The Ruling on Wiping over Socks and Leading Prayer for One with a Permanent State of Impurity

Question:
... He has several issues he raises with His Eminence the Shaykh. The first is wiping over socks regarding his condition; what is the ruling?

Answer:
There is no harm, just like anyone else. He wipes over the socks and the leather socks, wiping over them for a day and a night like anyone else. And likewise regarding leading prayer, he does not lead the people. He does not lead; he leads someone else; because his state of impurity is permanent. A group of scholars have held that he does not lead. You should not lead, my brother. Someone else should lead. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. And what if he is the most knowledgeable of those present?

The Shaykh: But if he leads, his prayer is valid. If he leads, his prayer is valid; because his ritual purity is sufficient for him. His ritual purity is sufficient for him; but it is safer for him to leave the prayer to someone else, in order to avoid the disagreement among scholars. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. He raises the issue of preference regarding the imam and the followers, His Eminence the Shaykh. If he is the most excellent of those present, as he says?

The Shaykh: Yes, yes. He leads someone else who is below him, one who is free from this state of impurity. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.