Is it Muakkadah Sunnah to Rinse the Mouth and Nose Three Times in Wudu?

Darulifta Ahlesunnat

(Dawateislami)

Question

   What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following: it is Muakkadah Sunnah to rinse the mouth and nose during wuḍūˈ, but is it also Muakkadah Sunnah to do these actions three times?

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

   It is both Muakkadah (an emphasised) Sunnah to rinse the mouth and nose in wuḍūˈ, and an emphasised Sunnah to do so three times.

   It is stated in al-Durr al-Mukhtār^[1]:

(وتثليث الغسل) المستوعب،ولا عبرة للغرفات، ولو اكتفى بمرة إن اعتاده أثم، وإلا لا

   Regarding this, it is mentioned in Radd al-Muḥtār^[2]:

ولا يخفى أن التثليث حيث كان سنة مؤكدة وأصر على تركه يأثم

   Imām Aḥmad Razā Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes in al-Fatāwā al-Raḍawiyyah:

   It is stated in al-Khulāṣah:

ان توضا مرۃ مرۃ لعزۃ الماء اولعذر البرد اوالحاجۃ لا یکرہ وکذا ان فعلہ احیانا اما اذا اتخذذلک عادۃ یکرہ. اقول: ای تحریما لانہ سنۃ مؤکدۃ

   If someone washes the limbs once due to a shortage of water, the excuse of coldness, or another need; this is not Makruh (disliked). Similarly, there is no dislike if the limbs are washed once occasionally. Yet, it is disliked if a habit is made of washing the limbs once.

   I say: this refers to prohibitive dislike (makrūh taḥrīmī), as washing the limbs three times is an emphasised sunnah.^[3]

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

Answered By: Mufti Abu Muhammad Ali Asghar Attari

Ref No: GUL-2905

Date: 30th Dhū al-QaꜤdah al-Ḥarām 1444AH/ 20th June 2023