Washing the Feet and Ankles

Washing the Feet and Ankles

Allaah ta’ala says:

...wa arjulakum ilaal ka'bayn...: …and (wash) your feet to the ankles

[Soorat-ul-Maa’idah 5:7] 

[thus ordering the washing of the feet and ankles].

Ibn ‘Umar (radhiAllaahu ‘anhumaa) said:

Rasoolullah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) fell behind us and then came upon us during a journey, then we found him and it was time for ‘Asr – so we began to make wudoo and wipe over our feet, so he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) called out at the top of his voice Woe to the ankles from the Fire. (two or three times)

[Al-Bukhaaree (al Fath, 1/232) and Muslim, 3/128].

An-Nawawi says in his explanation of Sahih Muslim after mentioning the hadeeth:

Muslim’s intention (rahimahullah) in quoting these hadeeth was to prove with it the obligation of washing the feet – and that wiping them is not sufficient.

In the hadeeth of al-Bukhaaree and Muslim from Humraan ibn Abaan that

‘Uthmaan (radhiAllaahu’anhu) called for water for wudoo and then mentioned the wudoo of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) – then Humraan said:

Then he washed his right foot to the ankle three times and then his left foot to the ankle three times.

As Abu Hurairah (radhiAllaahu ‘anhu) did in Muslim’s narration:

“Then he washed his right foot till he reached the shin, then he washed the left foot till he reached the shin” and in the end of the hadeeth said: This is what I saw Rasoolullah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) do.

[Muslim, 1/246].

From this hadeeth – O Brother Muslim – it becomes clear that the ankles enter into this washing as is clear from his saying ’till he reached the shin’.

Al-Mustaurad (radhiAllaahu ‘anhu) said:

When the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) made wudoo he would enter the water between his toes with his little finger.

[Reported by Abu Dawood (no.148), 
Ibn Maajah (no.446). Declared as ‘saheeh’ by al-Albaanee].

As-San’aanee says in ‘Subul-us-Salaam’ after quoting this hadeeth:

It is a proof for the obligation of wiping between the toes – and this also occurs in the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas which we have indicated – which is reported by at-Tirmidhee, Ahmad, Ibn Maajah and al-Haakim – and authenticated by al-Bukhaaree. And it is done by using the little finger.

(‘Subul-us-Salaam’, 1/48).

And Laqeet ibn Sabarah said: Rasoolullah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa salam) said

Complete the wudoo and wipe between the Asaabi’ (fingers and/or toes).

[Abu Dawood (no.142), at-Tirmidhee (no.37), an-Nasaa’ee (no.114), 
Ibn Maajah (no.407), al-Hakim (1/148). Al-Albaanee says: Saheeh.]. 

As-San’aanee says:

It clearly means both the fingers and toes and is shown clearly in the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas.

[Subul-us-Salaam, 1/47].