Hadith 1264

(حديث مرفوع) حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ خَيْرٍ ، قَالَ : رَأَيْتُ عَلِيًّا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ " تَوَضَّأَ ، وَمَسَحَ عَلَى النَّعْلَيْنِ ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : لَوْلَا أَنِّي رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَعَلَ كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي فَعَلْتُ ، لَرَأَيْتُ أَنَّ بَاطِنَ الْقَدَمَيْنِ هُوَ أَحَقُّ بِالْمَسْحِ مِنْ ظَاهِرِهِمَا " .
Abdu Khair (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I once saw Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) performing ablution; he wiped over his sandals and said: If I had not seen the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) washing the upper part of the foot, I would have thought that the lower part of the foot was more deserving of being washed (because it touches the ground more).
Hadith Reference مسند احمد / مسند الخلفاء الراشدين / 1264
Hadith Grading حکم دارالسلام: صحيح لغيره، وانظر : 737