صحيح مسلم
Muslim
كتاب الطهارةThe Book of Purification
باب وُجُوبِ اسْتِيعَابِ جَمِيعِ أَجْزَاءِ مَحَلِّ الطَّهَارَةِ:Chapter: The obligation of completely washing all the parts to be washed when purifying oneself
حَدَّثَنِي سَلَمَةُ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْقِلٌ ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ ، " أَنَّ رَجُلًا تَوَضَّأَ ، فَتَرَكَ مَوْضِعَ ظُفُرٍ عَلَى قَدَمِهِ ، أَبْصَرَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَقَالَ : ارْجِعْ فَأَحْسِنْ وُضُوءَكَ ، فَرَجَعَ ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى " .
Jabir reported: 'Umar bin Khattab said that a person performed ablution and left a small part equal to the space of a nail (unwashed). The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) saw that and said: Go back and perform ablution well. He then went back (performed ablution well) and offered the prayer.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
It is established from this hadith that each limb in ablution (wudu) must be washed completely, and not even a small part of any limb should remain dry. If even an area as small as a particle is left unwashed, the ablution (wudu) will not be valid, and if there is no ablution, then obviously the prayer (salah) will not be valid, because ablution is a condition for prayer.
And from this hadith it is also understood that washing the feet is obligatory. If wiping (masah) over the feet were sufficient, then the area left unwashed, as small as a fingernail, would not have been visible.
It is established from this hadith that each limb in ablution (wudu) must be washed completely, and not even a small part of any limb should remain dry. If even an area as small as a particle is left unwashed, the ablution (wudu) will not be valid, and if there is no ablution, then obviously the prayer (salah) will not be valid, because ablution is a condition for prayer.
And from this hadith it is also understood that washing the feet is obligatory. If wiping (masah) over the feet were sufficient, then the area left unwashed, as small as a fingernail, would not have been visible.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 576
