With regard to wiping over the leather socks, he writes under number 2: “Al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution and wiped over his socks (jawrabayn) and sandals.” It was recorded by Aḥmad, al-Ṭaḥāwī, Ibn Mājah, and al-Tirmidhī, who declared it “good and sound,” whereas Abū Dāwūd graded it weak.

I say: Abū Dāwūd remarks in his Sunan after citing the ḥadīth: “ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī would not report this ḥadīth, because what is well-known from al-Mughīrah is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) wiped over the leather socks (khuffayn).”

I say: You can see that Abū Dāwūd considered it weak not on account of any defect in the chain, but because it appears to conflict with the more familiar narration from al-Mughīrah about the Prophet’s wiping over the leather socks. Yet it is obvious to any reasonable person that this does not