Question
My hairline has receded – when washing my face during wuḍū, where must I wash up until?
Answer
During ablution (wuḍū), it is necessary to wash the face from where the hair habitually grows until just below the chin. Therefore, if a person’s hairline has receded, he must wash the face until where hair habitually grows on the head. He is not required to wash above that. What is meant by ‘where hair habitually grows’ is the top of the forehead.
It is mentioned in al-Durr al-Mukhtār [with Radd al-Muḥtār]:
Washing the face…from the top of the forehead. [Radd al-Muhtar 1/318]
Similarly, it is mentioned in al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah:
If the hair at the front of the head has disappeared due to balding, according to the most correct position it is not necessary to wash until there [i.e., it is not necessary to wash until where the hair has receded]. [al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah, 1/05]
And Allah Almighty knows best.
Muhammad Kalim
20 Muharram 1444 H.
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