Washing or Wiping Feet in Wudu? Qur’anic Grammar and Sunnah Evidence Explained

Shia Perspective: Considering Wiping the Feet as Obligatory

The Shia position is that washing the feet in wudu is not obligatory; rather, wiping them is necessary. In this regard, they present arguments from the grammar and interpretation of the verse of Surah Al-Ma’idah related to wudu. They write:

• In the Quranic verse ﴿فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ﴾, “وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ” is linked with “وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ“, which implies wiping over the feet, not washing.
• Reference: Tafsir Kabir (Published in Egypt, Vol. 3, p. 368)

  Imam Razi explained that the reason is the kasra (under vowel) under the letter ب in “بِرُؤُسِكُمْ“, not the kasra under س, and the rule of jazr (genitive case) does not apply here.

• Reference: Tafsir Khazin (Lubab al-Ta’wil, Published by Al-Maktabah Al-Tijariyyah Al-Kubra Egypt, Vol. 2, p. 16)

  and

  Reference: Futuhat Makkiyah (Published in Egypt, Vol. 1, p. 448)

  also support this view that even if “ارْجُلَكُمْ” has a zabar (fatha), wiping can still be intended because it is a waw of accompaniment.

• They say that Hasanain (peace be upon them) recited the Quran “أَرْجُلِكُمْ” (with kasra on the lam), which is mentioned in
  Reference: Tafsir Jami’ al-Bayan (Allama Ibn Jarir, Published by Dar al-Ma’arif, Vol. 10)

  .

• Additional tafsirs supporting their position:
  Reference: Tafsir Fath al-Bayan (Nawab Siddiq Hasan Bhopali Qanooji, Vol. 1, p. 293)
• Reference: Tarjuman al-Quran (Urdu Tafsir, Published by Siddiqi Lahore, Vol. 3, p. 842)
• Reference: Tafsir Kabir (Fakhr al-Din Razi, Vol. 3, p. 368)

Evidence from Hadith Books:

The Shia community tries to prove from some books of Hadith that the Holy Prophet ﷺ ordered wiping over the feet:

• Reference: Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah (Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani, Volume 1, p. 192)
• Reference: Tafsir Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (Volume 10, p. 75)
• Reference: Sharh Ma’ani al-Athar (Tahawi, Volume 1, p. 21)
• Reference: Nail al-Awtar (Shawkani, Volume 1, p. 214)
• Reference: Kanz al-Ummal (Ali al-Muttaqi, Hadith No. 2193, p. 102; Volume 5, Hadith No. 2453, p. 147)
• Reference: Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Volume 1, p. 116)

Furthermore,

and

also mention wiping over the feet according to them.

Evidence from the Translation of the Quran:

Reference is made to the translation of the Quran by Rafi’ al-Din Muhaddith Dehlawi, in which, according to him, the word “wash” or “wash them” is not used. He insists that at least a manuscript from forty years ago should be examined.

1. Clarification of the misunderstanding regarding the grammar of the verse on Wudu:

• In the Shia position, it is stated that Ahl al-Sunnah consider the kasra (vowel mark) under “بِرُؤُسِكُمْ” to be a jazm kasra, and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi has declared this argument invalid.
• From the Ahl al-Sunnah side, it has been clarified that they do not consider the kasra under the letter “س” to be a jazm kasra.
• Neither did Fakhr al-Din al-Razi mention such an excuse nor did he declare it invalid for several reasons.
• The Shia scholars are requested to present the original text of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi in which it is stated that the kasra under the “س” in “بِرُؤُسِكُمْ” is jazm and that it is invalid for several reasons.

2. The Recitation of Hasanayn (may Allah be pleased with them) and the Correction by Ali (may Allah be pleased with him):

mentions a narration in which Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), upon hearing the recitation of Hasanayn (may Allah be pleased with them) with “أَرْجُلِكُمْ” (with kasra), corrected it:

“فَقَالَ : وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ، هٰذَا مِنَ الْمُقَدَّمِ وَالْمُؤَخَّرِ مِنَ الْكَلَامِ”

That is, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) recited “وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ” (with zabar) and explained that here the order of the words is deliberate, meaning washing the feet.

• Not only was the recitation with Zabur preferred, but the explanation of the waw of accompaniment was also rejected, because in that case there would be no room for precedence or succession.

3. The Practice of the Companions:

The Shia claim that the Companions, like Hasanain (peace be upon them), were also in favor of wiping over the feet.

• They are requested to present the clear text from
  Reference: Tafsir Jami’ al-Bayan

  or

  Reference: Tafsir Fath al-Bayan

  in which this claim is explicitly present.

4. References from Tafsir Kabir and Tarjuman al-Quran:

The Shia author claims that in these tafsirs, wiping over the feet is obligatory according to the Companions and Imam Baqir (peace be upon him).

• They are politely requested to present the original text from those tafsirs in which this matter is mentioned.

5. Hadiths Regarding the Prophet ﷺ’s Command to Wipe Over the Feet:

Regarding the Shia references, it is requested that they present the original text in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ explicitly commanded “wiping over the feet.”

• For example, from
  Reference: Kanz al-Ummal, Musnad Ahmad, Nayl al-Awtar, Sharh Ma’ani al-Athar

  and others, quote those words: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded wiping the feet”.

6. Shah Rafiuddin Dehlavi’s Translation of the Quran:

If indeed the words “wash” or “wash them” do not appear in his Quran translation, then the original words should be quoted so that it becomes clear which meaning the translation supports.

Conclusion:

• According to Ahl al-Sunnah, washing the feet is obligatory in the verse of Wudu.
• The recitation with a zabar (fatha) from Ali رضي الله عنه is preferred.
• The interpretation involving the conjunction “waaw” (and) indicating accompaniment is unacceptable because it disrupts the structure of the verse.
• In Shia arguments, some points are partially quoted while full texts contain clarifications that contradict their claims.

والله أعلم بالصواب