Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 12

(Ayah 12) ➊ { فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ :} Most likely, from this, the Jews derived the ruling that it is not permissible to pray while wearing shoes. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) removed this misunderstanding by saying: [ خَالِفُوا الْيَهُوْدَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يُصَلُّوْنَ فِيْ نِعَالِهِمْ وَلَا خِفَافِهِمْ ] [ أبوداوٗد، الصلاۃ، باب الصلاۃ في النعل : ۶۵۲، و صححہ الألباني ] "Act against the Jews, for they do not pray in their shoes or leather socks." If there were no other hadith, then according to this hadith, it would have been obligatory to pray with shoes on. That hadith is as follows: Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: [ رَأَيْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّيْ حَافِيًا وَمُنْتَعِلًا ] [ أبوداوٗد، الصلاۃ، باب الصلاۃ في النعل : ۶۵۳ ] "I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) praying both barefoot and wearing shoes."

➋ { اِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى :} Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "Tuwa is the name of this valley." [ طبري بسند حسن ] These words are evidence that at that time, Musa's (peace be upon him) shoes were impure; if they had been pure, then by declaring the valley pure, there would not have been a command to remove the shoes. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: [ بَيْنَمَا رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّيْ بِأَصْحَابِهِ إِذْ خَلَعَ نَعْلَيْهِ فَوَضَعَهُمَا عَنْ يَسَارِهِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَی ذٰلِكَ الْقَوْمُ أَلْقَوْا نِعَالَهُمْ، فَلَمَّا قَضَی رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ صَلَاتَهُ قَالَ مَا حَمَلَكُمْ عَلٰی إِلْقَائِكُمْ نِعَالَكُمْ ؟ قَالُوْا رَأَيْنَاكَ أَلْقَيْتَ نَعْلَيْكَ فَأَلْقَيْنَا نِعَالَنَا، فَقَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ جِبْرِيْلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَتَانِيْ فَأَخْبَرَنِيْ أَنَّ فِيْهِمَا قَذَرًا، أَوْ قَالَ أَذًی، وَقَالَ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَی الْمَسْجِدِ فَلْيَنْطُرْ فإِنْ رَأَی فِيْ نَعْلَيْهِ قَذَرًا أَوْ أَذًی فَلْيَمْسَحْهُ وَلْيُصَلِّ فِيْهِمَا ] [ أبوداوٗد، الصلاۃ، باب الصلاۃ في النعل : ۶۵۰، و صححہ الألباني ] "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was leading his companions in prayer, and during the prayer, he removed his shoes and placed them to his left. When the people saw this, they also removed their shoes. When he completed his prayer, he asked: 'What caused you to remove your shoes?' They said: 'We saw you remove your shoes, so we also removed ours.' The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Jibril came to me and informed me that there was filth on them.' Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'When any of you comes to the mosque, he should look, and if he sees any filth on his shoes, he should wipe it off and pray wearing them.'"

This hadith is evidence that the reason for the command to Musa (peace be upon him) to remove his shoes was the purity of the valley and the impurity of the shoes. The reason was not that it is forbidden to enter a sacred place wearing shoes, because everyone knows that the mosque is the purest place and has been commanded to be kept pure. See Surah Al-Baqarah (125) and Surah Al-Hajj (26), and it is narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): [ أَمَرَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّي اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِبِنَاءِ الْمَسَاجِدِ فِي الدُّوْرِ وَأَنْ تُنَظَّفَ وَتُطَيَّبَ ] [ أبوداوٗد، الصلاۃ، باب اتخاذ المساجد فی الدور : ۴۵۵۔ ترمذی : ۵۹۴۔ ابن ماجہ : ۷۵۸، صحیح ] "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded that mosques be built in neighborhoods and that they be kept clean and perfumed." If shoes are pure, they can be worn in the mosque, so why not in any other place? In some narrations, it is mentioned that Musa's (peace be upon him) shoes were made from the skin of a dead donkey, so he was commanded to remove them, but these narrations are not established. Therefore, Allah knows best what was in his shoes that was not suitable for the sacred valley, because if pure shoes can be worn in the Prophet's Mosque, then what place could be more sacred than the three mosques?

➌ From this verse and hadith, it is known that neither Musa (peace be upon him) knew the unseen, nor did our Noble Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), otherwise there would have been no need for Jibril (peace be upon him) to come during the prayer to inform him of the impurity on his shoes. And if Musa (peace be upon him) had known the unseen, he would not have lost his way, nor would he have thought the fire was ordinary fire, nor would Allah have had to introduce the sacred valley to him and command him to remove his shoes, nor would He have had to introduce Himself by saying, "I am your Lord speaking to you," nor would Jibril (peace be upon him) have had to come repeatedly to convey revelation. But unfortunately, those who call saints and prophets "knowers of the unseen" do not think even a little.

➍ From the above hadith, it is known that to purify shoes, it is not necessary to wash them as one washes clothes; rather, it is sufficient to wipe them clean with earth. In addition, this hadith answers every excuse made by those who prevent praying with shoes on, such as saying that this is for travel, or that it is for prayer in an open field and not for the mosque, or that it is permissible if the shoes are new, or that it is fine if they are washed, or that wearing shoes is against the etiquette of presenting oneself before Allah, etc. All these matters are answered by reflecting on this hadith.

➎ As mentioned above, praying with shoes on is not obligatory but recommended. Therefore, if there is a fear of causing confusion among uninformed people, it is necessary to explain to them properly before praying with shoes on, lest they become averse and stop praying altogether.

12. 1 The command to remove the sandals was given because it expressed humility and there was a greater aspect of honor and respect, and the purity of the valley was the reason for it, as is evident from the words of the Quran. However, there are two aspects to this. This command was either for the veneration of the valley or so that the effects of the valley’s purity could be absorbed more by Musa (AS) when barefoot. And Allah knows best.

12. 2 Ṭuwā is the name of a valley; some have considered it declinable and some indeclinable (Fatḥ al-Qadīr).

The tafsir of this ayah is included with the following verse(s).