 320, Publ. Dar Al-Saqafah Wal-Turas, Damascus)
Under the words of ‘به يفتى’, Allamah Ibn ‘Abideen Al-Shami Al-Dimishqi رحمۃ الله تعالى عليه (d. 1252 AH/1836 CE) writes:
هو ظاهر المذهب، وهو الصحيح، وعليه أكثر المشايخ: قال في البدائع: وعن أبي يوسف عدمه، وظاهره أن مذهبه بخلافه بحر؛ لأن كلمة عن تفيد أنه رواية عنه
(Radd Al-Muhtar Ma’ Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar, Vol. 1, The essentials of wudu, p. 322, Publ. Dar Al-Saqafah Wal-Turas, Damascus)
The Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رحمۃ الله تعالى عليه (d. 1340 AH/1921 CE) writes:
داڑھی کا بالائی حصہ جو کانوں کے محاذی ہوتا ہے، جسے عربی میں ”عِذار“ کہتے ہیں، اس حصے اور کان کے بیچ میں جلد کی ایک صاف سطح ہوتی ہے، جس پر بال نہیں نکلتے۔ یہاں اُس سطحِ خالی میں خلاف ہے کہ عِذار والے کے لیے اِس روایت پر اُس کا دھونا ضروری نہیں اور ظاہر الروایۃ ومذہب معتمد میں مطلقا فرض ہے۔
Translation: The upper portion of the beard (sideburns), which is parallel to the ears, is called ‘Izar in Arabic. The smooth surface of skin between this and the ears does not grow any hair. The difference is regarding this smooth, hairless area. According to this opinion, the one who has sideburns doesn’t have to wash this area. But according to Zahir Al-Riwayah and the reliable opinion, it is fard to wash this area in any case. (Fatawa Razawiyah, Vol. 1, p. 267, Publ. Raza Foundation, Lahore)
It is mentioned in Mu’jam Lughah Al-Fuqaha’:
العِذار: بكسر العين، ج: عذر، موضع الشعر الذي يحاذي الاذن
(Mu’jam Lughah Al-Fuqaha’, p. 307, Publ. Dar Al-Nafa’is Lil-Taba’ah Wal-Nashr)
وَ اللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِہٖ وَ سَلَّم
(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)
Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Ref No: FSD-9263
Date: 11th Sha’ban Al-Mu’azzam 1446 AH/ 10th February 2025