using the word “permissible.” Does permissibility here refer to the length of the period, or to the ruling itself?
If it refers to the length of the period, there is no difficulty: that is, the permissibility is restricted to this period.
But if it refers to the ruling itself, there may be a difficulty, namely that wiping over leather socks for one who is wearing them is sunnah, whereas removing them in order to wash the feet is an innovation contrary to the sunnah.
This difficulty may, however, be answered by saying that the author used the term “permissible” in refutation of those who hold it to be prohibited. This does not contradict its being legislated. Scholars use wording that implies permissibility in response to those who hold something prohibited, even though, in their view, the ruling is not confined to mere permissibility; rather, it is either obligatory or recommended.
A similar example is the statement of some scholars: “One who enters into the state of consecration for Hajj alone, without having brought a sacrificial animal, may change it to an Umrah, thereby becoming one performing tamattuʿ.” (1)
The use of the preposition indicating permissibility is in response to those who prohibit this, for some scholars maintain that it is impermissible because it entails invalidating an act of worship.
His statement, “for a resident,” includes both one permanently settled and one temporarily resident, because the jurists—may Allah have mercy on them—hold that people fall into three categories:
The first is temporary residence.
The second is permanent settlement.
The third is travel.
They distinguish between the rulings of these states.
The correct view is that there are only permanent settlement and travel. This was the view preferred by Shaykh al-Islam (2): temporary residence, regarded as a third category having distinct rulings, has no basis in the Quran or the sunnah.
According to the jurists, temporary residence is when a traveller stays for a period that prevents him from shortening the prayer and availing himself of the concessions granted to travellers, while not becoming permanently settled. In that case, he is considered a resident, so he does not