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Is it necessary to insert the hand into the entirety of the ear when washing it during ablution, and what is the ruling on the waxy substance inside the ear, and is it obligatory to remove it so that water reaches the entire inside of the ear?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

What is established from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is wiping the ears, not washing them. The wiping is done by wiping their outer part with his thumbs and their inner part with his index fingers, using the remaining wetness from the hands after wiping the head. This is supported by the hadith of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, "wiped his head and his ears, their outer and inner parts." The outer part of the ears refers to their exterior, which is closer to the head, and their inner part refers to their interior, which is closer to the face. Al-Nawawi said: "He inserts his index fingers into the ear canals and rotates them around the folds, and passes his thumbs over the backs of the ears." Any waxy substance on the opening of the ears should be removed. It is not prescribed to introduce water inside the ear.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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