Method of Masah of the head

Question:-

What is the correct method of making Masah of the nape and head?

Answer:-

1. Method of making Masah of the head:

Masah of the entire head is done once. The method of Masah is as follows:

A person will wet his hands entirely and then pass the wet fingers of both hands over the whole head, starting from the front of the head moving towards the back of the head, according to Allama Shaami Rahimahullah [[i]]. Allama Shami Rahimahullah states the method that is in vogue nowadays, where an individual uses only three fingers (middle, ring and baby fingers) to make Masah of the head so that the index finger and thumb remain unused (these will later be used to make Masah of the ears), and the palms will be used to make Masah of the two sides of the head, is not proven in the Sunnah and has no basis. The reasons cited is that the water does not become Musta’mal (used) before completing the entire Masah, and secondly, the ears are also a part of the head, hence, the fingers used on the head (in Masah) can still be used for Masah of the ears, and the palms can be used to make Masah of the sides of the head [[ii]]. However, if one only used three fingers to make Masah of the head, and the remaining fingers were utilized to make Masah of the ears, and the palms were used to make Masah of sides of the head, the Masah will be valid. [Re:- Kitaabun Nawaazil Pg.87 Vol.3]

After passing the fingers over the entire head, one will pass the palms over the sides of the head. Thereafter, he will make Masah of the ears internally using the index fingers, and Masah of the ears externally using the thumb. The Masah of the ears is also a Sunnah. [Ghunyatul Mutamalli Pg.9]

2. Method of making Masah on the nape:

Masah of the neck is Sunnah, whilst according to others it is Mustahab or Adab. According to Kaafi, it is Mustahab according to the correct view. [Ghunyatul Mutamalli Pg.10]

A person will make Masah of the nape (back of the neck) with the back portion of his hands or fingers, by passing it over the neck, as the wetness on this portion hasn’t yet been used. [[iii]]. Hence, there is no need to renew the water on the hands to make Masah of the neck.

[i] الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1/ 120)

(وَمَسْحُ كُلِّ رَأْسِهِ مَرَّةً) مُسْتَوْعِبَةً، فَلَوْ تَرَكَهُ وَدَوَامَ عَلَيْهِ أَثِمَ

(قَوْلُهُ: مُسْتَوْعِبَةً) هَذَا سُنَّةٌ أَيْضًا، كَمَا جَزَمَ بِهِ فِي الْفَتْحِ، ثُمَّ نُقِلَ عَنْ الْقُنْيَةِ أَنَّهُ إذَا دَاوَمَ عَلَى تَرْكِ الِاسْتِيعَابِ بِلَا عُذْرٍ يَأْثَمُ، قَالَ: وَكَأَنَّهُ لِظُهُورِ رَغْبَتِهِ عَنْ السُّنَّةِ، قَالَ الزَّيْلَعِيُّ وَتَكَلَّمُوا فِي كَيْفِيَّةِ الْمَسْحِ. وَالْأَظْهَرُ أَنْ يَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ وَأَصَابِعَهُ عَلَى مُقَدَّمِ رَأْسِهِ وَيَمُدَّهُمَا إلَى الْقَفَا عَلَى وَجْهٍ يَسْتَوْعِبُ جَمِيعَ الرَّأْسِ ثُمَّ يَمْسَحُ أُذُنَيْهِ بِأُصْبُعَيْهِ.

[ii] الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1/ 121)

وَمَا قِيلَ مِنْ أَنَّهُ يُجَافِي الْمُسَبِّحَتَيْنِ وَالْإِبْهَامَيْنِ لِيَمْسَحَ بِهِمَا الْأُذُنَيْنِ وَالْكَفَّيْنِ لِيَمْسَحَ بِهِمَا جَانِبَيْ الرَّأْسِ خَشْيَةَ الِاسْتِعْمَالِ، فَقَالَ فِي الْفَتْحِ: لَا أَصْلَ لَهُ فِي السُّنَّةِ؛ لِأَنَّ الِاسْتِعْمَالَ لَا يَثْبُتُ قَبْلَ الِانْفِصَالِ، وَالْأُذُنَانِ مِنْ الرَّأْسِ.

[iii] الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (1/ 124)

(قَوْلُهُ: وَمَسْحُ الرَّقَبَةِ) هُوَ الصَّحِيحُ، وَقِيلَ: إنَّهُ سُنَّةٌ كَمَا فِي الْبَحْرِ وَغَيْرِهِ (قَوْلُهُ: بِظَهْرِ يَدَيْهِ) أَيْ لِعَدَمِ اسْتِعْمَالِ بِلَتِّهِمَا بَحْرٌ، فَقَوْلُ الْمُنْيَةِ: بِمَاءٍ جَدِيدٍ لَا حَاجَةَ إلَيْهِ كَمَا فِي شَرْحِهَا الْكَبِيرِ، وَعَبَّرَ فِي الْمُنْيَةِ بِظَهْرِ الْأَصَابِعِ وَلَعَلَّهُ الْمُرَادُ هُنَا (قَوْلُهُ: لِأَنَّهُ بِدْعَةٌ) إذْ لَمْ يَرِدْ فِي السُّنَّةِ.

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 26 Shawwal 1444 / 17 May 2023