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Wiping over khuffs and socks

المسح على الخفين والجوربين

In wudu, wiping over leather khuffs or socks instead of washing the feet: the conditions, the way, how long, and what ends it.

Sahih

Instead of washing the feet in wudu, one who put on khuffs or socks while in a state of wudu may wipe over them. The Prophet ﷺ did so, and told al-Mughira not to take them off, since he had put them on when his feet were pure.

The majority set a time: a day and a night for the resident, three days and nights for the traveller. The Malikis set none. Each step names the views.

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The conditions

  1. The conditions

    They were put on after a complete wudu, with the feet washed.

    Sources: Sahih al-Bukhari 206; Wiping over khuffs is allowed when its conditions are met (islamweb fatwa 5345)

  2. The conditions

    They cover the whole foot up to the ankles, stay on firmly enough to walk in, are pure, and are lawful to wear.

    Sources: Wiping over khuffs is allowed when its conditions are met (islamweb fatwa 5345)

  3. The conditions

    They are thick enough that the skin does not show through.

    Most scholars: condition

    Where the schools differ

    Most jurists require this. Ibn Taymiyya and some contemporary scholars allow wiping over thin socks that still count as socks, and islamweb's fatwa prefers that, as the concession rests on ease.

    Sources: Wiping over khuffs is allowed when its conditions are met (islamweb fatwa 5345)

How to wipe

  1. How to wipe

    With wet hands, wipe once over the top of each, the right hand over the right foot and the left over the left; not the soles.

    Sources: Sunan Abi Dawud 162; Wiping over khuffs is allowed when its conditions are met (islamweb fatwa 5345)

How long

  1. How long

    A day and a night for the resident; three days and nights for the traveller, counted from the first wiping.

    Most scholars: description

    Where the schools differ

    This is the majority view, on the hadith in Muslim. The Malikis set no limit and make no difference between the resident and the traveller, relying on a hadith that Ibn Ma'in and al-Bukhari judged weak. islamweb's fatwa holds the majority view stronger.

    Sources: Sahih Muslim 276a; Wiping over socks after the period ended, and the prayer prayed (islamweb fatwa 180631); What ends the wiping over khuffs (islamweb fatwa 12368)

What ends it

  1. What ends it

    Major impurity: whoever needs ghusl takes them off and washes the feet.

    All four schools: breaks it

    Sources: Jami' at-Tirmidhi 96; What ends the wiping over khuffs (islamweb fatwa 12368)

  2. What ends it

    Taking off one or both, or the end of the period, ends the wiping.

    Where the schools differ

    Scholars differ on whether the wudu itself is broken then; islamweb's fatwa prefers that it is not.

    Sources: What ends the wiping over khuffs (islamweb fatwa 12368)

Evidence

Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 206

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ، عَنْ عَامِرٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي سَفَرٍ، فَأَهْوَيْتُ لأَنْزِعَ خُفَّيْهِ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ دَعْهُمَا، فَإِنِّي أَدْخَلْتُهُمَا طَاهِرَتَيْنِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَمَسَحَ عَلَيْهِمَا‏.‏

Narrated `Urwa bin Al-Mughira:My father said, "Once I was in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) on a journey and I dashed to take off his Khuffs (socks made from thick fabric or leather). He ordered me to leave them as he had put them after performing ablution. So he passed wet hands over them

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Sahih

Sahih Muslim 276a

Grades
GraderVerdict
MuslimSahih (included by Muslim in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا الثَّوْرِيُّ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ قَيْسٍ الْمُلاَئِيِّ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ عُتَيْبَةَ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُخَيْمِرَةَ، عَنْ شُرَيْحِ بْنِ هَانِئٍ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ عَائِشَةَ أَسْأَلُهَا عَنِ الْمَسْحِ، عَلَى الْخُفَّيْنِ فَقَالَتْ عَلَيْكَ بِابْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَسَلْهُ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يُسَافِرُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ فَسَأَلْنَاهُ فَقَالَ جَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَيَالِيَهُنَّ لِلْمُسَافِرِ وَيَوْمًا وَلَيْلَةً لِلْمُقِيمِ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَكَانَ سُفْيَانُ إِذَا ذَكَرَ عَمْرًا أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ‏.‏

Shuraih b. Hani said:I came to 'A'isha to ask her about wiping over the socks. She said: You better ask ('Ali) son of Abu Talib for he used to travel with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). We asked him and he said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stipulated (the upper limit) of three days and three nights for a traveller and one day and one night for the resident

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Sahih

Sunan Abi Dawud 162

Grades
GraderVerdict
Al-AlbaniSahih (Sahih)
Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul HamidSahih (Sahih)
Shuaib Al ArnautSahih (Sahih)
Zubair Ali ZaiDaif (Da'if)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ غِيَاثٍ - عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ خَيْرٍ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ لَوْ كَانَ الدِّينُ بِالرَّأْىِ لَكَانَ أَسْفَلُ الْخُفِّ أَوْلَى بِالْمَسْحِ مِنْ أَعْلاَهُ وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَمْسَحُ عَلَى ظَاهِرِ خُفَّيْهِ ‏.‏

Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: If the religion were based on opinion, it would be more important to wipe the under part of the shoe than the upper but I have seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wiping over the upper part of his shoes

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Hasan

Jami' at-Tirmidhi 96

Grades
GraderVerdict
Ahmad Muhammad ShakirHasan (Hasan)
Al-AlbaniHasan (Hasan)
Bashar Awad MaaroufHasan Sahih (Hasan)
Zubair Ali ZaiIsnaad Hasan (Hasan)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ أَبِي النَّجُودِ، عَنْ زِرِّ بْنِ حُبَيْشٍ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ عَسَّالٍ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَأْمُرُنَا إِذَا كُنَّا سَفْرًا أَنْ لاَ نَنْزِعَ خِفَافَنَا ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَيَالِيَهُنَّ إِلاَّ مِنْ جَنَابَةٍ وَلَكِنْ مِنْ غَائِطٍ وَبَوْلٍ وَنَوْمٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَقَدْ رَوَى الْحَكَمُ بْنُ عُتَيْبَةَ وَحَمَّادٌ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ النَّخَعِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْجَدَلِيِّ عَنْ خُزَيْمَةَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ وَلاَ يَصِحُّ ‏.‏ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْمَدِينِيِّ قَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ شُعْبَةُ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ النَّخَعِيُّ مِنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْجَدَلِيِّ حَدِيثَ الْمَسْحِ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ زَائِدَةُ عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ كُنَّا فِي حُجْرَةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ وَمَعَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ النَّخَعِيُّ فَحَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ التَّيْمِيُّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْجَدَلِيِّ عَنْ خُزَيْمَةَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْمَسْحِ عَلَى الْخُفَّيْنِ ‏.‏ قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ أَحْسَنُ شَيْءٍ فِي هَذَا الْبَابِ حَدِيثُ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ عَسَّالٍ الْمُرَادِيِّ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَكْثَرِ الْعُلَمَاءِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَالتَّابِعِينَ وَمَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْفُقَهَاءِ مِثْلِ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ وَابْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ وَالشَّافِعِيِّ وَأَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ قَالُوا يَمْسَحُ الْمُقِيمُ يَوْمًا وَلَيْلَةً وَالْمُسَافِرُ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَلَيَالِيَهُنَّ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُوَقِّتُوا فِي الْمَسْحِ عَلَى الْخُفَّيْنِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَالتَّوْقِيتُ أَصَحُّ ‏.‏ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ عَسَّالٍ أَيْضًا مِنْ غَيْرِ حَدِيثِ عَاصِمٍ ‏.‏

Safwan bin Assal narrated:'When we were traveling, Allah's Messenger would order us not to remove our Khuff for three days and nights, except for Janabah, but not for defecating, urinating, and sleep

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