Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib: If the religion were based on opinion, it would be more important to wipe the under part of the shoe than the upper but I have seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wiping over the upper part of his shoes.
Benefits and Issues: This narration is weak in its chain of transmission. However, the matter that is mentioned in it is correct. Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah has declared it authentic, and likewise, the next two narrations [163، 164] are also considered authentic by Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 162
Narrated ‘Ali (rad): If the religion were based on opinion, it would be more important to wipe over the under parts of the leather socks than the upper, but I have seen Allah’s Messenger (rad) wiping over the upper parts of his leather socks. [Reported by Abu Da’ud with good Isnad (chain of narrators)].
Shaykh Safi ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
➊ According to our researcher, this narration is weak in its chain of transmission; however, the matter that is stated within it is correct. Furthermore, other researchers have declared it authentic. See: [صحيح سنن ابي داود للألباني، حديث : 162]
➋ This hadith shows that the foundation of the rulings of the religion is divine revelation (wahy), not intellect and opinion. If their basis and dependence were upon intellect, then it would have been more appropriate to wipe (masah) over the lower surface of the leather socks (khuffayn) instead of the upper surface, because the lower part is what becomes soiled with filth. Therefore, in the presence of a textual proof (nass), it is not correct to act upon intellect and opinion.
Source: Bulugh al-Maram: Commentary by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Page: 55