What is the ruling on wiping over the sandals, given that it is established from some of the Companions, such as 'Ali, Ibn 'Umar, and Aws, and that a hadith has been reported on this matter?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : It is established from some of the Companions, such as Ibn 'Umar, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Aws ibn Aws al-Thaqafi, in the Sunan and other works, that they wiped over their sandals. Some of them would take off their sandals, enter, and pray in the mosque.
And among them is the hadith of Husayn ibn 'Abd al-Razzaq, which meets the conditions of the two Shaykhs. How is this to be understood?
The Shaykh : This has an explanation according to some scholars: it is permissible to wipe over the sandals if they cover most of the foot. Some say that the foot is either covered by a leather sock and a woolen sock, in which case it is wiped, or it is not covered by anything, in which case it is washed, or it is covered by a sandal, in which case it is sprinkled with water, which is between washing and wiping. They interpreted the hadith regarding wiping over sandals in this way, saying that the meaning is that he sprinkled it and then passed his hand over it.
In any case, the precaution for a person is not to proceed with anything unless he knows that the Sunnah has come with it, or he is convinced that the Sunnah has come with it.
As for what is reported from the Companions that contradicts the apparent meaning of the Sunnah, it is not to be taken as a proof; rather, one should excuse them and not argue with their actions. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : It is established from some of the Companions, such as Ibn 'Umar, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Aws ibn Aws al-Thaqafi, in the Sunan and other works, that they wiped over their sandals. Some of them would take off their sandals, enter, and pray in the mosque.
And among them is the hadith of Husayn ibn 'Abd al-Razzaq, which meets the conditions of the two Shaykhs. How is this to be understood?
The Shaykh : This has an explanation according to some scholars: it is permissible to wipe over the sandals if they cover most of the foot. Some say that the foot is either covered by a leather sock and a woolen sock, in which case it is wiped, or it is not covered by anything, in which case it is washed, or it is covered by a sandal, in which case it is sprinkled with water, which is between washing and wiping. They interpreted the hadith regarding wiping over sandals in this way, saying that the meaning is that he sprinkled it and then passed his hand over it.
In any case, the precaution for a person is not to proceed with anything unless he knows that the Sunnah has come with it, or he is convinced that the Sunnah has come with it.
As for what is reported from the Companions that contradicts the apparent meaning of the Sunnah, it is not to be taken as a proof; rather, one should excuse them and not argue with their actions. Yes.