Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 250
sahih

Abu Hazim reported:

I was (standing) behind Abu Huraira and he was performing the ablution for prayer. He extended the (washing) of his hand that it went up to his armpit. I said to him: O Abu Huraira, what is this ablution? He said: O of the tribe of Faruukh, you are here; if I knew that you were here, I would have never performed ablution like this; I have heard my Friend (ﷺ) say. In a believer adornment would reach the places where ablution reaches.

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا خَلَفٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ خَلِيفَةَ - عَنْ أَبِي مَالِكٍ الأَشْجَعِيَّ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ خَلْفَ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَهُوَ يَتَوَضَّأُ لِلصَّلاَةِ فَكَانَ يَمُدُّ يَدَهُ حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ إِبْطَهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ مَا هَذَا الْوُضُوءُ فَقَالَ يَا بَنِي فَرُّوخَ أَنْتُمْ هَا هُنَا لَوْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكُمْ هَا هُنَا مَا تَوَضَّأْتُ هَذَا الْوُضُوءَ سَمِعْتُ خَلِيلِي صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏

‏ تَبْلُغُ الْحِلْيَةُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِ حَيْثُ يَبْلُغُ الْوَضُوءُ ‏

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References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 2, Hadith 53
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 2, Hadith 484 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Ablution and purity are among the believers' rites. Their effects will appear as lights on Muslims on the Day of Resurrection, through which the Prophet will recognize them at his basin. In this hadith, Abu Hazim Al-Ashja’i narrated that he was standing behind Abu Hurairah during his performing ablution for prayer. Abu Hurairah washed his hands and arms until he reached his armpits, hoping to wash the longest part of his arms. Abu Hazim asked him about the reason for this ablution that he had never seen anyone perform. Abu Hurairah was surprised that Abu Hazem was there and confirmed that if he had known he was seeing him, he would not have performed it this way. As for his saying "Sons of Faroukh," it meant the non-Arab. Abu Hurairah meant that a leader should take much care about his public acts, so he has to refrain from doing some acts of allowable lenience or strictness if he thinks that people may imitate him. They may follow his lenience without necessity or his strictness thinking it is an obligation. Then, Abu Hurairah clarified the reason for his way of ablution. He heard the Prophet confirm that the believer's whiteness, in Paradise, would reach the places where the ablution reached. As a result, Abu Hurairah wanted his ablution to reach the longest part of his arms. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the believers' honor, as they will be singled out for the whiteness of faces and feet, (2) A scholar has to avoid doing some acts before the public if he fears that they do not realize what he does, (3) It shows the virtue of exaggeratedly washing the forehead and feet through washing beyond the obligatory place..
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