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.  

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 ﷺ يَتَوَضَّأُ  

Abdu Khayr said: Ali came upon us and he had already offered prayer. He called for water. We asked: What will you do with water when you have already offered prayer? - Perhaps to teach us. A utensil containing water and a wash-basin were brought (to him). He poured water from the utensil on his right hand and washed both his hands three times, rinsed the mouth, snuffed up water and cleansed the nose three times. He then rinsed the mouth and snuffed up water with the same hand by which he took water. He then washed his face three times, and washed his right hand three times and washed his left hand three times. He then put his hand in water and wiped his head once. He then washed his right foot thrice and left foot thrice, then said: If one is pleased to know the method of performing ablution of the Messenger of Allah, this is how he did it.  

أَتَانَا عَلِيٌّ ؓ وَقَدْ صَلَّى فَدَعَا بِطَهُورٍ فَقُلْنَا مَا يَصْنَعُ بِالطَّهُورِ وَقَدْ صَلَّى مَا يُرِيدُ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُعَلِّمَنَا فَأُتِيَ بِإِنَاءٍ فِيهِ مَاءٌ وَطَسْتٍ فَأَفْرَغَ مِنَ الإِنَاءِ عَلَى يَمِينِهِ فَغَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ تَمَضْمَضَ وَاسْتَنْثَرَ ثَلاَثًا فَمَضْمَضَ وَنَثَرَ مِنَ الْكَفِّ الَّذِي يَأْخُذُ فِيهِ ثُمَّ غَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ غَسَلَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى ثَلاَثًا وَغَسَلَ يَدَهُ الشِّمَالَ ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَدَهُ فِي الإِنَاءِ فَمَسَحَ بِرَأْسِهِ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً ثُمَّ غَسَلَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُمْنَى ثَلاَثًا وَرِجْلَهُ الشِّمَالَ ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ قَالَ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ وُضُوءَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَهُوَ هَذَا  

I came to ʿAli ؓ and he had prayed. He called for water for wudoo’. We said: What is he going to do with water when he has just prayed? He can only want to teach us something. A large vessel and a small vessel were brought to him. He lifted the small vessel and poured water over his hand and washed it three times. Then he dipped his hand in the vessel and rinsed his mouth and nose three times, and he did that from the same handful of water that he had taken. Then he washed his face three times, his right arm three times and his left arm three times. Then he put his hand in the water and wiped his head once. Then he washed his right foot three times and his left foot three times. Then he said: Whoever would like to learn the wudoo’ of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, this is it.  

أَتَيْتُ عَلِيًّا وَقَدْ صَلَّى فَدَعَا بِطَهُورٍ فَقُلْنَا مَا يَصْنَعُ بِالطَّهُورِ؟ وَقَدْ صَلَّى مَا يُرِيدُ إِلا أَنْ يُعَلِّمَنَا فَأُتِيَ بِطَسْتٍ وَإِنَاءٍ فَرَفَعَ الْإِنَاءَ فَصَبَّ عَلَى يَدِهِ فَغَسَلَهَا ثَلاثًا ثُمَّ غَمَسَ يَدَهُ فِي الْإِنَاءِ فَمَضْمَضَ وَاسْتَنْثَرَ ثَلاثًا ثُمَّ تَمَضْمَضَ وَتَنَثَّرَ مِنَ الكَفِّ الَّذِي أَخَذَ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ غَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ ثَلاثًا وَغَسَلَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى ثَلاثًا وَيَدَهُ الشِّمَالَ ثَلاثًا ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَدَهُ فِي الْمَاءِ فَمَسَحَ بِرَأْسِهِ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً ثُمَّ غَسَلَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُمْنَى ثَلاثًا وَرِجْلَهُ الشِّمَالَ ثَلاثًا ثُمَّ قَالَ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ طُهُورَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَهُوَ هَذَا