The manifest view from Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, regarding a man, is that the obligation is to encompass [the entire head], whereas for a woman, wiping the front of her head is sufficient for her. Al-Khallal said: The practice in the school of Ahmad ibn Abd Allah is that if she wipes the front of her head, it suffices her. Muhanna said: Ahmad said: I hope that the woman’s [obligation] in wiping the head is easier. I asked him: Why? He said: Aisha used to wipe the front of her head (3). Those who permitted wiping a portion of the head argued that al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wiped over his forelock and his turban (4). And that Uthman wiped the front of his head with his hand once and did not take new water for it when he recounted the wudu of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (5). It was narrated by Sa'id. Also, because for one who wipes a portion of his head, it is said: "He wiped his head," just as it is said: "He wiped the head of the orphan" and "He kissed his head."
Some of those who support this claim that the particle 'ba' is for partiality (tab'id), as if it meant: "Wipe a portion of your heads." Our position is the saying of Allah the Exalted: {And wipe over your heads}, and the 'ba' is for adhesion (ilsaq), as if it meant: "Wipe your heads." Thus, it encompasses the whole, just as He said regarding Tayammum: {Then wipe over your faces}. Their claim that the 'ba' is for partiality is incorrect, and the people of Arabic language do not recognize that. Ibn Burhan (6) said: Whoever claims that the 'ba' signifies partiality has brought to the linguists something they do not know (7). The hadith of al-Mughirah indicates the permissibility of wiping over the turban, and we hold to that. Furthermore, when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) performed wudu, he wiped his entire head, and this serves as an explanation for the mandated wiping. What they have mentioned regarding the wording is a metaphorical usage (majaz) that should not be resorted to over the literal meaning (haqiqah) without evidence.
(3) See: Chapter on the woman wiping her head, from Kitab al-Taharah. Al-Mujtaba min Sunan al-Nasa'i 1/62. (4) Narrated by Muslim, in: Chapter on wiping over the forelock and the turban, from Kitab al-Taharah. Sahih Muslim 1/230, 231. And al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter on what has been narrated regarding wiping over the socks and the turban, from Kitab al-Taharah. Aridat al-Ahwadhi 1/150. And al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on the description of wudu - washing the two palms, and Chapter on wiping over the turban along with the forelock, and Chapter on how to wipe over the turban, from Kitab al-Taharah. Al-Mujtaba 1/55, 65, 66. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 4/244, 248, 250, 255. (5) Previously mentioned on page 169. (6) Abu al-Qasim Abd al-Wahid ibn Ali ibn Burhan al-Ukbari, the grammarian and linguist, who died in the year 456 AH. Inbah al-Ruwat 2/213-215. (7) See: al-Bahr al-Muhit 3/436, and Imla' ma Manna bihi al-Rahman 1/208.
