What are the rulings on wiping over leather socks?
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The questioner : We hope you will explain the rulings on wiping over leather socks?
The Shaykh : Yes. Wiping over leather socks is a recommended practice (sunnah). The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution, and al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him) was pouring water over him. Al-Mughirah reached out to remove the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) socks, but he said meaning, do not remove them, and he wiped over them. This indicates that for one wearing leather socks, it is better to wipe over them rather than remove them to wash his feet.
Wiping has conditions. The most important condition for wiping over the socks is that they must be put on while in a state of ritual purity. One must perform a complete ablution and then put them on. If they are put on while not in a state of ritual purity, wiping over them is not permissible. Rather, one must remove them, wash his feet, and then put them on while in a state of ablution.
The second condition is that the wiping must be for minor ritual impurity, not major ritual impurity. This is based on the hadith of Safwan ibn 'Asal, who said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 158Hasan (Darussalam) He said: This is when a person has a cast, either a plaster, a bandage, or a medical dressing. In such a case, wiping is permitted for both minor and major ritual impurity. As for anything other than dire necessity, there is no wiping in the case of major ritual impurity.
The third condition is that the wiping must be within the period for which the Lawgiver granted a dispensation for wiping. This period is one day and one night for a resident, and three days and their nights for a traveler. If one wipes after the period has ended, his ablution is not valid. It is necessary, indeed obligatory, that when the period is completed and a person wants to perform ablution, he must remove the socks, perform ablution, and wash his feet. The period begins from the first time one wipes after a state of ritual impurity, not from the time of putting them on, nor from the state of ritual impurity itself, but from the first time one wipes after the state of ritual impurity.
For example, if a man performed ablution for the Fajr prayer on Monday and put on his socks, and remained in a state of purity until night, then slept and got up for the Fajr prayer, performed ablution, and wiped, then the period here begins from his wiping for the Fajr prayer on Tuesday. The time that passed before the wiping is not counted against him, because the period begins from the first wiping after a state of ritual impurity. If he had performed ablution for the Fajr prayer on Monday and put on his socks, and then became ritually impure after the sun had risen, but did not perform ablution until the call to prayer for the midday prayer, so he performed ablution at twelve o'clock on Monday noon, then he may wipe until just before twelve o'clock on Tuesday. We said that he became ritually impure before noon on Monday, so here we say the period begins from the time of wiping at twelve o'clock, and he may wipe until one minute before twelve o'clock on the next day.
The same is said for the traveler; his period begins from the first time he wipes after a state of ritual impurity. There are other conditions regarding which the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed as to whether they are conditions or not, so we will pass over them. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes. Wiping over leather socks is a recommended practice (sunnah). The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution, and al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him) was pouring water over him. Al-Mughirah reached out to remove the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) socks, but he said
Leave them
دعهماWiping has conditions. The most important condition for wiping over the socks is that they must be put on while in a state of ritual purity. One must perform a complete ablution and then put them on. If they are put on while not in a state of ritual purity, wiping over them is not permissible. Rather, one must remove them, wash his feet, and then put them on while in a state of ablution.
The second condition is that the wiping must be for minor ritual impurity, not major ritual impurity. This is based on the hadith of Safwan ibn 'Asal, who said:
except in the case of Janabah, but not in the case of defecation, urinating or sleep.
إلا من جنابة ولكن من غائط وبول ونومExcept from major ritual impurity
إلا من جنابةThe third condition is that the wiping must be within the period for which the Lawgiver granted a dispensation for wiping. This period is one day and one night for a resident, and three days and their nights for a traveler. If one wipes after the period has ended, his ablution is not valid. It is necessary, indeed obligatory, that when the period is completed and a person wants to perform ablution, he must remove the socks, perform ablution, and wash his feet. The period begins from the first time one wipes after a state of ritual impurity, not from the time of putting them on, nor from the state of ritual impurity itself, but from the first time one wipes after the state of ritual impurity.
For example, if a man performed ablution for the Fajr prayer on Monday and put on his socks, and remained in a state of purity until night, then slept and got up for the Fajr prayer, performed ablution, and wiped, then the period here begins from his wiping for the Fajr prayer on Tuesday. The time that passed before the wiping is not counted against him, because the period begins from the first wiping after a state of ritual impurity. If he had performed ablution for the Fajr prayer on Monday and put on his socks, and then became ritually impure after the sun had risen, but did not perform ablution until the call to prayer for the midday prayer, so he performed ablution at twelve o'clock on Monday noon, then he may wipe until just before twelve o'clock on Tuesday. We said that he became ritually impure before noon on Monday, so here we say the period begins from the time of wiping at twelve o'clock, and he may wipe until one minute before twelve o'clock on the next day.
The same is said for the traveler; his period begins from the first time he wipes after a state of ritual impurity. There are other conditions regarding which the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed as to whether they are conditions or not, so we will pass over them. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you, O honorable Shaykh.