1/64. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 162 — Sunnah Over Personal Opinion
How Should One Wipe
Wiping Over Khuffain: Following the Sunnah Over Opinion
Sunan Abi Dawud : 162
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 162
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ غِيَاثٍ - عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ خَيْرٍ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ لَوْ كَانَ الدِّينُ بِالرَّأْىِ لَكَانَ أَسْفَلُ الْخُفِّ أَوْلَى بِالْمَسْحِ مِنْ أَعْلاَهُ وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَمْسَحُ عَلَى ظَاهِرِ خُفَّيْهِ .
Ali ibn AbuTalib Narrated from:
If the religion were based on opinion, it would be more important to wipe the under part of the shoe than the upper but I have seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wiping over the upper part of his shoes.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 162In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 162English translation : Book 1, Hadith 162
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 162
This Hadith centers on wiping over khuffain in wudu and the place of Sunnah over personal opinion. Ali ibn Abu Talib says that if religion were based only on opinion, wiping the under part of the shoe would seem more fitting than wiping the upper part. But he then says he saw the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم wiping over the upper part of his shoes. The meaning is simple and strong: in acts of worship, the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم action is followed even when human reasoning might expect something else. This Hadith is often searched as hadith about religion and opinion, wiping over leather socks, or wiping upper part of khuffain. It keeps the focus on what Ali directly witnessed from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
What we learn from this hadith
- Acts of worship are learned from the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم practice.
- Ali compared opinion with what he saw from the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The report points to wiping the upper part of the shoes, not the underside.
