Wiping the Head between All and Part, a Jurisprudential Interpretive Study

Abstract

The research dealt with studying the difference of the interpreters and jurists, past and present, in clarifying the obligatory and recommended amount of wiping the head in ablution, between including all of it, or limiting it to part of it. This difference is based on their disagreement on the meaning of the verse in which the command to do so was stated: (And wipe your heads), as they and the linguists diverge on the meaning of the “ba” in: (with your heads), in addition to studying the impact of this disagreement on clarifying the obligatory and recommended amount of wiping the head during ablution, highlighting the effect of the meaning of the context and the counterparts in it, and showing the argument for each statement and its evidence from the Qur’an, Sunnah, and language, and its reply to those who oppose it, then discussing the opinions and their evidence, giving weight to the opinion that is obligatory to include the entire head with wiping, and that the "ba" in (your heads) is to attach the wiping of water to the head, not for parting, nor is there an extra connection for emphasis. In all of this, the research provides the reason for preference, its evidence and answers the problematic Prophetic hadiths on the issue, according to the respected rules of weighing by scholars of interpretation, jurisprudence, and language.