Hadith: Perform ablution thoroughly, pass your fingers through each other, and snuff water well into your nostrils unless you are fasting

عن لقيط بن صبرة رضي الله عنه قال: كنتُ وافد بني المنتفِق -أو في وفد بني المنتفِق- إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، قال: فلمَّا قدِمْنا على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فلم نُصادفْه في منزله، وصادفنا عائشة أم المؤمنين، قال: فأمرَتْ لنا بخَزِيرَةٍ فصُنِعت لنا، قال: وأتينا بقِنَاع (ولم يقل قتيبة: "القناع". والقناع: الطبق فيه تمر)، ثم جاء رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: «هل أصبتم شيئا؟ -أو أُمِر لكم بشيء؟-» قال: قلنا: نعم، يا رسول الله. قال: فبينا نحن مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جلوس، إذ دَفَعَ الراعي غَنَمَهُ إلى المُرَاح، ومعه سَخْلَةٌ تَيْعَر، فقال: «ما ولدت يا فلان؟»، قال: بهْمَة، قال: «فاذبح لنا مكانها شاة»، ثم قال: "لا تحْسَبنَّ، -ولم يقل: لا تحسِبن- أنا من أجلك ذبحناها، لنا غنم مائة لا نريد أن تزيد، فإذا ولد الراعي بهمة، ذبحنا مكانها شاة". قال: قلت: يا رسول الله، إن لي امرأة وإن في لسانها شيئا -يعني البَذَاء-؟ قال: «فَطَلِّقْها إذًا»، قال: قلت: يا رسول الله إن لها صُحْبَة، ولي منها ولد، قال: "فمرها -يقول: عظها- فإن يك فيها خير فستفعل، ولا تضرب ظَعِيَنَتَك كضربك أُمَيّتَكَ". فقلت: يا رسول الله، أخبرني عن الوضوء؟ قال: « أَسْبِغ الوضوء، وَخَلِّلْ بين الأصابع، وَبَالغْ في الاسْتِنْشَاق إلا أن تكون صائما».
[صحيح] - [رواه أبو داود والترمذي والنسائي مختصرًا وابن ماجه وأحمد والدارمي]

Laqīt ibn Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I was the leader of – or among – the delegation of Banu al-Muntafiq that came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). When we arrived, we did not find him in his house. We found ‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, there. She ordered that a dish called Khazīrah be prepared for us – and it was. And a tray containing dates was presented to us. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came and asked: "Has anything been served to you or ordered for you?" We replied: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah," while we were sitting in the Prophet’s company, a shepherd suddenly drove his herd of sheep to their fold. He had with him a newly-born lamb that was crying. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "What did it bear, O so and so?" He replied: "An ewe." He said: "Slaughter for us a sheep in place of it." Then, he said: "Do not think that we are slaughtering it for you. We have one hundred sheep and we do not want their number to increase. So, whenever an ewe is born, we slaughter a sheep in its place." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have a wife who has something (wrong) in her tongue, i.e. she is foul-mouthed." He said: "Then divorce her." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, we have been together for long and I have children from her." He said: "Then, advise her. If there is goodness in her, she will comply. And do not beat your wife as you beat your slave girl." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about ablution." He said: "Perform ablution thoroughly, pass your fingers through each other, and snuff water well into your nostrils unless you are fasting."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Ibn Majah - Narrated by At-Termedhy - An-Nasaa’i - Narrated by Abu Daoud - Narrated by Ahmad - Ad-Daarimi]

Explanation

In this Hadīth, Laqīt ibn Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he was his people’s chief delegate to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Delegations would usually ask him about matters they found worrisome and confusing. ‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) served them some soup and dates. Then, they saw a shepherd with a newly-born ewe. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to slaughter a sheep, as he made clear to the delegation that he would not slaughter it specifically for them, lest it might be thought that he went too far and overburdened himself in hosting them. Among other questions, Laqīt (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about how to deal with his impudent wife. He instructed him to give her advice, to which she would listen if she were a good person at all; otherwise, he should divorce her. He also enjoined him not to beat his wife as a slave girl would be beaten. Then, Laqīt asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about ablution and he informed him that it is a duty to perform ablution properly and completely; in other words, each organ should be washed or wiped over duly. He also pointed out the desirability of performing Takhlīl (passing the fingers of one hand through the fingers of the other), which ensures that water reaches all organs designated for ablution. In case the water does not reach between the fingers without Takhlīl, Takhlīl becomes an obligatory element of ablution. In addition, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recommended snuffing water strongly, unless one is fasting, lest water may reach down his throat. That strong snuffing is only recommended for a non-fasting person is a proof of it being Sunnah, not an obligation.