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Is excessive focus on wiping the head during ablution, and lifting the hair to ensure thorough wiping, and re-wetting the hands to wipe the area behind the ears and the nape of the neck considered an exaggeration (ghuluww) forbidden by Islamic law?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Wiping the head is a pillar of ablution, and scholars have differed on the amount that suffices. According to the view that requires wiping the entire head, if the hand dries during the wiping, new water must be taken to complete the wiping, because wiping must be done with the hand being wet. It is not necessary to renew the water if it dries during the return wipe. Renewing the wetness for the return wipe of the head is not legislated. Attention should be paid not to exaggerate in wiping the head and to beware of obsessive doubts (waswasah).

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

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