Mishkat al-Masabih #486
Purification
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
وَعَن عَليّ رَضِي الله عَنهُ قَالَ: لَوْ كَانَ الدِّينُ بِالرَّأْيِ لَكَانَ أَسْفَلُ الْخُفِّ أَوْلَى بِالْمَسْحِ مِنْ أَعْلَاهُ وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَمْسَحُ على ظَاهر خفيه رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد للدارمي مَعْنَاهُ
‘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.
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About Mishkat al-Masabih
This hadith is #486 from Mishkat al-Masabih, in the Book of Purification.