Chapter on the rulings for wiping over khuffs (leather socks) and other coverings

Our religion is one of ease, not one of hardship and constraint. For every circumstance it assigns rulings that best serve people’s interests and remove difficulty. Among these rulings is what Allah has legislated for wuduʾ (ablution): when one of the limbs to be washed is covered by something whose removal would be difficult and which must remain in place—whether to protect the feet, like khuffs and the like; to protect the head, like a turban; or to protect a wound, like a splint—the Lawgiver has granted the person performing wuduʾ a concession to wipe over such coverings and dispense with removing them and washing what lies beneath. This is out of His mercy, exalted be He, and to lift hardship from His servants.

Wiping over the khuffs—or over whatever takes their place, such as socks—and thereby sufficing instead of washing the feet is confirmed by authentic, widely-circulated, consecutively transmitted hadiths. They relate that the Prophet ﷺ wiped over them while resident and while travelling, commanded it, and granted a license for it.

Al-Hasan said, “Seventy of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told me that he wiped…”