“I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” (John 13:16)

Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger. Many were the Messengers who passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They both had to eat their food. See how Allah makes His signs clear to them, yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth?(Quran 5:75)

Jesus, the son of Mary, washed his feet (John 13:14) and gave it to those of us who follow him, as an example of how he worshipped the One who sent him.

The meaning of life is to worship God and to be aware and conscious (Quran 2:21,51:56), so everything Allah asks us to do helps us to worship and to be aware and conscious.

Washing our feet like Jesus, and washing before salat are great opportunities to remember the meaning of life.

Verses With Commentary
John 13:1-17 mentions Jesus performing his act. Specifically, in Verses 13:14-17 he instructs them, 14 “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed (purify and extract something from, gain something from, and remove that which is undesirable from) your feet (activities which we are about to begin, as in “to get ones feet wet” and as in “to get off on the right foot”, and that which is in your power and command, as in “to have something at ones feet”, and that which we have a stake and an interest in, as in “to have a foot in both camps”), you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

5:6 O you who believe (believe that this is from God), when you prepare for salat (a symbol for worship), wash (purify and extract something from, gain something from, and remove that which is undesirable from) your faces (your reputation and character, as in “losing face” of “saving face”, and from what we are currently dealing with, as in “face your problems”), and your hands (your ability to direct something as in “taking the law into their own hands”, and your active role in influencing something as in “he had a hand in it.”) and arms (what we think we have power over as in “the sheltering arms of the church” and that which we are in possession of, as in “into the arm of”. And that which we are preparing to confront, as in “a call to arms”) to the elbows (That which we would like to get rid of or disregard in a cursory or dismissive way, as in “His tv show was elbowed aside in the ratings war”) wipe (an indirect washing, not directly from the water source, so an indirect process to purify and extract something from, and gain something from, and remove that which is undesirable from) your heads (your leaders, people as well as ideas we follow and that which we are in charge of) with water (that which purifies and extracts something from, and allow us to gain something from, and helps remove that which is undesirable from), and wash your feet to the ankles (activities which we are about to begin, as in “to get ones feet wet” and as in “to get off on the right foot”, and that which is in your power and command, as in “to have something at ones feet”, and that which we have a stake and an interest in, as in “to have a foot in both camps”)…

Same Verses Without Commentary
John 13:1-17 mentions Jesus performing his act. Specifically, in Verses 13:14-17 he instructs them, 14 “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than He who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

5:6 O you who believe, when you prepare for salat, wash your faces, and your hands and arms to the elbows, wipe your heads with water, and wash your feet to the ankles. If you are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes from the offices of nature, or you have been intimate with women, and you find no water, then take for yourselves good earth, and wash your faces and hands with it. Allah does not wish to make things difficult, but to purify you, and to complete his favor to you, that you may experience appreciation.