There's no doubt one who does not perform ablution has no salat. If there's another area where muslims differ and especially where certain uninformed muslims condemn Shi'a, its the area of wudu among many others.

Unfortunately many do not take into cognizance the practice of wudu as stipulated in the holy Qur'an. Allah states:

"O you who believe! When you rise to offer Salat ( prayer), wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles." ~sura al-Maidah: 6

Shi’a and Sunni scholars agreed that four steps are obligatory in Wudhu, rest of the steps like washing hands; mouth and nose are desirable. The obligatory part has been explained in the above stated verse.

However, the above english translation is not the exact original arabic words revealed in the holy Qur'an. Any words in bracket is an interpolated words to explain an idea or one's understanding vis-a-vis belief. By removing the brackets, some translators have the following:

"O you who believe! When you rise to offer Salat, WASH your faces and your hands up to the elbows, RUB your heads and your feet up to ankles."

The differences in this ayat between sunni and shi'a are stated below:

1. Do we wipe ALL our heads or part of it?
2. Do we WASH our feet or WIPE our feet?

Should The Whole Head Be Wiped or Part Of The Head?
The Ahl’ul Sunnah argument is that Allah (swt) has said “Wamsahu Biru’usekum” in the Holy Qur’an, indicates that the whole head should be wiped.

Shi’a on the other hands argued: If this was indeed the case then what was the point in placing “Ba” before “Ru’usekum”?

They try to escape by saying that this addition is necessary in order to ensure compliance with the Arabic grammar, but then we would like to ask that can “Masah (wipe)” not be used without the word “Ba”?

Hundreds of traditions can be found in Hadeeth books where “Masah” has been used without “Ba” being placed after it, like “Wamsahu Ru’usekum and Wamsaho Arjulikum”.

“Masah” has been used without “Ba” in many Ahadith and some are quoted by Sunni Allama Ali Muttaqi in his famous book of hadith Kanz-ul-Ummal in volume 5 on pages 85, 96 and 97.

A sunni Alim, Allamah Waheed-uz-Zaman Khan states:

“And wipe your head that much which can be termed as anointment. In Imam Malik’s view the whole head should be wiped and the same has been adopted by Ahl-e-Hadith.” (Tafseer-e-Waheedi, page 144)

Are we to follow Allah or Imam maliki?

ON THE FEET - to wash or to wipe?
The Ahl’ul Sunnah try to relate the word “Faghsilu (wash)” with “Arjalikum (feet)” by claiming that there is an under-stressor (kesro) in the later word, hence they come out with the translation that the feet should be washed, ignoring the fact that the word “Faghsalu (wash)” is at the beginning of the verse and that is only concerned with the the face and the hands. On the other hand, a new verb “Mas’h (wipe)” only connect head and feet with a conjunction “waw (and)”. So how can the first verb (faghsilu - wash) with its own objects (face and hands) jump another verb (mas’h - wipe), an object (head) and conjuction “waw” and then affect the “Arjalikum (feet)”?

HERE ARE SUNNI ULAMA's VIEW
Here's Imam Fakruddin ar-Razi, author of Tafsir al-kabir, view:
1. "The proof of those who say it is obligatory to wipe is based on two famous readings in the [Qur'anic] statement `and your feet' (verse 5:6). Ibn Kathir, Hamza, Abu `Amr and `Asim - based on the reports of Abu Bakr narrated from him - have recited it in the GENITIVE case; Nafi', Ibn `Amir and `Asim have recited it, according to the tradition reported by Hafs from him, in the ACCUSATIVE case."

He (al-Razi) said: "So we say, as for the recitation in the genitive, it would necessitate the feet [in the verse] to being a conjunction with the head. Therefore, just as it is obligatory to wipe on the head, similarly [it is so] on the feet.

Razi however concluded that "...to wash is better since wiping is included in washing
NB: We wonder how is wiping included in washing?

2. Ibn Tamiyah writes in Minhaaj al Sunnah:

“With regards to the verse of Wudhu, a
number of recitals are well known, either
reading the lam with and under or upper
stressor, this does not attest the washing of
the feet in the Qur’an as obligatory, rather it
deems wiping the feet as obligatory”.

NB: some might inquisitively ask: why reciting a verse in two different ways ("ar'juLAkum or "ar'juLIkum) and the two translate into different meaning. Aren't we have ONE Qur'an?

3. Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Vol. 1 Page 63-64, reads:
“This word in this verse has another pronunciation, the letter “Laam” has a under stressor and Shias have taken their view from the same thing that it proves the fact that there is an obligation to wipe the feet since it is directly connected with wiping the head. There are certain traditions from some of the Salaf (predeccessor) too, which prove the validity of wiping of the feet. Therefore Ibn e Jareer quotes that Musa bin Ans enquired from Ans bin Malik infront of the masses that Hajjaj bin Yousaf while delivering a speech in Ahwaaz about purity and ablution said: “Clean your hands and face, wipe your head and wash your feet, because usually feet get dirty, therefore rinse and wash the soles and feet, the heels and the upper portion of the feet”. Anas bin Malik replied: “Allah is the truthful and Hajjaj is a liar.” Allah (swt) says ‘and wipe your head and your feet to the ankles’

Anas bin Malik used to wipe his feet, and it is also reported from Anas that the Holy Quran orders the wiping of the feet… It is reported from Ibn Abbas that two limbs are to be washed while two have to be wiped while performing ablution. Hadrath Qatadah [ra] also reported to have said same thing.

In Ibn Abi Hatim, it is narrated from Hadrath Abdullah [ra] that the Quranic verse orders the anointment[Masah] of the feet. Ibne Umar, Alqama, Abu Jaffar Muhammad bin Ali, a tradition from Hasan [Basri] and Jabir bin Zaid and a tradition from Mujahid [rh] report that Akrimah used to wipe his feet.

Shaybi[ra] says that the order to wipe descended through Jibrael. It is also reported that he said: “Don’t you see that those body parts that were ordered to be washed have to be wiped while performing dry ablution [Taiymum], but those which are to be wiped are exempted in dry ablution”.

Someone said to Aamir [rh] that Jibrael had descended with the order of washing the feet, in reply to this he said that Jibrael came down with the order to wipe the feet.
Bayhaqi narrated that Hadhrat Ali bin Abi Talib (ra) sat at a place after the Zuhr prayers and kept assisting the people with their work till the time for Asr prayers, then he asked for water to be brought to him, he washed his face, both his hands, then wiped his head and both his feet. He then stood up, drank the remaining water and said “I did, what I had seen the Holy Prophet(s) doing, this is the method of ablution for whoever needs to know.”
Source: Tafseer Ibn Kathir, Volume 1 parah 1, page 63 & 64



Sunni however based their belief of 'washing the feet' on certain traditions which state that certain Sahaba (companions) of the holy prophet (saws) wash their feet and claimed that's the practice of the holy prophet.

On the other hands, there are equally many hadiths from another groups of sahaba which states that wiping was what the holy prophet sanctioned.



SUITABILITY OF FEET IS WASHING - some argued

Sometimes the masses argue for the washing of the feet, they see it as most suitable for the feet rather than wiping [the feet], just as wiping is more suitable
for the head rather than the washing because mostly, the filth on the feet cannot be cleaned except by washing them as opposed to the head, it can be cleaned mainly by wiping.

I say quoting a scholar: "As for the cleanliness of the foot from filth, it is necessary to guard against it before wiping on it acting in accordance to special proofs, which show that it is a prerequisite that the parts where wudu is done must be pure before starting it. Perhaps the washing of his feet by the Prophet of God
(P), as reported in the traditions, was due to this reason. Maybe he did it to cool his feet or because he was intense in observing cleanliness after completing the wudu and God knows best."

And Allah knows best why He ordered wiping. Ours is to comply.

That is why God is Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem kuma Al-Gaffur .....


With the above xtics combine with our effort to get act of Ibadah done correctly,Almighty Allah shall forgive our Ignorance !!!


Olohun lo n sin wa, who can truly worship God ? Hmmmm !!!


May Allah never eradicate HIS Rahma from us,Amen !!!


Wa Salam !!!

The Zoroastrians are also expected to recite their prayers at least five times a day having
first cleansed themselves by washing
( ablution). So even today, this is not a practice unique to Islam.

Maybe ablution in Islam has its roots in Zoroastrian practices.

NL member: The Zoroastrians are also expected to recite their prayers at least five times a day having
first cleansed themselves by washing
( ablution). So even today, this is not a practice unique to Islam.

Maybe ablution in Islam has its roots in Zoroastrian practices.

No brother, God comanded all the prophets to perform ablution even Jesus in the new testament perform ablution by washing his face, hand, head and feet.

Brimmie: [size=16]Was it stated that these parts should be washed/wiped 3 times each?? [/size]

In the glorious Quran Almighty Allah said we should wash those parts, so once u wash it it is OK, it must not be 3 times. The important thing is we should wash it.

mahdino:
In the glorious Quran Almighty Allah said we should wash those parts, so once u wash it it is OK, it must not be 3 times. The important thing is we should wash it.

Qur'an 5:6 "O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salat (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles. If you are in a state of Janaba (i.e. had a sexual discharge),
purify yourself (bathe your whole body)."

The ablution in your Quran is different from the one your prophet instructed you to perform. There is no washing of mouth, nose, ears and fingers in the quran.
Why do you perform a different ablution from the one Allah prescribed in the Quran?

NL member:
The ablution in your Quran is different from the one your prophet instructed you to perform. There is no washing of mouth, nose, ears and fingers in the quran.
Why do you perform a different ablution from the one Allah prescribed in the Quran?

All Muslims are all enjoined to adhere to practice and pattern of prophet Mohammed (SAW) in Quran 33 vs 21 .....


Therefore, I u perform ablution as Mohammed did it ..... Fine and If U perform ablution as Qoran stipulated Fine !!!


I would rather do it the way Mohammed(SAW) did it ....who among we adherent has better knowledge of Qoran than Mohammed (SAW) ......... ....NIL !!!


Allahu Allam Ala Qulu Shein (Allah knows all) !!!

donroxy: All Muslims are all enjoined to adhere to practice and pattern of prophet Mohammed (SAW) in Quran 33 vs 21 .....


Therefore, I u perform ablution as Mohammed did it ..... Fine and If U perform ablution as Qoran stipulated Fine !!!


I would rather do it the way Mohammed(SAW) did it ....who among we adherent has better knowledge of Qoran than Mohammed (SAW) ......... ....NIL !!!


Allahu Allam Ala Qulu Shein (Allah knows all) !!!

Whatever.

mahdino:
In the glorious Quran Almighty Allah said we should wash those parts, so once u wash it it is OK, it must not be 3 times. The important thing is we should wash it.

Thanks! So i can wash my mouth once, wipe my nose twice, my face once.. and head once??

NL member:

Qur'an 5:6 "O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salat (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles. If you are in a state of Janaba (i.e. had a sexual discharge),
purify yourself (bathe your whole body)."

The ablution in your Quran is different from the one your prophet instructed you to perform. There is no washing of mouth, nose, ears and fingers in the quran.
Why do you perform a different ablution from the one Allah prescribed in the Quran?

So it was never stated in the Quran to wash those parts?? Wow!! Then if i follow Quran, am still on the right part?? It's not compulsory to follow the way Prophet did it.

Brimmie:

So it was never stated in the Quran to wash those parts?? Wow!! Then if i follow Quran, am still on the right part?? It's not compulsory to follow the way Prophet did it.

I tire for these people o, their quran says one thing and their prophet says something else.

NL member:

I tire for these people o, their quran says one thing and their prophet says something else.

Stop being hypocritical U have already been provided an answer and this is what u said:

NL member:
Whatever.

u got something u wan use am collect ..... Abi U sabi Qoran in relation to Mohammed more than a Muslim scholar !!!


Why this ''Control P'' na ,Money dey there for U !!!

donroxy: Stop being hypocritical U have already been provided an answer and this is what u said:

u got something u wan use am collect ..... Abi U sabi Qoran in relation to Mohammed more than a Muslim scholar !!!


Why this ''Control P'' na ,Money dey there for U !!!

What does this even mean?
I can't make sense of your post, were you drunk when you typed this?
Anyway I will write whatever I want to write on this site, what I do is none of your business.

NL member:

I tire for these people o, their quran says one thing and their prophet says something else.

Not at all, the point is that Jesus just like Mohammad washes his hands, heads and feet, then why is it that u christiAns don't do it? Obviously u don't follow Jesus, u just claim to

mahdino:
Not at all, the point is that Jesus just like Mohammad washes his hands, heads and feet, then why is it that u christiAns don't do it? Obviously u don't follow Jesus, u just claim to

You guys need to decide on what to follow, you either follow the quran which you claim to be th word of allah or you follow the hadith.
Why do you abandon the method of ablution prescribed in the quran to follow what your prophet said instead?

donroxy: we shall be expecting another ill-gotten thread of yours !!!

Who is we?

You and who else? yer imaginary friends?

NL member:

You guys need to decide on what to follow, you either follow the quran which you claim to be th word of allah or you follow the hadith.
Why do you abandon the method of ablution prescribed in the quran to follow what your prophet said instead?

It is very clear in the Quran. Allah said follow Allah and his messanger... When u follow the prophet of God u are indirectly following God. The prophet explains to u in details how to follow God. God will not come down or start to explain to u every nook and crany. Let me give u an example. In the Quran Allah said Jesus the son of Mary was no more than a messanger and they both eat food... Now u see its just a sentence, but u should know that anybody or thing that eat must go to toilet, therefore Jesus and his Mother eat food, go to toilet, so they cannot be ur God. U are suppose to reason from that simple short versee, God will not start to explain to u the way I am talking to u. He has already given u a sense of reason. That is why God send down the prophets to explain to u.
At the time of Moses he explain and showed the way to salvation to the Jews, so at the time Noah he showed them the way to God and salvation. All of them, at the time of Noah he was the way the truth and the life, at the time of Abraham he was the way the truth and the life, at the time of Moses he was the way the truth and the life, at the time of Jesus he was the way the truth and the life, this is the time of Mohammad he is the way the truth and the life.

@Mahdino,
Yes you are very right with the ayat of the holy Qur'an: "Obey Allah and His prophet..."

But you forgot to realize that Allah and His prophet will NEVER contradict themselves. In fact acid test for all hadith is the moment it contradict Qur'an, that hadith is never from Muhammad (Imam Jafar sadiq has said).

Allah said "...WIPE part of your head and FEET..."
Hadith said "...wipe all your head and WASH your feet.

Today translators are very selfish. Many translate in a way to suit their belief thereby you will see wash in bracket once they got to feet. Try and re-read my post and you will see difference of opinion among many scholars and tafsir.

Hadith is never the Tafsir of the holy Qur'an. Qur'an is enough to interpret itself. Hadith can only give additional info.

You have a choice dear brother!

During the khilafat of Abu bakar (the first khalif), sayyid Fatima (a.s) went to ask why her land given to her by her father has been ceased? Abu Bakar said: I heard the holy prophet (saws) saying: "nobody can inherit us (we the prophet of God) for our properties should go in charity"

Fatima (a.s) instantly replied: "my father would never contradict His Lord. Haven't you read Qur'an that Allah said: '...and solomon inherit Dawud' ...and 'Zakariya asked his lord to grant him a son who would inherit him'?

When Qur'an says Allah has protected His words and nothing can temper with it, many hadiths in sahih al-bukhari and muslims reported by eminent sahabas said there were strange 'ayat and suras' in the Qur'an which can never be found today.

Our stand is any hadith that contradict the principles or belief or wording of the holy Qur'an is definitely fabricated.

mahdino:
All of them, at the time of Noah he was the way the truth and the life, at the time of Abraham he was the way the truth and the life, at the time of Moses he was the way the truth and the life, at the time of Jesus he was the way the truth and the life, this is the time of Mohammad he is the way the truth and the life.

Why do you copy the christians by calling muhammed the way the truth and the life?
Isn't it against islamic tenets to copy unbelievers?

Anyway muhammed never called himself those things so you are practising bidiah.

About ablution; you guys have chosen the hadith method of ablution over the quran method so you are indirectly putting muhammed's orders over allah's orders.

@NL member,
"I am the truth, the way and the light nobody come through the father except through me" ~Jesus (a.s) said.

I believe in that wording with the fact that every prophet of God claims that during their lifetime and never confine to Jesus alone. Before they (prophets) were sent, there were many ways to the so-called salvation and it is expedient upon every prophet to claim with strong argument (like Miracle in the case of Moses and Jesus, Eloquence and Literature and intellectual argument vis-a-vis Qur'an in the case of Muhammad) amidst all false salvations.

Qur'an says: "Say (O Muhammad) if you really love God, FOLLOW me..."

"Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you
have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day, and
remembers Allah much." (Quran: 33/21).

As per Qur'an, that is the source of Islamic knowledge which was compiled during the lifetime of the holy prophet (saws). However hadith was compiled centuries just like bible in the absence of its author thereby you tend to have contradictions.

However, Qur'an is the guide for hadith. It is laughable seeing christian saying holy ghost is the guide to bible knowledge. I can only ask how many holy ghost do you have because different pastors and denominations with different bible interpretations and different bible entirely (catholic, protestant, jehova witness; all have different bibles)!

As per Qur'an, that is the source of Islamic
knowledge which was compiled during the
lifetime of the holy prophet (saws). However
hadith was compiled centuries just like bible in
the absence of its author thereby you tend to
have contradictions.

Since the hadith has many contradictions and mistakes due to the fact that humans compiled them, then that means the hadith are not a trustworthy source of information.

I know you are going to bring up sahih and daif hadith and tell me sahih are more accurate than daif but you have to realise that hadith can never be accurate, whether they are sahih or daif.
Why is this so?
Because they are compiled by humans and humans are not perfect, they are prone to mistakes and forgetfulness so no human creation can be perfect.
Why put hadith before the quran when they are supposed to be of lesser authenticity than the quran and when they contain errors and contradictions?

@NL member,
Honestly I like your sense of understanding and argument. Normally all muslims put Qur'an first follow by hadith etc. Unfortunately in this discussion pertaining to ablution, despite the fact that Qur'an is crystal clear, some muslims still adhere to unambigous hadith.

I can never hide under lies hiding there's no difference of opinion between muslims. Had it been majority of muslim believe Qur'an is the guide for hadith and not that hadith is Tafsir (interpretation) of the Qur'an and believe hadith is just to add additional info, some wouldn't have derailed from Qur'anic injunctions.

In short it Qur'an first before hadith and never hadith first before Qur'an. Qur'an is enough to interpret itself while hadith gives extra info.