Wash or Wipe & Qira'at

A long-standing debate predominately between Sunnis and Shias is whether one is supposed to wash or wipe one's feet during ablution. This debate today has also impacted many Quranists. Pending which of the two one believes is correct depends on the recitation, which poses a challenge for Quranists who reject Code 19. This is because they must navigate how they determine which Qira’at of the Quran is the correct recitation. Qirāʼāt ( قراءات )  are different recitations or readings of the Quran.

While most differences between Qiraʼat are slight and include varying rules regarding the prolongation, intonation, and pronunciation of words, they also have more significant differences between stops, vowels, and consonants. This can lead to different pronouns, verb forms, and determinations where one verse stops and the next begins. Additionally, the different Qira’at may also have variations to the prefixes and suffixes of words and occasionally the inclusion or omission of entire words.

To avoid this conundrum, Quranists who reject Code 19 typically make one of two arguments:

1. They may argue that one reading causes a contradiction and should be rejected

2. Or that the differences are negligible, so it doesn’t matter.

While these arguments may be acceptable for many of the discrepancies between different Qira’at, there is a simple example where their arguments still fall short. This example concerns Sura 5 verse 6 and the fourth step of ablution (wudu) and whether one needs to wipe or wash one’s feet.

[5:6] O you who believe, when you observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), you shall: (1) wash your faces, (2) wash your arms to the elbows, (3) wipe your heads, and (4) and your feet to the ankles. If you were unclean due to sexual orgasm, you shall bathe. If you are ill, or traveling, or had any digestive excretion (urinary, fecal, or gas), or had (sexual) contact with the women, and you cannot find water, you shall observe the dry ablution (Tayammum) by touching clean dry soil, then rubbing your faces and hands. GOD does not wish to make the religion difficult for you; He wishes to cleanse you and to perfect His blessing upon you, that you may be appreciative.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغْسِلُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِقِ وَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكَعْبَيْنِ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًا فَٱطَّهَّرُوا۟ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَآءَ أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلْغَآئِطِ أَوْ لَـٰمَسْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ مَآءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا۟ صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَٱمْسَحُوا۟ بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

The problem occurs because, depending on the recitation, it determines whether one should wash or wipe their feet. The crux of this rests with the vowel marking on the word “and your feet,” which, pending on the recitation, can be read as either “warjulakum” ( وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ ) or as “warjulikum” ( وَأَرْجُلِكُمْ ).

• arjulakum ( أَرْجُلَكُمْ ) This reading, with a fatha on the “ل” (lam), is used in the recitation of Hafs and would imply that the feet should be washed.

• arjulikum ( أَرْجُلِكُمْ ): This reading, with a kasra under the “ل” (lam), is found in the recitation of Douri and would imply that the feet should be wiped.