172 – Abū Saʿīd reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When one of you comes to the mosque, let him look; if he notices any adha (filth) or qadhar (dirt) on his sandals, he should wipe it off and then pray in them.” Reported by Abū Dāwūd, and Ibn Khuzaymah declared it authentic. (1)

Hadith Classification
The hadith is ṣaḥīḥ. It was authenticated by Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Ḥibbān (5/560), and al-Ḥākim (1/235), with al-Dhahabī concurring. Al-Nawawī said in al-Majmūʿ, “A ḥasan hadith transmitted by Abū Dāwūd with a sound chain.” Al-Albānī likewise upheld its authenticity in Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl and in Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd.

Vocabulary
• adha (أذى): In the Qur’an it can mean hurtful speech, as in “O you who believe, do not nullify your charities with reminders of generosity and hurt” [al-Baqarah 2:264], and “ignore their hurt” [al-Aḥzāb 33:48]. It can also denote impurity, as in “They ask you about menstruation. Say: It is a harm” [al-Baqarah 2:222]. The intended sense here is impurity.
• qadhar (قذر): From qadhira, “to become filthy”; it means dirt or grime.
• “adha or qadhar”: The variance stems from the narrator’s doubt.