Narrated Hudhaifa reported God’s messenger as saying, “We have been made superior to mankind in three respects:
our ranks are formed like those of the angels; all the earth has been appointed as a mosque for us; and our earth has been appointed for us as a means of cleansing when we do not find water.”
‘Ali said, “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 God’s messenger wiping over the upper part of his shoes.”
Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Darimi has something similar.
وَعَن عمرَان بن حُصَيْن الْخُزَاعِيِّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: رأى رجلا مُعْتَزِلا لم يصل فِي الْقَوْم فَقَالَ: «يَا فلَان مَا مَنعك أَن تصلي فِي الْقَوْم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُول الله أَصَابَتْنِي جَنَابَةٌ وَلَا مَاءَ قَالَ عَلَيْكَ بِالصَّعِيدِ فَإِنَّهُ يَكْفِيك»
Narrated ‘Imran said:
While we were on a journey with the Prophet he led the people in the prayer, and when he turned away after the prayer he saw a man apart who had not prayed along with the people. He asked him what had prevented him from praying along with the company, and when the man replied that he was affected by
seminal defilement and had no water, he said, “Make use of earth, for it is enough for you.”
God’s messenger wiped over the shoes and I said, “Messenger of God, you have forgotten.” He replied, “No, you have forgotten. My Lord commanded me to do this.”
