What about wiping over a cast?
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The questioner : What about wiping over a cast?
The Shaykh : Wiping over a cast is permissible according to the stronger opinion. A cast is what is placed on a fracture, a wound, or similar, in the form of bandages. However, it must be known that a cast must not extend beyond the place of need; it is what requires binding, even if it extends beyond the site of pain or fracture. The important point is that the cast requires this bandage.
A cast differs from wiping over leather socks in that wiping over a cast is a necessity, meaning it is not permissible except for dire necessity. It is not required that it be put on while in a state of ritual purity. It has no time limit. It is permissible to wipe over it in both minor and major states of ritual impurity. The wiping covers the entire cast if it is in a place that must be purified. If it is in a place where only part must be purified and part does not, such as a cast on the elbow extending over the upper arm and forearm, then what is in the place of purification is wiped over, and what exceeds it is not wiped over. It is obligatory to wipe over the entire cast.
As for the leather sock or the sock, only the greater part of its outer surface is wiped. How is the wiping done, meaning the wiping over the leather sock or the sock?
You wet your hands with water, then pass them over the outer surface of the leather sock or the sock from the toes to the lower leg. The bottom is not wiped, and the heel is not wiped. 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If the religion were based on opinion, the bottom of the leather sock would be more deserving of wiping than the top. And I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wiping over the leather sock." His statement (may Allah be pleased with him): "If the religion were based on opinion" means based on pure opinion without looking and reflecting. Otherwise, if a person looks and reflects on wiping over the leather sock or the sock, he finds that the top is more deserving of wiping, because the bottom touches the ground and carries dirt with it. If it were wiped, that would result in increased defilement, because wiping is not like washing, which removes impurity and dirt. Rather, it is an act of worship that a person does following the example of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, one does not benefit from wiping the bottom of the leather sock as one benefits from wiping the top. For this reason, the religion is in complete agreement with reason that the top of the leather sock is more deserving of wiping than the bottom.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Wiping over a cast is permissible according to the stronger opinion. A cast is what is placed on a fracture, a wound, or similar, in the form of bandages. However, it must be known that a cast must not extend beyond the place of need; it is what requires binding, even if it extends beyond the site of pain or fracture. The important point is that the cast requires this bandage.
A cast differs from wiping over leather socks in that wiping over a cast is a necessity, meaning it is not permissible except for dire necessity. It is not required that it be put on while in a state of ritual purity. It has no time limit. It is permissible to wipe over it in both minor and major states of ritual impurity. The wiping covers the entire cast if it is in a place that must be purified. If it is in a place where only part must be purified and part does not, such as a cast on the elbow extending over the upper arm and forearm, then what is in the place of purification is wiped over, and what exceeds it is not wiped over. It is obligatory to wipe over the entire cast.
As for the leather sock or the sock, only the greater part of its outer surface is wiped. How is the wiping done, meaning the wiping over the leather sock or the sock?
You wet your hands with water, then pass them over the outer surface of the leather sock or the sock from the toes to the lower leg. The bottom is not wiped, and the heel is not wiped. 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If the religion were based on opinion, the bottom of the leather sock would be more deserving of wiping than the top. And I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wiping over the leather sock." His statement (may Allah be pleased with him): "If the religion were based on opinion" means based on pure opinion without looking and reflecting. Otherwise, if a person looks and reflects on wiping over the leather sock or the sock, he finds that the top is more deserving of wiping, because the bottom touches the ground and carries dirt with it. If it were wiped, that would result in increased defilement, because wiping is not like washing, which removes impurity and dirt. Rather, it is an act of worship that a person does following the example of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, one does not benefit from wiping the bottom of the leather sock as one benefits from wiping the top. For this reason, the religion is in complete agreement with reason that the top of the leather sock is more deserving of wiping than the bottom.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.