Explanation of the meaning of "two in a state of purity" in the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (Leave them, for I have put them on in a state of purity).

The Shaykh : For example, the word zakah is an Arabic word, and its meaning is—peace be upon you—purification and growth. But in the language, I mean by it a form of worship that has its conditions and specifications. So if the term zakah is used, but in the legal language, Hajj, if it is used, a specific form of worship is intended, which also has its conditions, specifications, and so on. And finally, we come to the very broad field of the word prayer. Prayer in the language means supplication. But if the term prayer is used, it must be understood not in this original, narrow linguistic meaning, but in the specific, broad legal meaning. Once this is clear to us, this is a matter that no one can deny or argue about. We return, after this introduction and preamble, to the word "two in a state of purity" . Do we interpret the word "two in a state of purity" here in its original linguistic meaning, which means "two clean ones," or do we interpret it in the legal meaning, i.e., "two in a state of ablution"? This is where that disagreement arose. Because the one who understands "two in a state of purity" in the linguistic meaning would say that it is true that when a man washed his right foot and then put on the sock, he put it on in a state of purity, and the rest is the same. But the one who understands "two in a state of purity" to mean "in a state of ablution," because this is the legal meaning of this word, says: It is not permissible to wear the socks unless he washes the other foot, because the first one is not in a state of ablution, or in a state of purity, except with its sister. Because, which foot now, if he comes with the first condition, and this is a very self-evident matter, what is the first condition for ablution? The intention. The second condition is that he washes his face. Has he performed ablution? He has not performed ablution. And so on, until the man washes his left foot. So when the man washes his left foot, both feet become pure legally and linguistically. But in the first meaning, they are pure linguistically, not legally. So the one who understands from the term "two in a state of purity" the Arabic meaning "two clean ones" understands that this condition is not correct; he can wash one foot and cover it with a sock, and thus he is complete. But the legal meaning is what should be interpreted. And here is the rule, or the completion of what we mentioned earlier in the introduction, and we say: Every term in the Shari'ah must be interpreted in the legal language, not in the customary language, unless there is a circumstance or a proof, also this legal proof. At that time, we say: This particular word is interpreted in the linguistic meaning, not in the legal meaning. And we give an example of this that is very useful. If the hadith, as we always and forever mention, is a weak hadith that is not authentic, but this leads us to interpreting a meaning in an authentic hadith. The famous hadith on people's tongues says: .
The student : Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy.

The Shaykh—Praise be to Allah.
The student : ... because of what we entered into before.
Another student: Please, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : This hadith: is weak in its chain of narration. And some scholars who usually do not concern themselves with distinguishing the authentic from the weak in hadith interpreted it to mean that the intended meaning is only washing the hands and rinsing the mouth. So the correct response came that if the hadith were authentic, it would not be permissible to interpret it in this linguistic meaning only; because when ablution is used, it is intended to mean the purity without which prayer is not valid. But the hadith is weak; and therefore, it spared us the burden of interpreting it to mean washing the hands and the mouth. But there are authentic hadiths that some tried to escape from their legal meaning because it involves an obligation, and people usually do not like obligations, especially those that people are frequently tested with, such as his saying (peace be upon him): . So this hadith in the authentic collection was interpreted as that weak hadith was interpreted, meaning "rinse your mouths." But this interpretation—may Allah have mercy on you—was refuted by what we mentioned earlier, that the principle in interpreting terms found in the Book or in the Sunnah is the legal language, not the original customary language. If we know all this, what is implied by his saying (peace be upon him): is legally, not linguistically—welcome—and accordingly, the confusion should be resolved.
The student: Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Regarding the statements that are made about the interpretation of this hadith—and upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.