If any of you makes ablution and puts on his leather socks, let him pray while having them on, and let him wipe over them without taking them off, if he wishes, except in the state of Janābah (major ritual impurity)

Arabic text

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رضي الله عنه أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ أَحَدُكُمْ وَلَبِسَ خُفَّيْهِ فَلْيُصَلِّ فِيهِمَا، وَلْيَمْسَحْ عَلَيْهِمَا ثُمَّ لَا يَخْلَعْهُمَا إِنْ شَاءَ إِلَّا مِنْ جَنَابَةٍ».

Translation

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If any of you makes ablution and puts on his leather socks, let him pray while having them on, and let him wipe over them without taking them off, if he wishes, except in the state of Janābah (major ritual impurity)."

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that if a Muslim puts on his leather socks after performing ablution, then later he becomes in the state of Hadath (minor ritual impurity) and wants to make ablution, he is permitted to wipe over them if he wishes. He can pray while having them on without taking them off for a specific period unless he becomes in the state of Janābah, in which case he must take off the leather socks to take a ritual bath.

Benefits

• It is impermissible to wipe over leather socks unless they are worn after complete ritual purification.
• The prescribed wiping period for the resident is: one day and one night, and for the traveler: three days with their nights.
• Wiping over leather socks is restricted to minor, not major, Hadath (ritual impurity). In the case of major Hadath, wiping is impermissible; rather, one must take off the leather socks and wash the feet.
• It is recommended to pray while having shoes on, leather socks, and the like by way of opposing the Jews, in case they are pure and bear no harm for those praying or for the mosque, like the mosques that have carpets, in which case one should not pray while having them on.
• Wiping over leather socks entails facilitation and alleviation for this Ummah.

Topics

• Jurisprudence and Juristic Principles
• Jurisprudence of Acts of Worship
• Purification
• Wiping Over Leather Socks and the like