Prophet ﷺ poured water over himself whilst fasting?

Yes, it is correct the say the Prophet ﷺ poured water over himself whilst fasting. Since this is based upon a Sahih Hadith.

قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: قَالَ: الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالْعَرْجِ يَصُبُّ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ الْمَاءَ، وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ مِنَ الْعَطَشِ، أَوْ مِنَ الْحَرِّ

Abu Bakr (bin Abd al-Rahmaan) said one of the Sahabah informed me that he saw the Prophet ﷺ, at al-Arj, pour water over his head whilst he was fasting, due to thirst or heat. (Abu Dawood, 2365).

Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani mentioned this Hadith and commented on its chain, saying it is Sahih:

وَأما التبريد وَفِي هَذَا حَدِيث مَرْفُوع من طَرِيق أبي بكر بن عبد الرَّحْمَن عَن بعض أَصْحَاب النَّبِي صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم قَالَ لقد رَأَيْت النَّبِي صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم بالعرج يصب على رَأسه المَاء وَهُوَ صَائِم من الْعَطش أَو من الْحر رَوَاهُ مَالك فِي الْمُوَطَّأ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَغَيرهمَا بِإِسْنَاد صَحِيح (تغليق التعليق على صحيح البخاري)    

As for cooling down, it is mentioned in the following Hadith narrated by Abi Bakr bin Abd al-Rahmaan from a companion of the Prophet ﷺ, who said he saw the Prophet ﷺ at al-Arj, pour water over his ﷺ head whilst he was fasting, due to thirst or heat. It has been narrated by (Imam) Malik in his al-Muwatta, by Abu Dawood and by others with a sound chain. (Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, Taghleeq al-Ta’leeq).

There is also a narration in Sahih al-Bukhari that supports the fact that the blessed Prophet ﷺ poured water over himself whilst fasting. Since this narration mentions the Mubarak Prophet ﷺ performing Ghusl. And Ghusl necessitates pouring water over the head.

قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُدْرِكُهُ الفَجْرُ فِي رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ حُلْمٍ، فَيَغْتَسِلُ وَيَصُومُ

Sayidah Aishah (May Allah Most High be pleased with her) said: The Prophet ﷺ used to enter Fajr time in Ramadan and make Ghusl and Fast, without (the necessity of) emission. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1930).

Imam al-Bukhari also narrated that the blessed Sahabi Abdullah bin Umar wore a wet garment whilst fasting. However, that is is a Mualaq narration in Sahih al-Bukhari. Therefore, I am narrating it from the Musanaf of Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah. The narrators in his chain are sound.

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ، قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ، وَهُوَ صَائِمٌ يَبُلُّ الثَّوْبَ ثُمَّ يُلْقِيهِ عَلَيْهِ

Abdullah bin Abi Uthman said: I saw Ibn Umar, while he was fasting, wet a garment then throw it over himself. (Musanaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 9212).

And Allah (Most High) Knows best.

– Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen (09.03.2021)