What is the ruling on wiping over leather socks in the cold in Afghanistan, and what is the description of the sock and the specified duration, and is it obligatory for the mujahid?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on wiping over leather socks, especially during the cold in Afghanistan, where there is a lot of snow? What is the description of the sock and the specified duration? And is the duration extended for the mujahid?
The Shaykh : The answer is that wiping over leather socks is a dispensation (rukhsah) and not the default ruling ('azimah); that is, whoever wishes may wipe over the socks, and whoever wishes may not wipe... There is no difference in this between one day and another, or one season and another. However, the general principle and the general text lead us to choose the preference of wiping over the socks, due to his (peace and blessings be upon him) saying in the authentic hadith:Sahih Ibn Hibban 6:48 And in a narration: Bulugh al-Maram 2:341 So because of this hadith, and because Islam is based on ease, [Al-Baqarah 2:185] we see that it is better that a person not burden himself by removing his socks, or his stockings, or his shoes without need, except to implement the ruling of the Shari'ah. From this, the resident wipes for one day and one night, and then he must remove them. And the traveler wipes for three days and their nights, and then he must remove them.
If this is the ruling on wiping, that it is the preferred option for the reasons we mentioned regarding the hadith with its two narrations.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Then it is even more fitting and more fitting that it be so in those cold countries in Afghanistan.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And there is no condition regarding what is wiped over, whether it is a sock or something else of what we mentioned, except what came in the hadith regarding the condition of one day and one night for the resident, and the three days and their nights for the traveler.
So if the sock is torn or perforated, as long as it is a sock and worn on the feet, and he does not remove it, or it is not removed, or it is not removed throughout the days of wiping, then it is permissible to wipe over it regardless of its condition. May Allah have mercy on al-Hasan al-Basri, the imam, the mujahid, the scholar, where he said: "The socks of the Ansar were nothing but..." Perhaps he also mentioned the Muhajireen, so he said: "The socks of the Ansar and the Muhajireen were nothing but perforated"
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So it is not required, then, in wiping over the socks or anything else, any condition other than adhering to the duration.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And there is another condition known to everyone, that one must put them on while in a state of ritual purity. Good. As for whether it is permissible for the mujahid to wipe for more than three days and their nights, we say that we do not have a text permitting this, and the implication of the previous hadith, which limited wiping to three days, prevents increasing beyond that. However, it has been established with a sound chain in Sunan al-Daraqutni, Sunan al-Bayhaqi, and others, that 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir came with a letter—I think he wrote it for him—he came with a letter to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and did not remove his shoes throughout his journey, or his socks; he did not remove his socks and continued to wipe over them throughout his journey until... Medina, meaning in about ten days. So 'Umar said to him: "You have hit upon the Sunnah" We can take from this sound report from the Commander of the Faithful, the hadith scholar, the one inspired by revelation, upon whom the Qur'an descended in accordance with his ijtihad and derivation, we can take from it that the mujahid in special circumstances, which he assesses, is permitted to wipe absolutely, not restricted by the three days.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And especially since this is the school of Imam Malik in ordinary days, meaning he does not restrict wiping over the socks with a duration. And this, of course, we do not see as correct in this absolute sense. But we benefit from this expansion in the time when we need this expansion... that it has been established what can be taken from it this expansion from the aforementioned report from 'Umar just now.
Perhaps this amount is sufficient.
The Shaykh : The answer is that wiping over leather socks is a dispensation (rukhsah) and not the default ruling ('azimah); that is, whoever wishes may wipe over the socks, and whoever wishes may not wipe... There is no difference in this between one day and another, or one season and another. However, the general principle and the general text lead us to choose the preference of wiping over the socks, due to his (peace and blessings be upon him) saying in the authentic hadith:
Indeed, Allah loves that His dispensations be observed as He loves that His default rulings be observed.
إن الله يحب أن تؤتى رخصه كما يحب أن تؤتى عزائمهjust as he dislikes that disobedience to Him be committed
كما يكره أن تؤتى معصيتهAllah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship
يريد الله بكم اليسر ولا يريد بكم العسرIf this is the ruling on wiping, that it is the preferred option for the reasons we mentioned regarding the hadith with its two narrations.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Then it is even more fitting and more fitting that it be so in those cold countries in Afghanistan.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And there is no condition regarding what is wiped over, whether it is a sock or something else of what we mentioned, except what came in the hadith regarding the condition of one day and one night for the resident, and the three days and their nights for the traveler.
So if the sock is torn or perforated, as long as it is a sock and worn on the feet, and he does not remove it, or it is not removed, or it is not removed throughout the days of wiping, then it is permissible to wipe over it regardless of its condition. May Allah have mercy on al-Hasan al-Basri, the imam, the mujahid, the scholar, where he said: "The socks of the Ansar were nothing but..." Perhaps he also mentioned the Muhajireen, so he said: "The socks of the Ansar and the Muhajireen were nothing but perforated"
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So it is not required, then, in wiping over the socks or anything else, any condition other than adhering to the duration.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And there is another condition known to everyone, that one must put them on while in a state of ritual purity. Good. As for whether it is permissible for the mujahid to wipe for more than three days and their nights, we say that we do not have a text permitting this, and the implication of the previous hadith, which limited wiping to three days, prevents increasing beyond that. However, it has been established with a sound chain in Sunan al-Daraqutni, Sunan al-Bayhaqi, and others, that 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir came with a letter—I think he wrote it for him—he came with a letter to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and did not remove his shoes throughout his journey, or his socks; he did not remove his socks and continued to wipe over them throughout his journey until... Medina, meaning in about ten days. So 'Umar said to him: "You have hit upon the Sunnah" We can take from this sound report from the Commander of the Faithful, the hadith scholar, the one inspired by revelation, upon whom the Qur'an descended in accordance with his ijtihad and derivation, we can take from it that the mujahid in special circumstances, which he assesses, is permitted to wipe absolutely, not restricted by the three days.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And especially since this is the school of Imam Malik in ordinary days, meaning he does not restrict wiping over the socks with a duration. And this, of course, we do not see as correct in this absolute sense. But we benefit from this expansion in the time when we need this expansion... that it has been established what can be taken from it this expansion from the aforementioned report from 'Umar just now.
Perhaps this amount is sufficient.