What is the ruling on wiping the head during ablution if the hair is thick and prevents water from reaching the scalp, and is it obligatory to make the water reach the scalp, especially since cutting or shaving the hair is undesirable?

Our true religion is built upon ease and the removal of hardship. Allah Almighty has legislated wiping over the head during ablution as a form of relief.

There are two ways to wipe over the head during ablution: 1. Placing the wet hands on the front of the head, then wiping them to the nape, then returning them to the front of the head. This method is suitable for short hair. 2. Wiping over the entire head in the direction of the hair without changing its appearance. This method is suitable for long hair, whether for a man or a woman, to avoid frizz.

What is prescribed for wiping over the head is to wipe over the hair of the head; it is not necessary to convey water to the scalp. Therefore, the presence of substances applied to the hair, such as henna, does not prevent wiping over them. Men and women are equal in this regard. The evidence for ease in the purification of the head is that it is not obligatory to wash it; rather, wiping over it suffices, even if there is no hair on the head. It is also permissible for a man to wipe over his turban.