Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: (and your feet to the ankles)
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Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: (and your feet to the ankles)]
Then Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Ma'idah: 6] (your feet) has two canonical readings; (your feet) with the accusative case, and (your feet) with the genitive case. As for the accusative reading (your feet), it is coordinated with the face,Meaning: wash your faces and your feet,Meaning: and wash your feet. As for the genitive reading (your feet), it is coordinated with (your heads), meaning: wipe your feet.
If it is said: How can we reconcile these two readings: that the foot is wiped or that it is washed?
that it be said: The Sunnah clarified when it is wiped and when it is washed. If socks or leather socks are worn, its obligation is wiping; if they are bare, its obligation is washing. Thus, the two readings are applied to two states of the foot: in the state of being bare, washing is obligatory, and in the state of being covered, wiping suffices. By this, we have acted upon the noble verse in both ways of reading.
If I say: Is it permissible to read with both readings, saying: (and your feet), (and your feet)?Answer: In a single instance, no. But to read this one at times and that one at times, yes. It is better for one who knows two readings in the verse to read with this reading at times and the other reading at times, for two reasons: The first reason is that this follows the Sunnah, because both readings have been transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The second aspect: So that he does not forget a way in which the noble verse was established; because if he does not follow up and read with this reading at times and that one at times, he will forget the reading he did not use, and thus he will have forgotten one of the ways of reading that the noble verse brought. However, it is a condition that the reading be between him and himself, or between him and his fellow students of knowledge. As for the general public, he does not read with a reading not found in the mushaf in their hands; because if he reads with another reading not in their hands, confusion will arise among the general public, and they will say: How does he change the Qur'an?as if a person read the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Surat al-Nisa: 95] and he read (so verify) in the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Surat al-Nisa: 95] If he read (so verify) before the general public, they would object to him and accuse him of contradicting the Qur'an in their hands. Then, disturbance and doubt would arise among them. Therefore, we do not see it as better, rather we do not see it as best, for a person to read before the general public with a reading not well-known among them, because of these two dangers. As for between him and himself, it is better to memorize the readings and read with this one at times and that one at times for the two reasons we mentioned.
and His saying, the Exalted: [Surat al-Ma'idah: 6] The ankles: they are the two prominent bones at the bottom of the lower leg, and they are included in the washing, as established by the action of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the description of wudu' that Allah commanded when intending to perform the prayer.
But it has obligations and recommended practices, which we will mention now in the most complete way: It is recommended that if water is present, or if he is in the bathroom and wants to perform wudu' from the tap; he must intend, and the intention is known, so a sane person must intend. He says the name of Allah, and washes his hands three times, then rinses his mouth and inhales water into his nose three times; the rinsing and inhaling are done with one handful three times. If he wishes, he rinses and inhales from one handful three times, and if he wishes, he separates them; he rinses three times then inhales three times. The matter is broad in this. Then he washes his face three times, then washes his hands to the elbows three times,then he wipes his head once: he moves his hands forward and backward; he starts with the forehead, and draws his hands to the neck, then returns to the forehead and wipes his ears; because the ears are part of the head, so they are in the head like the nose and mouth are in the face. He wipes the ears by inserting his index fingers into their canals, and wipes the outer part of his ears with his thumbs. Then he washes his feet from the tips of the toes to the ankles three times,and the Sunnah is to interlace the fingers: the fingers of the hands and the fingers of the feet to be certain that water reaches between the fingers, especially the toes of the feet; because they are close together,and after this complete wudu' he says: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, having no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger. O Allah, make me among those who repent and make me among those who purify themselves.
If a person does this, the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, and he will enter from whichever he wishes. By this, he will have purified his outward and inward self; as for his outward self, it is by the light,and as for his inward self, it is by the word of sincerity, the testimony: that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger, and his asking Allah the Exalted to make him among those who repent; because repentance is a purification of the souls from sins, and to make him among those who purify themselves.
I ask Allah to purify all our hearts from the filth of shirk (associating partners with Allah), doubt, hatred, and enmity toward the Muslims, and to make us and you guides, guided, righteous, and reformers. Indeed, He is Generous and Noble.
And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
Then Allah the Exalted said:
and wash your feet to the ankles
وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِIf it is said: How can we reconcile these two readings: that the foot is wiped or that it is washed?
that it be said: The Sunnah clarified when it is wiped and when it is washed. If socks or leather socks are worn, its obligation is wiping; if they are bare, its obligation is washing. Thus, the two readings are applied to two states of the foot: in the state of being bare, washing is obligatory, and in the state of being covered, wiping suffices. By this, we have acted upon the noble verse in both ways of reading.
If I say: Is it permissible to read with both readings, saying: (and your feet), (and your feet)?Answer: In a single instance, no. But to read this one at times and that one at times, yes. It is better for one who knows two readings in the verse to read with this reading at times and the other reading at times, for two reasons: The first reason is that this follows the Sunnah, because both readings have been transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The second aspect: So that he does not forget a way in which the noble verse was established; because if he does not follow up and read with this reading at times and that one at times, he will forget the reading he did not use, and thus he will have forgotten one of the ways of reading that the noble verse brought. However, it is a condition that the reading be between him and himself, or between him and his fellow students of knowledge. As for the general public, he does not read with a reading not found in the mushaf in their hands; because if he reads with another reading not in their hands, confusion will arise among the general public, and they will say: How does he change the Qur'an?as if a person read the saying of Allah the Exalted:
so verify
فَتَبَيَّنُواO you who have believed, when you go forth [to fight] in the cause of Allah, investigate; and do not say to one who gives you [a greeting of] peace "You are not a believer," aspiring for the goods of worldly life; for with Allah are many acquisitions. You [yourselves] were like that before; then Allah conferred His favor upon you, so investigate
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَتَبَيَّنُوا وَلا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ أَلْقَى إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلامَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِناً تَبْتَغُونَ عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَعِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَغَانِمُ كَثِيرَةٌ كَذَلِكَ كُنْتُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَمَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَبَيَّنُواand His saying, the Exalted:
and wash your feet to the ankles
وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِBut it has obligations and recommended practices, which we will mention now in the most complete way: It is recommended that if water is present, or if he is in the bathroom and wants to perform wudu' from the tap; he must intend, and the intention is known, so a sane person must intend. He says the name of Allah, and washes his hands three times, then rinses his mouth and inhales water into his nose three times; the rinsing and inhaling are done with one handful three times. If he wishes, he rinses and inhales from one handful three times, and if he wishes, he separates them; he rinses three times then inhales three times. The matter is broad in this. Then he washes his face three times, then washes his hands to the elbows three times,then he wipes his head once: he moves his hands forward and backward; he starts with the forehead, and draws his hands to the neck, then returns to the forehead and wipes his ears; because the ears are part of the head, so they are in the head like the nose and mouth are in the face. He wipes the ears by inserting his index fingers into their canals, and wipes the outer part of his ears with his thumbs. Then he washes his feet from the tips of the toes to the ankles three times,and the Sunnah is to interlace the fingers: the fingers of the hands and the fingers of the feet to be certain that water reaches between the fingers, especially the toes of the feet; because they are close together,and after this complete wudu' he says: I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, having no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger. O Allah, make me among those who repent and make me among those who purify themselves.
If a person does this, the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, and he will enter from whichever he wishes. By this, he will have purified his outward and inward self; as for his outward self, it is by the light,and as for his inward self, it is by the word of sincerity, the testimony: that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger, and his asking Allah the Exalted to make him among those who repent; because repentance is a purification of the souls from sins, and to make him among those who purify themselves.
I ask Allah to purify all our hearts from the filth of shirk (associating partners with Allah), doubt, hatred, and enmity toward the Muslims, and to make us and you guides, guided, righteous, and reformers. Indeed, He is Generous and Noble.
And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.