‘Abd al-Rahman al-TamiI reported:

Ibn Abi Mulaikah was asked about ablution. He said : I saw ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan who was asked about ablution. He called for water. A vessel was then brought to him. He inclined it towords his right hand (poured water upon it). He then put it in the water three times, and washed his face three times. He then put his hand in the water and took it out; then he wiped his head and ears, in and out only once. He then washed his feet, and said : Where are those who asked me to perform ablution? I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performing ablution like that.

Abu Dawud said : All the sound traditions narrated by ‘ Uthman indicated that the head is to be wiped once, because they mentioned (the washing of each part in) ablution three times. In their versions of tradition they mentioned the wordings: “he wiped his head.” In this case they did not mention any number as they did in other cases.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ الإِسْكَنْدَرَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ الْمُؤَذِّنُ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ التَّيْمِيِّ، قَالَ سُئِلَ ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ عَنِ الْوُضُوءِ، فَقَالَ رَأَيْتُ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ عَفَّانَ سُئِلَ عَنِ الْوُضُوءِ، فَدَعَا بِمَاءٍ فَأُتِيَ بِمِيضَأَةٍ فَأَصْغَى عَلَى يَدِهِ الْيُمْنَى ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَهَا فِي الْمَاءِ فَتَمَضْمَضَ ثَلاَثًا وَاسْتَنْثَرَ ثَلاَثًا وَغَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ غَسَلَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى ثَلاَثًا وَغَسَلَ يَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ فَأَخَذَ مَاءً فَمَسَحَ بِرَأْسِهِ وَأُذُنَيْهِ فَغَسَلَ بُطُونَهُمَا وَظُهُورَهُمَا مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً ثُمَّ غَسَلَ رِجْلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَيْنَ السَّائِلُونَ عَنِ الْوُضُوءِ هَكَذَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَتَوَضَّأُ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ أَحَادِيثُ عُثْمَانَ - رضى الله عنه - الصِّحَاحُ كُلُّهَا تَدُلُّ عَلَى مَسْحِ الرَّأْسِ أَنَّهُ مَرَّةٌ فَإِنَّهُمْ ذَكَرُوا الْوُضُوءَ ثَلاَثًا وَقَالُوا فِيهَا وَمَسَحَ رَأْسَهُ . وَلَمْ يَذْكُرُوا عَدَدًا كَمَا ذَكَرُوا فِي غَيْرِهِ .