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f:85 -    Wiping over socks
 Country : Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,
Name : Raees Sufi Chishti Abul Ulaai
Question:     Is it permissible to do masa'ah on feet wearing normal socks while performing wudu? since I saw many people performing accordingly.

Please advise on this issue.

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Answer:     In Wudhu, it is Obligatory (Fardh) to wash the ankles, but on wearing socks, the Shariah has given the leniency that once a person performs Wudhu and wears socks, then from the time of invalidation of the Wudhu, a person in his own native place can simply wipe his hands over the socks (i.e. perform Masah) instead of washing the feet for 1 day and night.  A traveler can do so for 3 days and 3 nights.  As mentioned in Fatawa A'alamgiri, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 31.

(A traveler is a person who leaves his/her native city with the intention of traveling and staying in a new city etc. for a period of less than 15 days.  If the intention is of staying for more than 15 days, then that person becomes a native (Muqeem) for that place)

We should understand here what the term "socks" means:

In the light of the Hadith, the Jurists have said:

1.  Socks should be that the ankles are covered by them and they stay on the feet without tying them.

2.  It does not matter whether they are made of leather or some other material, water should not pass through them.

3.  They should be such that after wearing them, the person should be able to walk and move about as before.

As mentioned in Fatawa A'alamgiri, Vol. 1, Kitab Ut Taharah, Pg. No. 32.

The socks which are normally worn nowadays are such that water passes through them.  Thus, they are not included in this command of the Shariah.  Wiping over them is not correct.  It is compulsory to remove them and wash the feet.  Without this, the Wudhu will not be valid at all.

And Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) knows best.

Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Qadri

[Professor, Islamic Law, Jamia Nizamia,
Founder-Director Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center]
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