Question:
Is there a hadith regarding the action of wiping one’s forehead and face after prayer?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
This action is stated in Shafi’ite scholars’ books, where right after the prayer is completed it is sunnah to wipe one’s forehead and face while reciting the following supplication:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ (هُوَ) الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ، اللَّهُمَّ أَذْهِبْ عَنِّي الْهَمَّ وَالْحَزَنَ
“I bear witness that there is no god except Allah. (He is) the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. O Allah! I ask you to remove from me worry and grief.”
Among the books that mentioned on this are:
- Al-Adzkar(no.193) by Imam al-Nawawi Rahimahullah, from Ibn Sunni from Malik bin Anas RA.
- I`anah al-Tolibin (1/215) by Syeikh Abu Bakar al-Dimyati Rahimahullah from Ibn Sunni.
- Bughyah al-Mustarsyidin (pg. 99) by Syeikh Abdurrahman Ba`lawi from Ibn Mansur.
The above hadith is narrated by Imam Ibn Sunni in `Amal al-Yaum wa al-Lailah (no.122) and Imam al-Tabarani in al-Mu`jam al-Awsat (no.3178). The scholars agreed that the above hadith is daif (weak), as stated by Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Nataij al-Afkar (2/285), however some scholars state that the above hadith is daif jiddan (very weak and there is a possibility that it is a fake hadith) See al-`Ajalah al-Raghib (no.113) by Syeikh Salim Eid al-Hilali.
We are inclined towards the opinion that there is no issue to practise this, in accordance with the fatwa issued by scholars of madhab al-Syafie. However, whoever decides to leave it, in order to be cautious, then it is not makruh (undesirable) and should not be made into a polemic.
Wallahua’lam.