Can You Wipe Over Any Footwear?
The Conditions and Jurisprudential Rulings on Wiping Over Footwear in Wudoo
Summary
Sh. Ali Mashhour discusses the detailed conditions and regulations for wiping over footwear (khuff) during wudoo in Islamic jurisprudence. He explains that the essential conditions are that footwear must be put on after completing full wudoo, and wiping is limited to one day and night for residents or three days and nights for travelers, with the timer beginning at the first wipe. Sh. Ali Mashhour clarifies that the material of the footwear is irrelevant—whether leather, socks, or cloth wraps—and that footwear does not need to be above the ankles or free from imperfections. He supports his arguments by referencing the diverse circumstances of the companions, including historical examples like the Battle of the Patches where companions wrapped cloth around their feet and wiped over them, and the practice during Hajj when footwear must be below the ankles. Sh. Ali Mashhour emphasizes that as long as footwear retains its basic form and covers most of the foot, it is suitable for wiping, arguing that stricter conditions imposed by later jurists are unreasonable given the actual state of the companions.
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Alhamdulillah.
[Silence]
If.
[Silence]
Now we are after having discussed the conditions of wiping over the footwear and we mentioned that these conditions are essentially number one that a person puts the footwear on having made full wool washing their feet. Number two, that the individual do not go past the allotted time, which is one day a night for a resident, three days, and three nights for the traveler. As long as a person has these conditions fulfilled, they may wipe over their footwear. And when does that timer or when does that time start?
[Arabic recitation]
The first time we wipe over them in making mudoo. And what is set by that time is not the wudoo itself but actually the what? The wiping itself. The woo itself can go past that. A person could conceivably wipe over their footwear and then have woo for 36 hours. Right? The point is is that to wipe again it is only 24 hours and 72 hours for the traveler. We also mention that the person is to wipe on top of the footwear and that anything that is considered wiping is acceptable. And I also showed you how the prophet sallallah.aii was used to wipe it. As for the material of the footwear, does the material matter in the correct opinion? No, it does not. If it did, I want you to imagine something. Imagine with me the companions. They come from all walks of life, right? From all over the Arab peninsula and outside. Some of them are even from Persia. Some of them even live with the Romans. And they had many different things that they wore on their feet. Correct? Some of them wore leather, some of them wore shoes, some of them wore socks, some of them wore obviously they didn't all have one standardized thing that they wore, especially given the fact that they were so poor at the very beginning of the establishment of the Islamic State in Medina. So the prophet sallallah.aii alaihi wasallam would have seen that they have different things on their feet and having taught them to wipe over their footwear. Would if the material mattered would he have not mentioned that emphatically? Would he have not clarified that seeing that some of them were shoes always? So in 10 years he would have at least said don't wipe over shoes only wipe over leather. At least there would be one narration two narrations. Right? Second of all what about if the footwear is damaged? If it has a hole or if it has can a person wipe over it or not? Again, imagine the companions, the women that prayed behind the companions. They were not allowed to raise their head from sujud until the men were completely standing. Why? Because they had so little clothing on that if the women would have raised their heads first, they might see some of the people in front of them might see some of their private parts because they were so poor. Is it is it conceivable that they all had pristine footwear on, brand new, no holes, not worn out, perfect? Absolutely not. Right. Not only that, but in the battle of and it's called the battle of the battle of the patches or the rags. One of the reasons it was referred to as the battle of is because the companions walked so far that their shoes fell apart. So what did they do? They ripped parts of their clothing and wrapped their feet. Imagine a a mummy how it would wrap wrap their feet in it. and they wiped over these wraps. Did these wraps completely cover every single part of their foot? No. Their toes would be sticking out. Their heels would be sticking out as a person would be. But emphatically and specifically and others say we wrapped our feet and wiped over the wraps. Right? So if there's a hole or if there is a a a cut or a place in the footwear that is damaged or thin, this won't affect it as long as it is mostly covering the foot. Some scholars say it has to at least mostly cover the foot, mostly be considered intact, right? Another thing that is mentioned in a as a condition of footwear that is suitable for wiping over is that it be above the ankles. Now this is an issue that is debated amongst the scholars. However, back to our original concept here, and that is that the companions, did they all have shoes and leather socks that went above their ankles or those wraps went above their ankles? Every one of them? No. And so had this been a condition we would have some kind of narrations mentioning it especially during Hajj. Why during Hajj and Omrah? Why? What is the condition of footwear in Haj and Omrah? Who here has been to Hajj or Omra? Who here has been in? Is it permissible for a person's shoes or socks to go above the ankles? No, it is not. The prophet sallall.aii wasallam sawb during wearing a pair of leather leather moccasins or leather socks that were above his ankles and he told him to cut them to below his ankles. When a person is in haram, it is not permissible to wear footwear that goes above the ankles. So now you imagine hundreds, thousands of companions that are making Hajj with him. Did they wipe over their socks and shoes or not? Definitely yes. And were their socks and shoes below the ankles or not? Definitely yes. And did he tell them take your shoes off if they are not above the ankles? Definitely no. We don't have a single narration like that. Which leads us to the the opinion it is or to the sunnah which identifies for us that the sunnah of the prophet sallall.aii wasallam is that the footwear it doesn't matter what material it's made of. We heard that he wiped over socks and shoes, leather, and all kinds of other things. It doesn't have to go above the ankles. It doesn't have to be free of any imperfections. It can have a hole or something here and there. As long as it still retains the name of what it is and it is covering most of the foot, does not have to go above the ankles. And so these are in fulfilling the reality of the state of being that the companions were in. If we open a book of some of the fukah, especially the later faukah, we see that they have it must be above the ankles and it must be free of imperfections and it must be made. This these conditions are unreasonable for the state of being that the companions were in. for.
[Silence]
Sir.