𝗠𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 (112)

The Three Cases of Male Facial Hair in Wudu Sheikh 'Abdussalam Ash-Shuwa'ir hafidhahullah states: Thick hair is either located on an area that is wiped, or on an area that is washed. If it is on an area that is wiped, then there is no doubt that التخليل running the fingers through it (to make water reach inside) is not prescribed, because what is required is only to wipe the hair itself, not to separate it and reach underneath it. But if the hair is on an area that is washed, such as the face; as the face is an area that must be washed, and there are many types of facial hair, including the moustache, eyebrows, eyelashes, sideburns, beard, and the two small patches of hair beside the mouth (the subaalatan). The well-known view of the hanbali madh-hab is that these two patches are considered part of the moustache, so it is recommended to trim them. The Shafi‘i scholars said they are part of the beard, so it is recommended to leave them. The closer view is what I mentioned to you according to the hanbali madh-hab. There is also the small hair patch under the lower lip (‘anfaqah). All of these are called facial hair. This facial hair has three situations: ▪️The first situation: The hair is within the required area of the face and it is thin. The required area of the face means the boundary we mentioned: from where the normal hairline downwards to the bottom of the chin, and from one ear to the other sidewards. This is the area that must be washed. And thin, as in, the skin can be seen underneath it. In this case, what must be washed is the skin itself. For example, the fine hair on the cheeks, or a moustache that is sometimes thin enough that the skin shows through it. In this case, the skin must be washed. Actually, when you pour water over your face, the water will naturally reach it because the hair is thin. So this happens automatically. ▪️The second situation: The hair is thick and within the required area of the face, meaning it covers the skin so that the skin colour cannot be seen. For example, thick eyebrows, or some people’s thick beards and sideburns. In this case, only the surface of the hair must be washed. Imam An-Nawawi said that according to the consensus of the scholars, water does not have to reach the skin underneath, and it is not prescribed or even a Sunnah to make the water reach the skin. So the requirement is to wash the surface of the hair. It is recommended to run the fingers through the inside of the hair (takhleel), but it is not prescribed to make the water reach the skin. How is this done? For example, with eyelashes or a beard that is within the face boundary: when you bring water, you wash the visible outer part. Trying to wash the skin underneath by forcing water through it is not prescribed. Washing the eyebrows just to make water reach the skin is not prescribed either. According to the scholars, it is not Sunnah and not obligatory; it may even be regarded an innovation. So this is the second type: washing the outside of the hair. As for the beard, it is recommended to run the fingers through it (takhleel). How is this done? They said: by wetting the hand and inserting the fingers into the beard. There are two ways: For the sideburns: lift the hair like this. For the beard: put the fingers inside the beard. This is clear now regarding the inner part of the hair. Now, regarding the neck: according to the consensus of the scholars, the neck is not part of the face, so washing it is not prescribed. If someone says that there is a narration in Sunan Abi Dawud that he took water and put it under his chin, we say: first, this narration is not authentic. Even if we considered it authentic, it would be understood as making water reach the beard for the purpose of takhleel (running the fingers through it), not for reaching the skin underneath.