The Sunan of wudhu is:
Washing the hands before immersing them into a bowl of water when waking up, because Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam said,
[ إذا استيقظ أحدكم من منامه فلا يغمسن يده في الإناء حتى يغسلها ثلاثا فإنه لا يدري أين باتت يده ]
“When one of you wakes up from his sleep then he should not immerse his hands into a container (of water) until he has washed it thrice because he does not know where his hands has spent the night” (Saheeh Muslim)
The hands are the tools of purification therefore it will be sunnah to begin (wudhu) by washing them, and you will wash your hands up to the wrists.
And saying the tasmiah “Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem” at the beginning of wudhu (is sunnah), because of the hadeeth of Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam:
[ لا وضوء لمن لم يسم الله ]
“There is no wudhu for the one who did not mention the name of Allah” (Sunan Abu Dawud and others with a slight difference in wording)
And the intended meaning of the hadeeth is the losing of virtue (of wudhu, by not reciting the tasmiah), and the Asa7 (more correct) version is that the (the tasmiah) is mustahabb, even though it’s mentioned as sunnah in the kitaab.
And (it’s sunnah) to recite the tasmiah before and after istinjaa, is the correct view.
And using Miswaak (is sunnah), because Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam used to do that always, and in the absence of the miswaak you should use your finger, because Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam used to do that, and the more correct version is that the miswaak is mustahabb.
And gargling and blowing the nose (is sunnah), because Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam was always doing it.
And the method of gargling, is that he should gargle thrice, each time taking new water, and blowing the nose is done the same way, that’s how the wudhu of Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam has been narrated as.
And masah of the ears is sunnah with the water of the head (the water from making masah of the head) according to us, contrary to Imaam Shaafi’i Rahimahullah, because of the hadeeth:
[ الأذنان من الرأس ]
“The ears are from the head” (Sunan Abu Dawud)
And (we say) the intended meaning of this hadeeth is mentioning the law (of making masah of the ears) and it not conflicting.
And making khilaal (passing the wet fingers through) of the beard (is sunnah), because Jibreel Alayhis Salaam commanded Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam to do that, and it’s said that it’s sunnah according to Imaam Abu Yusuf Rahimahullah, and permissible (Jaa’iz) according to Imaam Abu Hanifah and Imaam Muhammad Rahimahumallah, because a sunnah is perfecting a fardh in its place, and entering the fingers (into the beard) is not in the place of fardh.
And khilaal of the fingers is sunnah, because of the hadeeth:
[ خللوا أصابعكم كي لا تتخللها نار جهنم ]
“Pass your wet fingers through each other (make khilaal of your fingers) so that the fire of Jahannam does not pass through them” (Al Daaraqutni)
Because it is perfecting a fardh in its place.
And washing each part thrice (is sunnah), because rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam made wudhu and washed each part once and said: “this is the wudhu which Allah does not accept salaah except with it” (the minimum wudhu). And he (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) made wudhu and washed each part twice and said: “this is the wudhu of the one whose reward Allah has multiplied”. And he (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) made wudhu and washed each part thrice and said: “this is my wudhu and the wudhu of the Anbiyaa before me, so whoever adds or decreases on this wudhu then he has transgressed and done wrong.”
And it is preferred for the person making wudhu to make an intention for purification, so the niyyah (intention) for wudhu is sunnah according to us, and according to Imaam Shaafi’i Rahimahullah it’s fardh because to him it’s an act of worship (‘ibaadah), so it would not be correct without an intention like tayammum (dry purification), but according to us the qurbah (good deed) will not happen except without an intention, but the objective will have been reached (the key to salaah) by using purifying water, unlike tayammum, because sand is not a purifier except when in a state of intending salaah or related to the objective.
And he will wipe his head once (masah), and that is sunnah, and Imaam Shaafi’i Rahimahullah says: the sunnah way is to do it thrice with new water based upon washing, and according to us: Hadhrat Anas Radhiallahu Anhu made wudhu and washed each part thrice and wiped his head once and said: “this is the wudhu of Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam.” And what was narrated concerning wiping thrice will be carried upon it with one water, and that is in agreement with what Hasan narrated from Imaam Abu Hanifah Rahimahullah, because the fardh thing is wiping, and by repetition it becomes washing, and will not be sunnah like the masah of the khuffain (leather socks), contrary to washing because that isn’t harmed by repetition.
And he will have tarteeb (making wudhu in order) in wudhu, and will start with what Allah has mentioned first and will start from the right side, and tarteeb in wudhu is sunnah according to us, and Imaam Shaafi’i Rahimahullah says that it’s fardh because Allah says “faghsiloo wujoohakum” (and wash your faces) and this “faa” is for ta’qeeb, and we say that what is mentioned in there is the letter “wauw” and it is for mutlaq al jam3a with consensus among the people of the language.
And to start from the right is more virtuous because of the hadeeth:
[ إن الله تعالى يحب التيامن في كل شيء حتى التنعل والترجل ]
“Verily Allah loves that you start everything from the right, even putting on your right sandal first and combing your hair from the right side”
That’s the end of Kitaabut Tahaarah, the next chapter will be the nullifiers of Wudhu Insha Allah.
Subject: Lessons: Hanafi Fiqh - Hidaayah 
Sun Nov 02, 2008 5:10 pm
