Fataawaa fee al-Mas-h 'alaa al-Khuffain
( Rulings Regarding the Wiping Over the Socks for Purification )
Q1. What is the meaning of Khuffs (Leather socks) and Jawaarab (socks)?
A1. All praise is due to Allaah, and I invoke peace and blessings upon our
Prophet Muhammad, and upon all of his Companions.
The meaning of the khuff is that which is worn upon the foot being made of
leather and it’s likes. The meaning of Jawaarab is that which is worn on the
foot being made of cotton and it’s likes, and it is what is referred to
commonly as shurraab (socks, stockings).
Q2. What is the ruling of wiping on the khuffs and jawaarabs, and what is
the evidence for that from the Book and Sunnah?
A2. The wiping is a sunnah which has come to us from the Messenger (SAW), and it
is better for the one wearing them to wipe over them, rather than taking them
off to wash his feet.
The evidence for this is the hadeeth of al-Mughira bin Shu’bah (RA) who said
that the Prophet (SAW) made wudu. Al-Mughira said, “I moved to remove his
khuffs and he said, ‘leave them, for indeed my feet were in a state of purity
when I wore them.’ So he wiped over them.”
The legislation of wiping over the khuffs is established in the Book of Allaah
and the Sunnah of Messenger of Allaah (SAW). As for it’s legislation in the
Book, then it lies in the verse, “O you who believe, when you stand for
prayer, wash you faces and hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads and feet
up to the ankles.”
There are two correct ways of reciting the saying of Allaah (wa Arjulikum)
‘and your feet’ having reached us from the Messenger of Allaah (SAW):
1) Reciting it as ‘wa Arjulakum’ with a fatha on the laam, hence linking it
in meaning to ‘wa wujoohakum’ (and your faces), i.e. wash the feet.
2) Reciting it as ‘wa Arjulikum’ with a kasra on the laam, hence linking it
in meaning to ‘bi ru’oosikum’ (your heads), i.e. wipe the feet.
And that which explains when one should wipe the feet and when one should wash
them is the sunnah, for the Messenger (SAW) used to wash his feet when they were
uncovered, and wipe over them when they were covered by khuffs.
As for it’s legislation in the sunnah, the sunnah is mutawaatir from the
Messenger of Allaah (SAW) in this sunnah. Imaam Ahmad said, ‘there is no
aversion in my heart to wiping. There are forty ahaadeeth with regards to it
from the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) and his Companions’ and the saying of the
poet:
From those that are mutawaatir is the hadeeth ‘the one who lies..’,
and ‘the one who builds a house for the sake of Allaah, and hopes for the
reward’,
and the Sight, the Intercession and the Pond,
and the wiping over the socks, and ….
So this is the evidence from the Book of Allaah, and the Sunnah of His Messenger
(SAW).
Q3. What are the authentic, established conditions for wiping over the
socks and what are their evidences?
A3. There are four conditions:
The first: that he be in a state of purity when he wore them. And the evidence
for this is his (SAW) saying to Mughira, ‘leave them, for indeed my feet were
in a state of purity when I wore them’
The second: that the khuffs or jawaarabs be pure and clean. If they have filth
on them then it is not permissible to wipe over them. And the evidence for this
is that the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) prayed with his Companions one day in
shoes, and during the prayer he removed them. Then afterwards he informed his
Companions that this was because Jibraa’eel had informed him that they had
filth or dirt on them. And this indicates that the prayer is not acceptable when
there is something in it which is impure, and because when the wiper wipes over
the filth it sullies him also, and then he is also not in a state of purity.
The third: that he wipes over them when he is in a state of minor impurity, not
when he is junub or in any state that necessitates the ghusl. And the evidence
for that is the hadeeth of Safwaan bin Assaal (RA) who said, “The Messenger of
Allaah (SAW) ordered us not to remove our socks for three days and nights when
we were on a journey except if we were junub, but not from excretion, urination
or sleep.” So the condition is set that the wiping is only for minor impurity,
not for the major impurity due to this hadeeth.
The fourth: that the wiping be for the period determined by the Sharee’ah, and
that is a day and a night for one who is resident, and three days and nights for
the one on a journey. This due to the hadeeth of Alee (RA) who said, “the
Messenger (SAW) set a limit of one day and night for the resident, and three
days and nights for the traveler,” meaning for wiping over the khuffs. Related
by Muslim. And this period starts the first time one wipes over the socks, and
it finished 24 hours after for the resident and 72 hours after for the traveler.
So if we were to assume that one purified himself for fajr on Wednesday at 5am,
and he remained in this state till the Ishaa prayer, then he slept and woke for
fajr at 5am on Thursday then he has to make wudu with washing his feet as the
period has expired. But were he to make wudu before 5am then his wiping is valid
and he can pray fajr with this wiping. And he can keep praying as much as he
wishes afterwards as well with that same wudu, for the wudu does not become void
when the period of wiping ends according to the strongest opinion of the
scholars. And this is because the Messenger (SAW) did not set a time period for
the state of purity, but he set a time period for the wiping only.
So when the period for wiping has finished then there is no wiping after this,
but if he was in a state of purity when the period expired, then his state of
purity remains. This is because this state of purity has been established
according to the dictates of the sharee’ah, so then it cannot be removed
except by an evidence from the sharee’ah, and there is no evidence for the
state of wudu ending as the time period for the wiping ends. And because the
basic principle is that everything endures according to what it is upon until
it’s termination is made clear.
So these are the conditions that are set for wiping over the khuffs. And there
are other conditions that some scholars have mentioned but some of these are
problematic.
Q4. What is the correctness of the condition set by some of the Legal
Jurists that the feet be covered…?
A4. This condition is not correct because it has no evidence for it. For indeed
as long as the name khuff or jawaarab is applicable to the item then wiping over
them is permissible, because the sunnah has described wiping over the khuffs in
a general way. So it is not possible to specify what the Legislator generalizes
except with another evidence from the Legislator or a Sharee’ah principle by
which the specification becomes clear. So building upon this it is permissible
to wipe over torn or thin khuffs, because the purpose of the khuff is not to
cover the outer skin, rather it is to protect the feet and benefit
them….(?)…so there is no difference in this between a thin, thick, torn or
complete sock.
The important point is that a long as the term khuff is applicable to the item,
then wiping over it is permissible.
Q5. A person makes tayammum, then he wears the khuffs, then he finds
water, is it permissible for him to wipe over the socks knowing that he was in a
state of purity when he wore them?
A5. It is not permissible for him to wipe over the socks when the state of
purity is the purity of tayammum due to the saying of the Prophet (SAW), “for
indeed my feet were in a state of purity when I wore them”. And the purity of
tayammum has no connection to the feet, rather it is only concerned with the
hands and face. So building upon this, if a person does not have water with him,
or he is sick and unable to use water for wudu, then he can wear the khuffs even
without being in a state of purity, and he can wear them for an unlimited time
(making tayammum) until he finds water or is cured from his illness, because the
feet are not connected to the tayammum.
Q6. Is the intention obligatory, meaning that when a person intends to
wear socks or shoes should he have the intention that he will wipe over them,
and likewise should he have the intention that he is going to wipe over them as
a resident or a traveler, or is the intention no obligatory?
A6. The intention is not obligatory because the ruling of wiping is concerned
only when the need arises and therefore it is not requiring an intention. Just
like if a person were to wear a garment, it is not a condition that he has to
have the intention that this garment covers his awrah when he prays. So it is
not a condition that he has to have the intention that he will wipe over the
socks when he wears them. Likewise he does not have to have an intention as to
how long he intends to wipe for, rather if he is traveling then he has a period
of three days whether he had the intention for this or not, and if he is
resident he has a period of one day whether he had the intention for this or
not.
Q7. What is the journey in which the wiping period of three days and
nights becomes permissible?
A7. The journey in which it becomes permissible to shorten ones prayer, is the
journey in which it becomes permissible to wipe over the socks for three days
and nights, this is because in the hadeeth of Safwaan bin Asaal which we have
mentioned he says, “when we were on a journey”, so for as long as a person
is on a journey in which he shortens his prayer he can wipe over his socks for
the period of three days.
Q8. When the traveler comes to the end of his journey, or a resident
starts a journey and he has already started wiping over his socks, how does he
calculate the length of his wiping?
A8. When a resident wipes over his socks and then starts a journey, then he
should complete the wiping of a traveler (i.e. 3 days and nights) according to
the strongest opinion. And if he was traveling and then completes his journey,
then he should complete the wiping of a resident. Some of the People of
Knowledge have mentioned that if one were to wipe as a resident then start a
journey he should complete the period of wiping as if he were a resident, but
the strongest opinion is what we have first mentioned. This is because this
person has some time remaining in the period of his wiping before he started on
a journey, then he started traveling so it is true to say that he is a traveler
and therefore from those that can wipe over there socks for three days.
Q9. A person is doubtful as to when he started wiping over his socks, what
should he do?
A9. In this state the answer is based upon what is certain, so if he is doubtful
if he started wiping for Dhuhur or Asr prayers, then he should make his starting
period Asr because the basic principle is the absence of wiping. And the
evidence for this is the rule that the principle remains upon what it is and
that the basic principle in this case is the absence of wiping.
And that a man complained to the Messenger (SAW) that he thought that he had
passed wind in his prayer, so he told him not to leave the prayer until he heard
a noise or smelt something.
Q10. A person wipes over his socks after the period of wiping has expired
and prays, what is the ruling of his prayer?
A10. If he wipes after the period has expired, whether he is traveling or
resident, then his prayer with this purification is invalid because the wudu is
invalid due to the period of wiping having expired. So it is obligatory upon him
to make a new and complete wudu, washing his feet, and to repeat his prayers
that he prayed with that invalid wudu in which he wiped over his socks after the
period had expired.
Q11. If a person removed his socks and he was in a state of wudu, then he
put them on again before his wudu broke is it permissible to wipe over them?
A11. If he removes his socks and then puts them back on again and he is in a
state of wudu, then if this wudu was his first wudu (i.e. the one in which he
washed his feet) and this did not break for the duration he had his socks on,
then there is no problem in him putting his socks on and wiping over them again
when he makes wudu. But if this wudu was a wudu in which he wiped over his socks
then it is not permissible for him to put his socks on and continue wiping over
them, because it is necessary for him to wear them when his feet have been
purified with water, and in this case the purity is with wiping over the socks,
this is what is known from the speech of the People of Knowledge.
But if one were to say that if he put his socks on again while he was still in a
state of purity, even if it were the purity of wiping over the socks, then he
could continue wiping over them as long as the period of wiping lasted then this
is a strong opinion. But I do not know of anyone who held this opinion, and the
thing which prevents me from holding this opinion is that I have not come across
anyone from the People of Knowledge who holds this opinion, so if one of the
People of Knowledge were to have this opinion then this would be the correct one
according to me. This is because the purity gained from wiping is a complete
state of purity, so it is desirable to say that if he can wipe over his socks
after putting them on after having washed his feet, then he can wipe over them
after the purification of wiping over them. But I have not seen anyone who holds
this opinion.
Q.11 So therefore we do not say that removing the socks is from the things
which invalidate the wiping?
A.11 Therefore removing the socks (in this second case) does not invalidate his
state of purity but it invalidates his wiping, so if were to put them on again
another time and broke his wudu then it is necessary for him to remove his socks
and wash his feet when he makes wudu. The important point is that it is
necessary for him to have put the socks on when he has made a wudu in which he
has washed his feet (in order to wipe over them later on) as far as we know from
the speech of the People of Knowledge.
Q12. A person wipes over his shoes in the first instance, then in the
second he removes his shoes and wipes over his socks, is this wiping of his
correct? Or is it necessary for him to wash the feet?
A12. There is a difference of opinion over this. So from the People of Knowledge
are those that opine that if one were to wipe over one of the two khuffs, be it
the upper or the lower then the ruling remains with that and the wiping does not
move to the second.
And from them are those that opine that it is permissible for the wiping to move
to the other for as long as the period of wiping remains. So for example, if one
were to wipe over the shoes, then he removed them and wished to make wudu, then
he can wipe over his socks. This is the strongest opinion. Likewise if he were
to wipe over his socks, and then put on another pair, or put on a pair of shoes,
then there is no problem in his wiping over the upper layer for as long as the
period of wiping remains. But the period is calculated from the point of the
first wiping, not the second.
Q13. Many people ask as to how the wiping should be done and the place of
wiping?
A13. The way of performing the wiping is to pass the hand over the feet from the
extremity of the toes to the start of the shin only. Meaning that the part of
the khuff that is wiped is the upper part only. And the wiping is done by
passing both hands over both feet simultaneously i.e. the right hand wipes over
the right foot and the left hand over the left foot at the same time, as one
would wipe the ears. Because this is what is clear and obvious in the sunnah due
to the saying of Mughira bin Shu’ba (in his hadeeth), “and he wiped over
them”, and he did not say he (SAW) started with the right or left, rather the
clear and literal meaning is what we have explained. Yes, if one of the hands
cannot be used then you start with wiping the right foot then the left.
And many people wipe by using both their hands to wipe the right foot, and both
their hands to wipe the left foot. This has no basis as far as we know, all that
the scholars have said is to wipe the right foot with the right hand, and the
left foot with the left hand.
Q14. We see people wiping over the upper and lower parts of the khuffs, so
what is the ruling of this wiping and what is the ruling of their prayers?
A14. Their prayers and wudu are correct, but they should be informed that wiping
over the lower part of the khuffs is not from the sunnah. So in the sunnah is
the hadeeth of Alee ibn Abee Taalib (RA) who said, “if the religion were
according to opinion then the underside of the khuffs would have been wiped, but
I have seen the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) wiping over the upper part of the
khuff.” And this indicates that only the upper part of the khuff is legislated
to be wiped.
Q15. What is the stance on the saying of ibn Abbaas: “the Messenger did
not wipe after (the revelation) of Surah Maa’idah” and that what is related
from Alee preceded this revelation?
A15. I do not know if this narration is authentic or not. And I have mentioned
before this that Alee bin Abee Taalib is from those that narrated the hadeeth of
wiping from the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) and he narrated it after his death,
and he explained that the Messenger set it’s time limits, and this indicates
that this ruling is established to exist after the death of the Messenger of
Allaah (SAW) according to him, and it is not possible to abrogate anything after
the death of the Messenger.
Q16. Are the rulings for wiping the same for women as for men? Or is there
a difference?
A16. There is no distinction between man and woman in this. And it is desired
that you learn a basic rule, and that is that in principle that whatsoever is
established with regards to the men is also established with regards to the
women, and whatsoever is established with regards to the women is also
established with regards to men unless there is an evidence which indicates
otherwise.
Q17. What is the ruling of removing the sock, or part of it to examine
ones feet or to remove a small stone for example?
A17. If he puts his hands in his socks (without removing them) then there is no
problem in this. But if he removes them then he should look, if he removes only
a small portion than this is alright, but if he removes the majority of the sock
then wiping over them in the future becomes invalid [in the case where this is
not the first wudu].
Q18. It has become common amongst the common folk that they wipe over
their socks for the five daily prayers only, then after this they put them on
another time (i.e. after washing their feet).
A18. Yes this has become common amongst the generality of the people who think
that wiping for one day and night means that you wipe only for the five daily
prayers, and this is not correct. Rather the limitation of one day and night
means that he can wipe for one day or night whether it is for five prayers or
more. For, as has preceded, the beginning of the period of wiping starts with
the first wiping. So it is possible that the person pray ten (obligatory)
prayers or even more. For if he were to make wudu for fajr on Tuesday, and then
out his khuffs on, and his state of purity (i.e. he did not make wudu) lasted
until he slept Tuesday night, then he wakes up Wednesday morning for fajr and
wipes over his feet for the first time then he can continue wiping till the fajr
of Thursday morning. So in this case he has prayed the fajr, dhuhur, asr,
maghrib, and ishaa of Tuesday in his khuffs, and none of these are counted in
the period of wiping because they occurred before he wiped over his socks. Then
he prayed the fajr, dhuhur, asr, mahgrib and ishaa of Wednesday with wiping. It
is even possible that he pray the prayers of Thursday with this same wiping. So
for example say he wiped over his socks 5am Wednesday morning for fajr, then he
woke up for fajr Thursday morning and made wudu at 4:45am, he can wipe over his
socks again in this case. Then if he were to remain in his state of purity until
Ishaa of Thursday, then he can pray the five prayers of Thursday with that same
wiping.
Therefore in this example he has prayed fifteen prayers (without removing his
khuffs).
Q19. If a person were to make wudu and wipe over his khuffs, then the
period of wiping expires and he removes his socks before Asr prayer for example.
Can he pray Asr prayer and is his prayer correct, or does his wudu break with
removing the socks?
A19. The strongest opinion from the sayings of the People of Knowledge, which
was chosen by Shaykh al-Islaam ibn Taymiyyah and a group of scholars from the
People of Knowledge is that the wudu does not break with the removal of the
khuffs. So if he were to remove his khuffs and he is in a state of purity in
which he had wiped over his socks then his wudu does not break, this is because
he is in a complete state of purity as required by the dictates of the
Sharee’ah, and it is not possible to break this state of purity except with an
evidence from the Sharee’ah. And there is no evidence which states that
removing the khuffs or socks that have been wiped over breaks the wudu, so due
to this the wudu remains, but if he were to put the socks on again intending to
wipe over the socks in the future then this is not allowed as far as I know from
the words of the People of Knowledge.
WIPING OVER THE TURBANS:
Q20. Is it permissible to wipe over the turbans and what are the limits of
this and what is the definition of a turban?
A20. Wiping over the turbans is from those actions that have been reported in
the Sunnah of the Messenger (SAW) and it is permissible to wipe over them. So
one wipes over the turban or the majority of it, and it is also the sunnah to
wipe over the bare regions of the head like the forehead and the back of the
head and the ears.
Q21. Does the white cotton skullcap, and **** of the woman enter within
the definition of the turban?
A21. As for the white cotton skullcap then this does not enter the definition of
the turban at all. As for what is worn in the days of winter which covers the
head and the ears and that which is below that coiled around the neck then this
is like the turban due to the difficulty in removing it so one can wipe over it.
As for the women then they can wipe over their headscarfs according to the
well-known opinion in the madhab of Imaam Ahmad as long as the headscarfs hang
below their necks, this because it occurs from some of the women of the Sahaabah
may Allaah be pleased with them.
Q22. The fez is above the head and tends to be attached to the neck, so is
this wiped over?
A22. Clearly when it is not difficult to remove the fez then it is not
permissible to wipe over it because in some aspects it resembles the skullcap,
and the principle is the obligation of wiping over the head until it is made
clear to man that this is from those that are permissible to wipe over.
WIPING OVER THE BANDAGE/SPLINT
Q23. What is the ruling of wiping over the bandage, and what things are
included in it’s meaning, and what is the evidence of it’s legislation from
the Book and Sunnah?
A23. Firstly it is necessary that we understand what a bandage/splint is. A
bandage/splint in it’s origin is that which is used to set broken bones. In
the convention of the Legal Jurists it is that which is placed over a part of
the body which needs to be washed while purifying oneself due to a necessity
like the preventative measure over a break, or the plaster/bandage which is
placed over a limb or over a pain in the back or the likes. Wiping over this
compensates for washing. So if we were to assume that there was a bandage over
the forearm of the one making wudu due to a necessity, then he can wipe over it
rather than washing (the area covered by the bandage). And this purification
would be complete, meaning that were he to remove this bandage or splint then
his state of purity remains and does not break. This because the purification is
complete in the eyes of the Sharee’ah and there is no evidence that states
that removing the bandage breaks the wudu or the state of purity.
And there is no evidence that can be taken into consideration that contradicts
this.(?)
There are some weak ahaadeeth pertaining to this which some of the People of
Knowledge used saying that all of them taken together raise them to a level that
can be considered a proof. And from the People of Knowledge are those that say
that they cannot be depended upon due to their weakness, and then they differ
amongst themselves - some say that the person leave washing the place of the
bandage because he is incapable of washing it, and others say that he should
perform tayammum and not wipe over it.
But the closest saying to the principles by looking at the ahaadeeth that occur
on this is that he wipes (over the bandage or splint), and this wiping removes
the need of tayammum. So at this point we say that if one were to find a wound
on a limb that needs to be washed during wudu then there are a number of
options:
Firstly: That it be uncovered and washing it will not harm him, then in this
state washing the area is obligatory.
Secondly: That it be uncovered and washing it will harm him but wiping over it
will not. So in this case wiping over it is obligatory rather than washing.
Thirdly: That it be uncovered and both washing it and wiping over it will harm
him. Then he performs tayammum.
Fourthly: That it be covered by a plaster or the likes due to a need. So in this
state he wipes over this covering and he does not have to wash the area covered.
Q24. Are there conditions for wiping over the bandage? Meaning if the need
for it was no longer present?
A24. The bandage is not wiped over except when there is a need. And ‘a need’
is not merely for a wound or pain, rather anything which needs this plaster or
bandage, for example, to strengthen it falls within the need.
Q25. Is a wrapping or muslin included in it’s meaning?
A25. Yes it is. Also know that wiping over the bandage is not like wiping over
the socks in that there is a specific time period, rather he can wipe over it
for as long as the need remains, and likewise he can wipe over it from both the
major and minor impurity not as in the case with the khuffs as has preceded. So
when ghusl is obligatory upon him, he wipes over it (the bandage) as he wipes
over it when making wudu.
Q26. How should he wipe over the bandage? Does he wipe over all of it or a
part of it?
A26. Yes he should wipe over all of it because the principle is that the
replacement has the same ruling as the replaced as long as nothing in the Sunnah
occurs which establishes other than this. So in this case the wiping replaces
the washing, so just as it was necessary to wash the whole limb, then likewise
it is necessary to wipe over the whole bandage. As for wiping over the socks
then this is a concession and the Sunnah states that only a part of it be wiped
(i.e. the top only).
