What is the wisdom behind wiping over the leather socks?
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The questioner : What is the wisdom behind wiping over the leather socks?
The Shaykh : The wisdom behind wiping over the leather socks is that this wiping takes the place of washing the feet. This is because it is obligatory for a person in ablution to purify four limbs: the face, the hands, the head, and the feet. Out of Allah’s mercy (Glorified and Exalted is He) toward His servants, if a person is wearing socks or leather socks, he is not required to remove them and then wash his feet, due to the hardship involved in removing them and putting them back on, and because the feet would also be wet with water, causing the sock or leather sock to become damp, which increases discomfort due to this moisture. So, out of the mercy of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), He prescribed for His servants to wipe over the leather socks or socks instead of washing the feet, but for a limited duration: one day and one night for the resident, and three days and their nights for the traveler. This duration begins from the first time one wipes after a state of ritual impurity; what comes before that is not counted in the duration. So, if it happens that a person put on socks for the Fajr prayer and remained in a state of purity until the Maghrib prayer, and he wiped them for the first time after a state of ritual impurity for the Maghrib prayer, then what is before the Maghrib prayer is not counted in the duration. He may wipe until Maghrib of the second day if he is a resident, and for three days if he is a traveler.
And on this occasion, it should be known that wiping over the leather socks has necessary conditions. The first condition is that they must be put on while in a state of purity.
The second condition is that they must be pure. The evidence for this is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah when he wanted to take off his leather socks; the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him:Sahih al-Bukhari 206.
The third condition is that this is for minor ritual impurity, not for major ritual impurity. If he becomes in a state of major ritual impurity, he must remove the socks or leather socks and wash his feet. The evidence for that is the hadith of Safwan ibn ‘Asal (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us, when we were traveling, not to remove our leather socks except for major ritual impurity, but for passing wind, urination, and sleep”.
The fourth condition is that it must be within the duration determined by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), which is one day and one night for the resident and three days and their nights for the traveler. If he wipes after the duration for wiping has ended, then his ablution is not valid, and he must repeat it and perform a new, complete ablution in which he washes his feet.
These are the conditions indicated by the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.
The questioner : O Allah, send prayers and peace upon Muhammad. May Allah bless you.
This listener is from Sudan; he symbolized his name with this symbol, A A, he says.
The Shaykh : The wisdom behind wiping over the leather socks is that this wiping takes the place of washing the feet. This is because it is obligatory for a person in ablution to purify four limbs: the face, the hands, the head, and the feet. Out of Allah’s mercy (Glorified and Exalted is He) toward His servants, if a person is wearing socks or leather socks, he is not required to remove them and then wash his feet, due to the hardship involved in removing them and putting them back on, and because the feet would also be wet with water, causing the sock or leather sock to become damp, which increases discomfort due to this moisture. So, out of the mercy of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), He prescribed for His servants to wipe over the leather socks or socks instead of washing the feet, but for a limited duration: one day and one night for the resident, and three days and their nights for the traveler. This duration begins from the first time one wipes after a state of ritual impurity; what comes before that is not counted in the duration. So, if it happens that a person put on socks for the Fajr prayer and remained in a state of purity until the Maghrib prayer, and he wiped them for the first time after a state of ritual impurity for the Maghrib prayer, then what is before the Maghrib prayer is not counted in the duration. He may wipe until Maghrib of the second day if he is a resident, and for three days if he is a traveler.
And on this occasion, it should be known that wiping over the leather socks has necessary conditions. The first condition is that they must be put on while in a state of purity.
The second condition is that they must be pure. The evidence for this is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah when he wanted to take off his leather socks; the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him:
He ordered me to leave them as he had put them after performing ablution
دعهما فإني أدخلتهما طاهرتينThe third condition is that this is for minor ritual impurity, not for major ritual impurity. If he becomes in a state of major ritual impurity, he must remove the socks or leather socks and wash his feet. The evidence for that is the hadith of Safwan ibn ‘Asal (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us, when we were traveling, not to remove our leather socks except for major ritual impurity, but for passing wind, urination, and sleep”.
The fourth condition is that it must be within the duration determined by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), which is one day and one night for the resident and three days and their nights for the traveler. If he wipes after the duration for wiping has ended, then his ablution is not valid, and he must repeat it and perform a new, complete ablution in which he washes his feet.
These are the conditions indicated by the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.
The questioner : O Allah, send prayers and peace upon Muhammad. May Allah bless you.
This listener is from Sudan; he symbolized his name with this symbol, A A, he says.