Translation and Compilation: Adebayo DhikruLlaah
Aboo Sahl Al-Atharee

Uploaded: R. Thaanee 25, 1439, (13 Jan., 2018)

BismiLlaahir Rahmaanir Raheem.

To proceed;

Shaykh Bakr bn Abee Zayd said;

"I don't see any report, reported from the companions radiyaLlahu anhum on its legislation, likewise I don't see anybody among them said, it is not legislated, but by going through the statement of who followed them, the comprehension halt on the declaration of some of the Salaf, that it is not legislated, these are;

1)Al Imaam Maalik bn Anas.[d.179A.H]
2)'Abdullahi bn Mubaarak.[d181A.H]
3)Imaam Ahmad bn Hambal (in one of the riwaayah).[d.236A.H]
4)Al Bayhaqee, the owner of As Sunan Al Kubrah[d458A.H]
5)'Izz bn Abdis-Salaam[d.660A.H]
6)An Nawaawee[d.676]
7)Shaykh Al Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah[d.728]
8)Ibn 'Arafah; Muhammad bn Muhammad[d.803A.H], who chanted;

Passing of palms over the face is detested
At the openings and the completion of the supplication, be cautious
As was transmitted from our Imaam Ibn 'Arafah
He call it an heresy, so don't be an opposition.
The people (of knowledge) said, it devises blindness
And, nobody from the pious predecessors (the companions] supported it.

9)Ibn Marzûq
10)Fayrûz Abaadee[d.817A.H]
11)Ibn 'Alaan As-Sideeqee[d.1057A.H] [Summarized from Al Juz' pp.83-87].

Opposition to these, there are report of acting on it from some of the Salaf, from them are: Al Hasan (Al Basree), Abû Ka'b, Al Ma'mar, 'Abdur Razzaaq, Ibn Ruhawayh, Ahmad in one of the reports and Al Juwaynee Abû Muhammad.

What is known is, this aspect is legislative act, the ruler on it is a text from the infallible sallaLlaahu 'alahi wa sallam only. Allaahu A'alam.[Al Juz' pp.101-103]

[Then, the Shaykh referred to the statement of Al Bahayqee as his conclusion];

On wiping of the face after the completion of the supplication; I don't memorize anything from anyone among the Salaf (on it) in the supplication of qunût, though it was reported from some of them during supplication outside (qunût).A weak narration was reported from the prophet sallaLlaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, it is what some of them used (to legalize wiping of face) outside Salaah. Even, on Salaah, it is an act that, there is neither authentic narration (from the prophet) nor from the companions, nor Qiyaas (that legalize it).The best is not to act upon it, and to restrict acting upon what the Salaf radiyaLlahu 'anhum did, like raising of hands without wiping the face with them on Salaah) [Al Juz' p84]

Ash Shaykh Saalih Al 'Uthaymeen said;

This narration is an evidence of wiping the face with palms after supplication, in which the hands is raised. If this narration is authentic; it is an act of worship.

So that, if he wiped his whole body, we will say, (he did that) in order to make the blessing of the supplication reaches the whole body, as the messenger sallaLlaahu 'alayhi wa sallam did, whenever be wanted to sleep; he would wipe his face and some part of his body. But, to wipe the face alone, we don't know. I don't know the ruling for this. Allah a'lam.

But Ibn Hajar said; Combining the corroborating evidences necessitates that the hadith is hasan (good), but hasan (good) due to other (weak evidences).

[Please, read the preceding article, and also Minhaatul A'alaam vol.10 pp.428-429,to understand this better. The Compiler].

If we ponder about the places the messenger sallaLlahu 'alayhi wa sallam used to supplicate, you will notice that, the authentic narrations did not mention wiping (of the face) at all.

The prophet sallaLlaahu 'alahi wa sallam raised his hands at many places, on sermon (khutbah) during the supplication of seeking for rain (istisqaa'), likewise at 'Arafah, Mudhdalifah, Safaa and among others. All of these authentic narrations, despite the numbers of what were reported on raising of the hands, nothing was reported that he wiped his face in the authentic narrations except this (weak) report.

Thus, Shaykhul Islaam rahmatullaah said;

Wiping of the face with the palms after supplication is an innovation, all of the corroborating evidences are weak, and they don’t corroborate each other.

Thus, the issue of an analogical deduction; Whosoever opines that the supporting evidences corroborate each other, will say, it is Sunnah to wipe the face after the completion (of supplication).But, who said; it does not corroborate each other, because of its contradictions, while in many narrations that the messenger sallaLlaahu 'alayhi wa sallam supplicated in them, it was not reported that he wiped his face, and they say; It is not Sunnah, then said, It is an innovation, like Shaykhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahuLlaahu (Ibn Baaz and Al Albaanee).[Fatih Dhil Jalaal vol.6 p.485]

Shaykh 'AbduLlahi Ãl Fawzaan mentioned; Al Marweezee said; Imaam Maalik was asked about a man that wipe his face with his palms in supplication. He (the Imaam) refuted it and said "I don't know this".

It was mentioned in the verdicts of 'Izz bn 'Abidis Salaam; He don't recommend raising of hands in supplication except the places where the messenger of Allah sallaLlaahu 'alayhi wa sallam rose his handstand NOBODY WIPES HIS FACE AFTER THE SUPPLICATION EXCEPT AN IGNORANT.[Except from Minhatul 'Alaam Sharh Buluughil Maraam vol.10 pp.431-432].

In conclusion, Shaykh Saalih Al Uthaymeen said in Al Mumti' vol.4 p.41(Summarized);

There are three opinions on this issue;

1)It is Sunnah
2)It is an innovation
3)It is neither Sunnah nor Bid’ah. That's mubaah. If somebody does it, we will not accuse him of innovation, if it is abandoned, we will not blame him.

The nearest is, it is not Sunnah...The best is not to wipe (the face after supplication), though we will not refute who wipes, relying on the authenticity (tahseen) of the narrations, because it is what the scholars differed on.

We seek blessing upon the noble soul of prophet Muhammad sallaLlaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, his household and his companions.