Wiping it with his hand is not a condition, as evidenced by the case where one wipes it with the hand of another. The second viewpoint is that it does not suffice him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wiped with his hand. If he places a wet rag on his head and his head becomes wet (35) as a result, or he places a rag and then wets it until his hair is wet, it does not suffice him, because that is neither wiping nor washing. It is possible [to argue] that it does suffice him, because he wetted his hair intending wudu, so it suffices him, just as if he had washed it. If he wipes with one or two fingers, it suffices him if he wipes with them everything that is obligatory to wipe. Muhammad ibn al-Hakam narrated from Ahmad that it does not suffice him. The Qadi said: This is interpreted as referring to the obligation of covering the whole head, for it is impossible to cover the [entire] head with his finger; however, if he covers the whole of it, it suffices him, because he has wiped with a portion of his hand, resembling wiping with his palm.

Section: The ears are part of the head, and the analogy of the school of thought is that it is obligatory to wipe them along with it. Al-Khallal said: All of them narrated from Abu Abdullah, regarding the one who leaves their wiping intentionally or out of forgetfulness, that it suffices him. This is because they are appendages to the head, and the inclusion of them is not understood from the absolute term 'head', nor do they resemble the rest of the parts of the head. For this reason, their wiping does not suffice for wiping the head for those who deem it sufficient to wipe only a part of it. However, the preferred course is to wipe them along with it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wiped them with his head. Al-Rubayyi' narrated that she saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wipe his head—what was at the front and what was at the back, his temples, and his ears—once (36). Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wiped his head (37) and his ears, their exteriors and interiors (38). Al-Tirmidhi said: The hadith of Ibn Abbas and the hadith of al-Rubayyi' are authentic (39). Al-Miqdam ibn Ma'dikarib narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wiped his head and his ears, and inserted his fingers into the auditory canals (40) of his ears. Abu Dawud recorded it (41). Thus, it is recommended that