What is the ruling concerning prayers performed by a person, ablution (wudu') he performed, and ritual bathing (ghusl) he undertook, based on a misunderstanding for many years due to personal ijtihad (independent reasoning) and inaccurate reading of religious sources, and what must he do to correct this, and will his past deeds be accepted if he repents and makes up what he missed?

One must learn the rulings of Islamic law to avoid transgressions. Wiping the ears is a Sunnah, and not doing so does not invalidate ablution according to the majority of scholars. Slight dirt under the fingernail is excused by many scholars. One must wash the elbows in ablution. According to Ibn Taymiyyah, whoever fails to wash what is obligatory due to ignorance is not required to repeat the prayer. An error in removing impurity does not invalidate the prayer.