Is it permissible to wipe over the feet only in Wudu’, based on His Almighty’s saying: (and wipe over your heads and your feet to the ankles), and does this suffice instead of washing?
Differences in recitation have been established regarding the Almighty's saying: (and wipe over your heads and your feet to the ankles), between the accusative (nasb) and genitive (khafd) cases, which led to scholarly disagreement concerning the ruling on washing or wiping the feet.
The majority of scholars held that washing is obligatory, while some deemed wiping sufficient.
Ibn al-Arabi and others favored the obligation of washing, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, washed his feet and never wiped them. He also warned with Hellfire those who did not thoroughly wash their heels.
In conclusion, the obligation of washing the feet is the preponderant opinion, held by the majority of jurists, and it is firmly established in the hadiths describing the Prophet's ablution.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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