Asalaaamu `Alaikum, My father has been completely away from the deen for many years, maybe 30-40 years he has not made a single salah. Now by the mercy of Allah, he has all of the sudden started trying to go to Jumu'ah and he is trying to go to masjid on a daily basis for other salahs. He is very elderly and it is very hard for him to make wudu. He would maybe be able to do everything except for wash his feet. If someone else was to wash his feet once a day so he can put on socks, he would not even be able to bend down or lift up his feet to wipe his hand on the socks. He is currently going to the masjid and praying without wudu. He says that Allah understands our situation and He will accept, because it is difficult for him to make wudu. What advise do you give us in this case? And also what concessions are available to my father in his situation, when it comes to making it easier for him to make wudu for salah? Jazakumullah Khayrun.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Wudhoo’ (minor ablution) is a condition for the validity of the prayer for anyone who is able to perform Wudhoo’; and the Wudhoo’ is not valid without washing the feet. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 89441.

So, if your father can wash his feet even by pouring water on them while standing without rubbing them, then he should do so, and it would not then be permissible for him to leave out washing his feet. If he cannot pour water on them and he finds someone else to help him by washing his feet, then that is what must be done; and if he does not find someone to help him do this, then he should perform Wudhoo’ and once he finishes wiping over his head and ears, he should perform Tayammum (dry ablution) instead of washing his feet; and so, he would be combining both Wudhoo’ and Tayammum.

Ibn Qudaamah said: “If a wounded or a sick person is able to wash some parts of his body while he is not able to wash other parts [in Wudhoo’], then he is obliged to wash whatever he is able to wash and then perform Tayammum for the remaining parts [that must be washed in Wudhoo’]; and this is what Ash-Shaafi‘i said. However, Abu Haneefah and Maalik said: If most of his body is in sound health, then he should wash it, and he should not perform Tayammum, and if most of his body is wounded, then he should perform Tayammum and he does not have to wash it (the rest of his body) ...”

Therefore, you should draw the attention of your father to the fact that he should not be negligent in washing his feet if he is able to wash them, and he must make up for the prayers which he had performed without washing his feet out of negligence.

You should try to advise your father and remind him to continue to obey Allaah and observe the prayer throughout the rest of his life, hoping that Allaah will cause him to die while he is obeying Allaah, because if one's final deed is in obedience to Allaah, he will enter Paradise as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "A man does the deeds of the people of the Fire while he is among the people of Paradise, and a man does the deeds of the people of Paradise while he is among the people of the Fire; indeed deeds are (judged or valued) by their ending (i.e. by the final deeds one performs).” [Al-Bukhari]

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 83557.

Allaah Knows best.