What is the evidence for separating the toes of the feet with the ring finger of the hand?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : What is the evidence for separating the toes of the feet with the ring finger of the hand? And do we separate the toes of the right foot with the ring finger of the right hand, and likewise the left foot with the left hand?
The Shaykh : As for the evidence for separating the toes of the feet with the little finger, it is the hadith narrated by Abu Dawud in his Sunan with a valid chain. Ibn Abi Hatim narrated in the introduction to his book al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil that Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) did not consider this practice until he was shown this hadith narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I do not remember the Companion who narrated it right now, but it is explicit that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to separate the toes of his feet with the little finger. As for whether it is with the right or the left, I do not know of a hadith on that, or at least I do not recall a hadith on that. The default in this matter is to do what is easy for him, whether with the right or the left.
Another questioner : It is the hadith of al-Aswad.
The Shaykh : Oh?
Another questioner : The hadith of al-Aswad.
The Shaykh : What is its text?
Another questioner : He separates with his finger.
The Shaykh : I do not recall it right now. It may be that one or another, but it is in Sunan Abu Dawud.
The Shaykh : As for the evidence for separating the toes of the feet with the little finger, it is the hadith narrated by Abu Dawud in his Sunan with a valid chain. Ibn Abi Hatim narrated in the introduction to his book al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil that Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) did not consider this practice until he was shown this hadith narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). I do not remember the Companion who narrated it right now, but it is explicit that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to separate the toes of his feet with the little finger. As for whether it is with the right or the left, I do not know of a hadith on that, or at least I do not recall a hadith on that. The default in this matter is to do what is easy for him, whether with the right or the left.
Another questioner : It is the hadith of al-Aswad.
The Shaykh : Oh?
Another questioner : The hadith of al-Aswad.
The Shaykh : What is its text?
Another questioner : He separates with his finger.
The Shaykh : I do not recall it right now. It may be that one or another, but it is in Sunan Abu Dawud.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.