Hadith Details

Discover timeless wisdom from the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Read this hadith in Arabic and English, share it with others, or explore related narrations from the same chapter.

Sunan Abi Dawud

كتاب الطهارة

Purification (Kitab Al-Taharah)

Chapter 1Hadith 108

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ الإِسْكَنْدَرَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ الْمُؤَذِّنُ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ التَّيْمِيِّ، قَالَ سُئِلَ ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ عَنِ الْوُضُوءِ، فَقَالَ رَأَيْتُ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ عَفَّانَ سُئِلَ عَنِ الْوُضُوءِ، فَدَعَا بِمَاءٍ فَأُتِيَ بِمِيضَأَةٍ فَأَصْغَى عَلَى يَدِهِ الْيُمْنَى ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَهَا فِي الْمَاءِ فَتَمَضْمَضَ ثَلاَثًا وَاسْتَنْثَرَ ثَلاَثًا وَغَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ غَسَلَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى ثَلاَثًا وَغَسَلَ يَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ فَأَخَذَ مَاءً فَمَسَحَ بِرَأْسِهِ وَأُذُنَيْهِ فَغَسَلَ بُطُونَهُمَا وَظُهُورَهُمَا مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً ثُمَّ غَسَلَ رِجْلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَيْنَ السَّائِلُونَ عَنِ الْوُضُوءِ هَكَذَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَتَوَضَّأُ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ أَحَادِيثُ عُثْمَانَ - رضى الله عنه - الصِّحَاحُ كُلُّهَا تَدُلُّ عَلَى مَسْحِ الرَّأْسِ أَنَّهُ مَرَّةٌ فَإِنَّهُمْ ذَكَرُوا الْوُضُوءَ ثَلاَثًا وَقَالُوا فِيهَا وَمَسَحَ رَأْسَهُ ‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرُوا عَدَدًا كَمَا ذَكَرُوا فِي غَيْرِهِ ‏.‏

Ibn Abi Mulaikah was asked about ablution. He said : I saw ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan who was asked about ablution. He called for water. A vessel was then brought to him. He inclined it towords his right hand (poured water upon it). He then put it in the water three times, and washed his face three times. He then put his hand in the water and took it out; then he wiped his head and ears, in and out only once. He then washed his feet, and said : Where are those who asked me to perform ablution? I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performing ablution like that. Abu Dawud said : All the sound traditions narrated by ‘ Uthman indicated that the head is to be wiped once, because they mentioned (the washing of each part in) ablution three times. In their versions of tradition they mentioned the wordings: “he wiped his head.” In this case they did not mention any number as they did in other cases.

Get Random Hadith

Other hadiths from the same chapter

Explore Hadith Collections

Discover more authentic hadiths from major Islamic collections.

View all books

Hadith Questions & Answers

Common questions about reading, sharing, and understanding Islamic hadith.

What is hadith in Islam?
A hadith is a narration of what Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, did, or approved. Hadith complement the Quran and help Muslims understand how to practice their faith in daily life. Each entry on Random Hadith shows the Arabic text, English translation, and full citation so you can read and verify the source.
How can I share this hadith?
Every hadith on Random Hadith has a unique URL with an id parameter, such as randomhadith.com/?id=1234. Copy the address from your browser, use the share options on the page, or bookmark the link to return to the same narration later. Shared links stay fixed so family and friends always see the same text.
Where does this hadith come from?
Each narration displayed on Random Hadith includes its book, chapter, and hadith number. These references point to established Islamic collections such as Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and the Sunan works. You can use the citation to locate the same report in printed editions or to explore related hadiths from the same chapter on this site.
When Allah wants two hearts to meet, what is the hadith?
A widely quoted teaching states that when Allah wants two people to meet, He makes their paths converge — often summarized as when He wants two hearts to meet, they will meet. Muslims frequently reflect on this narration as a reminder of divine decree (qadar), trust in Allah's plan, and patience regarding relationships and life events. Always verify wording and grading with qualified scholars and authentic sources.