What Does the Hadith Perform Ablution After Eating Which Has Been Changed By Fire?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

I need to understand the hadith in Ibn Majah 486, which says:
‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) said, “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Perform ablution after (eating) that which has been changed by fire.’” [Ibn Majah]
Which foods does this include? Does it include cooked foods, like the foods cooked on the stove?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.

This hadith is authentic; however, it has been abrogated. One does not have to do an ablution (wudu) after eating a cooked meal on fire. Some say it is still recommended to do wudu after eating a cooked meal on fire, but it is not obligatory. Some scholars say the word wudu in this hadith has a literal meaning of washing the hands and mouth, not ablution for religious worship.

Proof for Abrogation

A clear hadith that established the abrogation is the one of Jabir (Allah be pleased with him), in which he states, ‘The latter of the two practices of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) was that he would not repeat wudu after consuming that which was touched by the fire.’ [Abu Dawud]

In summary, food cooked on fire is common for people in all places and times. If one performed ablution every time they ate, it would not be easy to perform. However, ablution is a good act. No doubt, if someone practices this, it is good in many ways. Shayṭan was made from fire, and water extinguishes fire. Thus, ablution is made to oppose Shayṭan, like how we are commanded to perform it when angry because anger is from him.

[Usmani, Takmila Fath al-Mulhim; Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba with the research of Sh. Awwama]

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Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.