What is the ruling on praying in boots if one only wipes over the socks?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. A questioner says: What is the ruling on praying in boots if one only wipes over the socks? And does one wipe over the socks and then over the boots?

Answer:
If one begins wiping over the socks, it is obligatory to continue wiping over them, and it is not permissible to wipe over the boots. As for if one begins wiping over the boots, he wipes over the boots until he takes them off. The criterion is what one began wiping over, whether it is the socks or the boots. It is permissible to pray in sandals and to pray in leather socks if they are clean. If they are clean and pure, it is permissible to pray in them, especially if one is required to wear boots, such as soldiers who are required to wear boots during work; they pray in them if they are clean, do not dirty the mosque, and are pure such that they do not invalidate the prayer, then there is no harm.