Assalaamu alaykum, can you give me the arguments from the scholars, past and present, who say that rinsing the mouth, nose, and ears during ablution is only a sunnah? And likewise for those who state it as obligatory?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Washing the exterior surface of the nose and closed lips is obligatory in ablution as it is part of washing the face, which is one of the obligations of ablution. As for washing the inside of the mouth, this is done by rinsing the mouth. The inner part of the nose is washed as well while washing the nostrils, known as Istinshaaq (sniffing water into the nasal cavity) and Istinthaar (blowing water out of the nose).

The majority of the Muslim scholars held that rinsing the mouth and nose is a sunnah of the ablution, contrary to the Hanbalis, who held that rinsing the mouth and nose is obligatory. Al-Mawsoo‘ah Al-Fiqhiyyah Al-Kuwaytiyyah (Kuwaiti Encyclopedia of Islamic Jurisprudence) reads:

“Muslim jurists unanimously agreed that washing the outside of the lips, i.e. the part that is visible when the lips are normally closed without exaggeration, is obligatory in ablution because it is part of the face, which must be washed during ablution and ghusl (ritual bath). Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means): {O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces...} [Quran 5:6]

The inner part of the lips, which is hidden when the lips are normally closed, is considered part of the mouth and not the face; the majority of the Muslim scholars maintained that the outward part of the lips, i.e. the visible part of the lips when normally closed with no exaggeration, is considered part of the face and that it is obligatory to wash it in ablution and ghusl.

As for the inner part of the lips, which is hidden when the mouth is closed, it is part of the mouth; it is not obligatory to wash it during ablution and ghusl according to the majority of Muslim scholars (the Hanafis, Maalikis, and Shaafi‘is); rather, it is a Sunnah. The Hanbalis, on the other hand, held that the mouth and the nose are parts of the face and that, therefore, it is obligatory to rinse them during ablution and ghusl." [End of quote]

Shaykh Ibn Jibreen said:

"Madhmadhah (rinsing the mouth) means moving the water inside the mouth.

Istinshaaq (rinsing the nose) means sniffing water into the nostrils.

Istinthaar means blowing water out of the nose.

The preponderant opinion is that rinsing the mouth and nose is part of a complete ablution and a complete washing of the face; though many scholars held that it is a Sunnah. Nevertheless, evidence indicates that it is obligatory and that whoever deliberately omits the rinsing of the mouth and nose in ablution is obliged to repeat it because he thus failed to wash one of the body parts that must be washed during ablution. The reported description of the Prophet’s ablution indicates that he used to rinse his nose and mouth and commanded rinsing them in many Ahaadeeth.” [Sharh ‘Umdat Al-Ahkaam]

As for wiping over the ears in ablution, it is an act of the Sunnah, according to the majority of Muslim scholars; this is also contrary to view of the Hanbalis. The Kuwaiti Encyclopedia of Fiqh reads:

“The famous view of the Hanafis and Maalikis and that of the Shaafi‘is is that wiping over the interior and exterior of the ears is an act of the Sunnah in ablution because the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to wipe over the interior and exterior of the ears in ablution and inserted the tips of his index fingers into the ears to wipe the interior of the ears.” [End of quote]

The Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fataawa stated that:

“It is obligatory to wipe the ears because they are part of the head and because the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to do that. When describing the way in which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, performed ablution, ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr said, “...then he wiped over his head and inserted his index fingers into his ears to wipe the interior of the ears, and he wiped the exterior ears with his thumbs.” [Reported by Abu Daawood and An-Nasaa’i. Ibn Khuzaymah classified it as Saheeh (sound)]." [End of quote]

As far as we know, the opinion of the recent scholars is not different from that of the early scholars regarding these issues of Fiqh.

Allaah Knows best.