wiping over socks instead of washing feet.

[innocent]

In what circumstances is this permissible?
Can I do this at work? And can it be done on any types of sock? What is the correct way in which to do this?

['Abd-al Latif]

Conditions of wiping over socks

Praise be to Allaah.

Four conditions apply to wiping over the socks.

The first condition:

That they should have been put on when one was in a state of tahaarah (purity, i.e., when one has wudoo’). The evidence for that is what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah: “Don’t worry, because I put them one when I was clean.”

The second condition:

That the khufoof (leather slippers which cover the ankle) or socks should be taahir (pure). If they are naajis (impure) then it is not permissible to wipe over them. The daleel for that is that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led his companions in prayer one day wearing shoes, which he took off whilst he was praying. He said that Jibreel had told him that there was something dirty on them. This was narrated by Ahmad from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) in his Musnad. This indicates that it is not permissible to pray wearing anything that is naajis, because if the naajis thing is wiped over, the person will be contaminated by that najaasah (impurity), so he cannot be considered to be taahir (pure).

The third condition:

They may be wiped over when one is purifying oneself from minor impurity (i.e., doing wudoo’ after passing wind, urine or stools), not when one is in a state of janaabah (major impurity following sexual activity) or when ghusl is required. The evidence for that is the hadeeth of Safwaan ibn ‘Assaal (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us, when we were travelling, not to remove our khufoof for three days and three nights, except in the case of janaabah. But we could keep them on and wipe over them in the case of stools, urine and sleeping.” This was narrated by Ahmad from the hadeeth of Safwaan ibn ‘Assaal (may Allaah be pleased with him) in his Musnad. So the condition is that wiping the socks may be done when purifying oneself (doing wudoo’) from minor impurity, and it is not permissible in the case of major impurity, because of the hadeeth which we have mentioned here.

The fourth condition:

That the wiping may be done within the time specified by sharee’ah, which is one day and one night in the case of one who is not travelling, and three days and three nights in the case of one who is travelling. This is because of the hadeeth of ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stated one day and one night for the one who is not travelling, and three days and three nights for the one who is travelling, i.e., for wiping over the khufoof.” This was narrated by Muslim. This period starts from the first time one wipes over the socks when doing wudoo’ after some minor impurity, and it ends twenty-four later for the one who is not travelling, and seventy-two hours later for the one who is travelling. So if we assume that a person purifies himself for Fajr prayer on Tuesday and remains taahir (pure, i.e., keeps his wudoo’) until ‘Isha prayer on Tuesday evening, then he sleeps and wakes up to pray Fajr on Wednesday, and he wipes his socks at five o’clock zawaali time , then the period begins from 5 a.m. on Wednesday and lasts until 5 a.m. on Thursday. If we assume that he wiped his socks before 5 a.m then he can pray Fajr on Thursday with this wiping and pray as much as he wants as long as he remains taahir, because according to the most correct scholarly opinion, wudoo’ is not broken when the time period for wiping over the socks expires. That is because the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not set a time limit for tahaarah, rather he set a time limit for wiping over the socks. Once that time limit expires, one cannot wipe over the socks again, but if a person remains in a state of tahaarah then his tahaarah is still valid, because this is what is implied by the shar’i evidence, and whatever is proven by shar’i evidence cannot be invalidated unless there is further shar’i evidence to that effect. There is no evidence to suggest that wudoo’ is broken when the time limit for wiping over the socks expires, because what the basic principle is that he remains as he is (i.e., taahir) until it becomes apparent that this is no longer the case.

These are the conditions which apply to wiping over the khufoof. There are other conditions which were mentioned by some of the scholars, but some of these are subject to further debate.



I’laam al-Musaafireen bi Ba’d Aadaab wa Ahkaam al-Safar wa maa yakhuss al-Mallaaheen al-Jawwiyyeen by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, p. 14

IslamQA.com

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/9640

['Abd-al Latif]

How to wipe over the slippers or socks

Praise be to Allaah.

With regard to the beginning of the period when one may wipe over the slippers or socks, it begins from the first time one wipes over them after breaking one’s wudoo’, not from the moment one puts them on. See the answer to question no. 9640.

The way in which one wipes over them is to put one’s wet fingers on the toes then pass them over the feet to the shin; the right foot should be wiped with the right hand and the left foot with the left hand. The fingers should be spread when wiping and it should not be repeated.

(See al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhi by al-Fawzaan, 1/43).

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “This means that what should be wiped is the top of the sock, passing one's fingers from the toes to the shin only, and one should wipe with both hands over both feet together, i.e., the right hand should wipe the right foot and the left hand should wipe the left foot at the same time, just as one wipes the ears, because this is the apparent meaning of the Sunnah, as al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah said, ‘Then he wiped them both.’ He did not say that he started with the right, rather that he ‘wiped them both’. So this is the apparent meaning of the Sunnah. If we assume that he cannot use one of his hands then he should start with the right before the left. Many people wipe the right foot with both hands then the left foot with both hands, but there is no basis for this as far as I know. No matter how it is done, wiping the top of the slipper (or sock) is sufficient but what we have said here is best.”

(See Fataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, vol. 1, p. 250)

You should not wipe the sides or back of the sock because there is no report concerning that.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: “Someone may say that it is the bottom of the slipper or sock that should be wiped, because this is what is in contact with dust and dirt. But if we think about it we will see that wiping the top of the sock is what makes sense, because this wiping is not for the purpose of cleaning, rather it is an act of worship; if we were to wipe the bottom of the sock that would make it more dirty.” And Allaah knows best.

See al-Sharh al-Mumti’ by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, vol. 1, p. 213.


IslamQA.com

['Abd-al Latif]

It is not essential for socks to be of leather

Praise be to Allaah.

It was narrated that al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did wudoo’ and wiped over his socks and shoes.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 92; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 86)

The author of al-Qaamoos said: jawrab (socks) means something that is wrapped around the feet.

Abu Bakr ibn al-‘Arabi said: jawrab means a thin cover for the feet made of wool, worn to keep the feet warm.

It was narrated that Yahyaa al-Bakka’ said: I heard Ibn ‘Umar saying, “Wiping over the socks (jawrabayn) is like wiping over the leather slippers (khuffayn).”

Al-Musannaf by Ibn Abi Shaybah, 1/173

Ibn Hazm said: wiping over anything that is worn on the feet – of things that are permitted to be worn and which come up above the ankles – is Sunnah, whether they are slippers (khuffayn) made of leather or felt or wood, or socks made of linen, wool, cotton, camel hair or goat hair, whether leather is worn over them or not, or whether they are overshoes or slippers worn over slippers or socks worn over socks.

Al-Muhalla, 1/321

Some scholars differed as to whether it is permissible to wipe over the slippers (khuffaayn). The correct view as indicated by the evidence is that it is permissible to do that, as stated above.

And Allaah knows best.

See the answer to Question No. 8186 and 9640


Islam Q&A

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['Abd-al Latif]

Pictures taken from the book Summer of Islamic Jurispudence by Salih Al-Fawzaan

Chapter: Wiping over the Kuffs (Leather socks or shoes or their like.)

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[innocent]

So are you saying that I can do this with my normal socks and they dont have to be leather? Cos I have seen a site that says they have to be leather and they would not tear if you walked for three miles in them. Or something like that.

[innocent]

Where can I buy these leather khufain socks in UK?

['Abd-al Latif]

So are you saying that I can do this with my normal socks and they dont have to be leather? Cos I have seen a site that says they have to be leather and they would not tear if you walked for three miles in them. Or something like that.

:salamext:

Yes they don't have to be leather socks and they can be any material. They can be your every day socks. Many people have a myth that you must be able to walk in them for 3 miles or 5 miles or 10 miles and they still shouldn't tear, and they must be a certain material and they must be very thick etc, but none these are not valid claims as there is no proof from the Sunnah for any of them.

As Ibn Hazm (r) said:

Ibn Hazm said: wiping over anything that is worn on the feet – of things that are permitted to be worn and which come up above the ankles – is Sunnah, whether they are slippers (khuffayn) made of leather or felt or wood, or socks made of linen, wool, cotton, camel hair or goat hair, whether leather is worn over them or not, or whether they are overshoes or slippers worn over slippers or socks worn over socks.

Where can I buy these leather khufain socks in UK?

Leather socks can be found in any Islamic shop. I'm in UK as well, in London and you can find them in a lot of places.

['Abd-al Latif]

Ruling on wiping over socks that have holes in them

Question:
Is it permissible to wipe over socks that have holes in them [when making wudoo’]?


Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

The correct view is that it is permissible to wipe over khuff (leather slippers which cover the foot and ankle) or socks that have holes in them. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) allowed wiping over khuff and he did not stipulate any condition that they should be whole and free of holes or tears, especially since the khuff of his companions were not free of holes or tears. If this had any effect on whether one could wipe over them, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would have stated that clearly, for one of the basic principles of usool al-fiqh is that it is not permitted to delay explaining something when it is needed.

Imaam Sufyaan al-Thawri (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “One may wipe over the khuff so long as it is still clinging to the feet. Were the khuff of the Muhaajireen and Ansaar anything but full of holes and tears?” (Narrated by ‘Abd al-Razzaaq in al-Musanaaf, 1/194)

Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Fataawa (21/174): When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave the command to wipe over the khuff, he knew what the normal state of affairs was, and he did not stipulate the condition that the socks should be whole and free of any faults. His command should be taken as general in meaning and it should not be restricted unless there is any shar’i evidence for doing so. What is implied by the wording is that any khuff that people wear and walk about in may be wiped over, even if they have holes or are worn out, without defining the acceptable extent for these holes and tears, because even such a definition would require evidence…”

This is also the view of Ishaaq, Ibn al-Mubaarak, Ibn ‘Uyaynah and Abu Thawr.

Imaam al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad – according to the well-known views narrated from them – said that it is not permissible to wipe over the khuff or socks so long as there are any holes or tears in the place where it is obligatory to do wudoo’. Abu Haneefah and Maalik differentiated between small holes and large holes.

But the correct view is the first view quoted above, which is that it is permissible to wipe over the khuff or socks so long as they are still clinging to the feet and it is still possible to walk in them.

It is also correct to wipe over socks through which the skin can be seen, because the permission to wipe over socks is general and no report of any restriction has been narrated. This implies that any socks which people wear may be wiped over. This is what is implied by those who say that it is permissible to wipe over khuff that are worn out, so long as it is still possible to walk in them.

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) mentioned in al-Majmoo’ (1/502) that even if a person were to wear khuff made of glass, if it were possible to walk in them then it would be permissible to wipe over them, even though the skin beneath them would be visible…

And Allaah knows best.



IslamQA.com

['Abd-al Latif]

Rulings of wiping over socks

http://www.islamqa.com/en/cat/2035

[innocent]

What do you think of these socks?
http://www.sealskinz.com/

['Abd-al Latif]

What do you think of these socks?
http://www.sealskinz.com/

As long as it's covering you up till your ankles it's fine insha'Allah.

[Olive]

Erm bro?

I'd like to know whether it would be permissable on normal socks. I've seen some people do this...

['Abd-al Latif]

Erm bro?

I'd like to know whether it would be permissable on normal socks. I've seen some people do this...

Yes, as long as they cover the feet along with the ankles. They may be of wool or any other material.

http://www.islamicboard.com/prayer/1...ml#post1075337

['Abd-al Latif]

:salamext:

Brothers and sisters I urge you to learn the basics of fiqh. The basics of fiqh cover all the five pillars of Islam which is obligatory for each and every individual muslim to know, the most important of these pillars is the pillar of Prayer and it is the most detailed and the topic of prayer cannot even begin without the topic of purification first being discussed.

Purification covers the topic at hand of wiping over the socks, so again I urge you to look into it and to know the basics your religion. The Prophet saaws said "The key to Jannah is prayer and the key to prayer is purification" [Tirmidhi].

[innocent]

Does anyone know if leather khufs can have a zip or clasp or do they have to stay on the leg without it being tied?

[Revert to Peace]

Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Astaghfiruallah, but I'm still confused!

After I've prayed Fajr, I get ready for work. I may or may not be in a state of wudu when I leave the home, but alhamdulillah, I'm trying.

So, at work, when it comes to pray Duhr, I do wudu. Is it ok to wipe over my shoes, or socks. Obviously my socks were clean when I put them on, but after Fajr, if you break your wudu because of, say, emitting gas, doesn't this then make you impure? So then wouldn't you have to then on clean socks again? Sorry if I'm making this complicated but I just want to be sure I'm understanding things correctly and do it right, insha'Allah.

JazakAllah

Fi Aman Allah

[Malaikah]

:sl:

Sister as long as were in a state of purity when you put the socks on, then you can wipe over them when you need to make wudu again.

Let me give you an example...

Morning: made wudu, put on socks, went to work.
11 oclock: went bathroom, lost wudu.
2 oclock: go to make wudu. Because you haven't taken your socks off since you first had wudu, you can now make wudu by wiping over. Therefore you make wudu normal, but when you reach your feet, you wipe over your socks.

Also, you can wipe over your shoes only if they cover your ankles. So they would be something like boots.

[north_malaysian]

This is a lil bit off topic..

I knew about this rule and not against it...

But, wiping water on your socks can make your socks smelly right? Or is this situation only happened in tropical countries...

[alcurad]

^agree, not only is it extremely nauseating to the person praying behind you, what was worn back then and the socks of nowadays are very different.
it was tough, and almost functioned like a shoe, there is no comparison to begin with.

[Revert to Peace]

:sl:

Also, you can wipe over your shoes only if they cover your ankles. So they would be something like boots.

JazakAllah Sis, I do wear boots so alhamdulillah I've been doing it correctly. Thanks for clarifying.

Fi Aman Allah

['Abd-al Latif]

^agree, not only is it extremely nauseating to the person praying behind you, what was worn back then and the socks of nowadays are very different.
it was tough, and almost functioned like a shoe, there is no comparison to begin with.

This is a lil bit off topic..

I knew about this rule and not against it...

But, wiping water on your socks can make your socks smelly right? Or is this situation only happened in tropical countries...

The maximum period one can wipe over the socks is a night and a day. Note that I said 'Night and day' and not 'Day and night', it's because in Islam the night comes first and then the day. So when a night and a day have passed, wiping over ones socks will no longer be valid until he takes those socks off and does wudu again and then puts them back on, thus giving your feet some rest and fresh air.

If the Prophet (saw) had socks on he would wipe over them and if he didn't he would wash them.

And if a person doesn't wear socks all the time and washes his feet 5 times a day whenever he goes for prayer, are his feet really gonna smell?

[north_malaysian]

If the Prophet (saw) had socks on he would wipe over them and if he didn't he would wash them.

And if a person doesn't wear socks all the time and washes his feet 5 times a day whenever he goes for prayer, are his feet really gonna smell?

as I said, I'm not against this rule... just curious if the socks became smelly... maybe this "smelliness" only happens in tropical country...

[innocent]

If you wear leather socks they will also cure smelly feet. My feet have never been smelly but my husbands feet were so smelly that our bedroom constantly stunk of smelly feet and it was so difficult to get rid of the smell. But now since hes started wearing leather socks I havent smelt even a slight whiff. So I definitely reccommend using leather socks rather than ordinary ones.

[Muhammad]

:sl:

But, wiping water on your socks can make your socks smelly right? Or is this situation only happened in tropical countries...

You only wipe the top of the socks, and if they are clean, it shouldn't make them smell.