604. Wiping The Neck In Wudhu

By Asma Bint Shameem

It’s Bid’ah to wipe the neck in wudhu because there’s NO PROOF of that from the Qur’aan or authentic Sunnah. 

All the ahaadeeth regarding this wiping are NOT authentic and are graded as “*da’eef*” according to the scholars of hadeeth. 

Ibn Taymiyah said: 

“There is no saheeh report from the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam which says that he wiped his neck during wudhu;

rather no such thing has been narrated from him in any saheeh hadeeth. 

Rather the saheeh ahaadeeth which describe the wudhu of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam do not mention that he wiped his neck. 

Hence the majority of scholars, such as Maalik, al-Shaafa’i and Ahmed did not regard that as mustahabb. 

Those who say that it is mustahabb rely on a *da’eef (weak) hadeeth* which says that he wiped his head until he reached the back of his head. 

Such reports cannot be relied on, and it does not contradict what is indicated by the sound ahaadeeth. 

Whoever does not wipe his neck, his wudhu is valid according to scholarly consensus.”

(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 21/127)

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

“There is no saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam about wiping the neck at all.”

 (Zaad al-Ma’aad 1/195)

 Shaykh Ibn Baaz said: 

“It is not mustahabb or prescribed in sharee’ah to wipe the neck, rather the head and the ears only are to be wiped, as is indicated by the Qur’aan and Sunnah.”

(Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 10/103)

As for wiping the ears, it’s good to wipe them all over but it’s not necessary to get to each and every millimeter of skin. 

The earlobes don’t have to be completely “washed” or wet when making wudhu. 

Rather you’re supposed to just put your wet index finger on the inside of the ear and use the thumbs to wipe over the outer part of the ear. 

Ibn ‘Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhu said, describing the wudoo’ of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam: 

“Then he wiped his head and his ears, the inside with his forefingers and the outside with his thumbs.” 

(Al-Nasaa’i 74; saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i)

So for example there’s no need for you to take off your earrings when making wudhu. 

And Allaah knows best