Is it obligatory to cut the leather socks below the ankles for one who is permitted to wear them?

The Shaykh : But there remains with us a question regarding leather socks: if it is permissible for him to wear leather socks, is he obligated to cut them so that they are below the ankles?

The questioner : No.

The Shaykh : The scholars differed on this in two opinions. The first opinion is that he is obligated to cut them, because the hadith of Ibn 'Umar in the two Sahihs is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said . And some scholars said that cutting is not obligatory, because it is established in the two Sahihs from the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed the people on the Day of 'Arafah and said , and he did not order cutting. The hadith of Ibn 'Abbas is later, because the hadith of Ibn 'Umar was in Madinah before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) traveled for Hajj, and the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas was at 'Arafah afterwards. Also, those who were present for the speech of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) at 'Arafah were more numerous than those who were present in Madinah. If cutting had been obligatory, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would not have delayed the clarification until the time of need. Therefore, this does not fall under the category of restricting the absolute with the qualified, because restricting the absolute with the qualified applies when the two situations are equal, the situation of the absolute and the situation of the qualified. In that case, we restrict the absolute with the qualified. But if the situations differ, it is not possible to restrict the absolute with the qualified. And this is the correct view: if it is permissible to wear leather socks due to the absence of sandals, then it is not obligatory to cut them.