Thus, for a resident it is twenty-four hours, and for a traveller it is seventy-two hours.

As for the common people’s claim that the period is five prayers, this is incorrect. A person may pray more than that while the wiping period still remains, if he is resident. For example, if he puts on the leather socks for the dawn prayer and remains in a state of purity until he prays the night prayer, that is a complete day which is not counted for him, because the period before the first wiping is not counted. Then, if he wipes over them the following day for the dawn prayer and remains in a state of purity until the night prayer on the third day, he will have prayed fifteen prayers while resident.

Over something pure …

His statement, “over something pure”: this is the second condition for the validity of wiping over the leather socks: the item worn must be intrinsically pure.

The term “pure” may refer to something intrinsically pure, thereby excluding that which is intrinsically impure.

It may also refer to something upon which no impurity has fallen, as when one says, “You must pray in a pure garment,” meaning one that has not been touched by impurity.

What is meant here is intrinsic purity, since some leather socks are intrinsically impure, such as socks made from donkey hide. Others are intrinsically pure but have become impure; that is, impurity has come into contact with them, such as leather socks made from the hide of a properly slaughtered camel which has then been touched by impurity. The impurity of the former is intrinsic, whereas that of the latter is acquired. Accordingly, it is permissible to wipe over leather socks that have become impure, but one may not pray in them, because avoiding impurity is a condition for the prayer.

The benefit of this is that this ablution permits him to touch a copy of the Quran, because