The obligatory acts of ablution are four: First: Washing the face once: as stated by Him, Glorified and Exalted, (So wash your faces) Al-Ma'idah: 6, and the absolute command does not imply repetition. The limit of the face is from the hairline to the bottom of the chin - the junction of the two jaws - in length, and between the earlobes in width; because the face is what a person faces, or what is typically faced, and the facing occurs with this. Second: Washing the hands up to the elbows once: as stated by Him, Glorified and Exalted, (And your hands up to the elbows) Al-Ma'idah: 6, and the absolute command does not imply repetition. The elbows are included in the washing, as it has been reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) poured water over his elbows. And because the elbow is a joint composed of the forearm and the upper arm, washing the forearm is obligatory, while washing the upper arm is not obligatory, and it is not possible to distinguish between them, so it is necessary to wash all of it as a precaution. Third: Wiping a quarter of the head once: as stated by Him, Glorified and Exalted, (And wipe over your heads) Al-Ma'idah: 6, and the absolute command in action does not necessitate repetition. Wiping the head is achieved by the wet hand touching the member, either by moisture taken from the vessel, or moisture remaining on the hand after washing a member of the washed parts, and the remaining moisture in the hand after wiping a member of the wiped parts is not sufficient, nor is moisture taken from any of his members whether that member is washed or wiped, and likewise in wiping the sock and the splint. Fourth: Washing the feet up to the ankles once: as stated by Him, Glorified and Exalted, (And your feet up to the ankles) with the "lam" in the accusative case of "feet" being connected to His saying, the Exalted, (So wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows) Al-Ma'idah: 6, as if He said: So wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and your feet up to the ankles, and wipe over your heads. The ankle is the protruding bone that the bone of the leg ends at, according to the correct opinion. Refer to: Al-Badai 1: 4, Sharh Al-Wiqayah 1: 74, Al-Binayah 1: 109, Umdat Al-Ra'ayah 1: 55, and Tuhfat Al-Fuqaha 1/9, Al-Ikhtiyar 1/11, and Mukhtalif Al-Riwayah, pp. 280-282.