Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 723 [Read full issue]
Puffing
Aisha (God be well pleased with her and her father) said, "Each night when the Prophet, peace be upon him, retired to his bed he would gather his hands together, puff in them, and then recite in them [Surat al-Ikhlas, Surat al-Falaq, and Surat al-Nas] and then wipe over with his hands whatever he could of his body, beginning with his head and face and the front of his body. He would do this three times." [Bukhari, Muslim]
Aisha also said, "When he became exhausted I would puff for him [with Surat al-Falaq and Surat al-Nas], and wipe with his own hand for its blessings." And in some narrations: "When he became sick he would read over himself [Surat al-Ikhlas, Surat al-Falaq and Surat al-Nas] and then puffed." [Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad] The linguists said that "puffing" [al-nafath] is a light breath without saliva.
Compiled From:
"Etiquette With The Quran" - Imam Al-Nawawi, p. 104