1. Allah Intends Ease for His Slaves – Practicability in Worshipping Him
The Shari’ah of Islam has been revealed for man’s benefit,
designed to facilitate mankind’s and societal needs in worshipping Allah. One
of the pillars which Islamic legislation is based upon is the removal of
difficulties wherever possible[1].
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make
things difficult for you.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:185)
In recognition of the difficulty in removing clothing or
covering such as socks on the feet for purposes of wudhu’ (ablution,
purification from minor ritual impurity), Allah facilitates ease of worship by Revealing
the concession of making wudhu’ - the permissibility on wiping over socks
instead of complete washing of the feet.
2. Evidence on the Permissibility of Wiping Over the Socks
Al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah said:
I was one night with the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) on a journey.
He said to me: Have
you any water with you? I said: Yes. He (the Holy Prophet) came down from his
ride and went on till he disappeared in the darkness of night. He then came
back and I poured water for him from the jar.
He washed his face, He had a woollen gown on him and he could not bring
out his forearms from it (i. e. from its sleeves) and consequently he brought
them out from under his gown. He washed his forearms, wiped over his head. I
then bent down to take off his socks.
But he said:
‘Leave them, for my feet were clean (i.e. I had wudhu’) when I put them
in,’ and he only wiped over them. [2]
The hadith above is mutafaqq ‘alaihi (agreed upon by
Al-Bukhari & Muslim). The permissibility of wiping over socks for wudhu’ is
well established in many mutawatir[3]
and sahih (authentic) ahadith, whether the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) was at home or on a journey. [4]
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, “There is not a shadow of doubt
in my mind concerning the legality of wiping over the khuffs (i.e. socks), as
there are forty ahadith of the Prophet indicating its permissibility” [5]
3. Way to wipe over socks
Wiping on socks (for ablution) is to be by passing one’s wet
fingers from one’s toes towards one’s leg, – no complete washing
necessary.
The right foot is to be wiped over with the right hand, and
vice versa. Also, one should not repeat wiping[6]
This is based on the hadith of Al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah who
reported that the Prophet performed Wudhu’ and he wiped over
his socks and sandals. [7]
Ali ibn Abi Talib narrated: “If the religion were based on opinion,
it would be more important to wipe the under part of the socks instead of than
the upper; but I have seen the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) wiping over the upper part of his shoes.” [8]
If a person takes off his socks after wiping over them, his
wudhu’ is not invalidated according to the correct view. [9]
4. Types of socks to be wiped
In hadith of Al-Mugheerah previously, the Prophet wiped over
his khuffs – a type of leather socks. It also was narrated that al-Mugheerah
ibn Shu’bah said: “The Prophet did wudoo’ and wiped over his jawrab and
shoes.” [10]
Abu Bakr ibn al-‘Arabi said: jawrab means a thin cover for
the feet made of wool, worn to keep the feet warm.
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 (referred to as
“khuff”) 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.[11]
5. Conditions of Wiping Over the Socks/Khuffs
1. One must have wudhu’ (Ablutions) before putting on the socks
In the earlier quoted hadith, when Al-Mugheerah wanted to
assist the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) to remove his khuffs for purposes of wudhu’,
the Prophet had told him
“Leave them, for my
feet were clean (i.e. I had wudhu’) when I put them in, and he only wiped over
them “[12]
This ruling applies if the socks were put on during the
state of already having wudhu’, and is not valid in a state of ritual impurity.
2. Socks must be pure (tahir)
The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) led his companions in prayer one day wearing
shoes, which he took off whilst he was praying. He said that angel Jibreel had
told him that there was something dirty on them. [13]
This indicates that it is not permissible to pray wearing
anything that is contaminated by that najaasah (impurity).
If socks have offensive odour (though not necessarily of
impurities), it is recommended to make wudhu’ without wiping over the socks
(i.e. wash the feet instead). [14]
The Prophet said, “He who eats onion and
garlic and leek, should not approach our mosque for the angels are harmed by
the same things as the children of Adam (i.e. offensive odour)” [15]
3. Khuffs must be halal
In principle, legal permission is not applied to what is
already illegal (haram). The socks to be wiped over must be lawfully obtained
& acquired (i.e. halal, not obtained by force/theft), and lawfully made
(i.e. cannot be of silk origin for men) [16]
4. Socks must completely cover feet up to ankles
One cannot wipe over them unless they are thick enough and
covering the parts of the feet which are to be washed (i.e. up to the ankles) [17]
Regarding socks with holes, the correct view is that it is
permissible to wipe over socks that have holes in them.
Ibn Taymiyah said: “When
the Messenger of Allaah 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…”
[18]
If holes/defects to socks had any effect on permissibility
of wiping over them, the Prophet would have stated that clearly; one of the
basic principles of usool al-fiqh is that it is not permitted to delay
explaining something when it is needed. [19]
5. Wiping applicable for minor purification only – not for major purification (janabah)
Safwan ibn ‘Assaal (RAH) said: “We were on a journey, and
we were commanded not to remove our Khuffs (socks) for three days and nights,
unless we were in a state of Janabah (ritual impurity due to sexual discharge),
but not (to remove the rocks) due to urine, sleep or stool” [20]
6. Wiping within the time duration
The Prophet said: “The time
limit for wiping over the socks for a traveller is three days (and three
nights) and for a resident it is one day and one night.” [21]
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. [22]
There is no evidence indicating wudhu’ is broken when the
time limit for wiping over the socks expires, because what the basic principle
is that he remains as he is until it becomes apparent that this is no longer
the case. [23]
References
1. Muhammad Subhi bin Hasan Hallaq (2007) “Fiqh –
According to the Quran and Sunnah” Darussalam: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2. Dr Salih Al-Fawzan (2005) – “A summary of Islamic
Jurispudence, vol.1” – Al-Maiman Publishing House: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
3. Islam Q&A - “Rulings of Wiping Over Socks” -
http://www.islam-qa.com/en/cat/2035
4. Dr Bilal Phillips (2006) – “The Evolution of Fiqh” International
Islamic Publishing House: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
5. Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Daud,
Muwatta of Malik – accessed online at http://www.searchtruth.com
[1]
“Evolution of Fiqh”, Section 1: ‘First Stage: Foundation’
[3]
i.e. widely narrated by numerous companions
[4]
“Summary of Islamic Jurisprudence”, Chapter 8
[5]
See Al-I’lam Befawa’idh Umdatul Ahkam [1/615]
[6]
Dr Salih Al-Fauzan – “Summary of Islamic Jurispudence”, pg 51
[7]Sunan
Abu Dawud (#159), At-Tirmidzi (99), ibn Majah (559) and others
[9]
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 11/193.
[10]
At-Tirmidzi, 92; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi,
no. 86
[11]
Al-Muhalla, 1/321
[13]
Musnad Ahmad, narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri
[14]
Salih Al-Munajjid, Islam Q&A
[16]
Dr Salih Al-Fauzan – “Summary of Islamic Jurispudence”, pg 49
[17]
Ibid. Pg 49
[18]
Ibn Taymiyah, Majmu’ al-Fataawa (21/174)
[19]
Salih Al-Munajjid, Islam Q&A
[20]
Narrated by At-Tirmidzi (no. 96), An-Nasa’I (1/83), Ahmad (4/239) and others –
At-Tirmidzi graded this hadith as Hasan-sahih, quoting Al-Bukhari – “the best
hadith on the subject is the hadith of safwan”
[22]
I’laam al-Musaafireen bi Ba’d Aadaab wa Ahkaam al-Safar by Shaykh ibn
al-‘Uthaymeen p.14
[23]
Ibid.
