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Fatwa CenterEarlobes not part of face in ablution
Question
Assalaamu alaykum. Thanks a lot for all your answers. I asked for the definition of the face in the context of ablution, but the fatwa that you referred me to did not specifically answer my question. My question is: how much of the face should be washed horizontally? I came to know that this should be done from earlobe to earlobe. Does this mean that the earlobes should be washed too? Or is it just the part of the earlobe that is adjacent to the face?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
The earlobes are not part of the face as far as the obligation of washing the face in ablution is concerned; they are a part of the ear, and the ears are not part of the face. The scholars said that the horizontal limit of the face is what is between the two ears.
The author of Daqaa'iq Uli An-Nuha said, "The limit of the face is from the ear to the ear horizontally; i.e. what is between the ears, as they are not part of it (the face)..."
The Maaliki scholar Al-Hattaab 
wrote, "The horizontal limit of the face is between the two ears. This is clearer than the scholars' statement, 'From ear to ear...'" [Mawaahib Al-Jaleel]
Allah knows best.
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