without clear insight. By Allah’s favor their ignorance has been laid bare before the people and Allah has disgraced them. Had they only concealed themselves, refrained from speaking about what they do not know, and exercised pious caution, that would have been far more complete and more honorable for them before Allah and before mankind. Let us take heed of this.

We affirm the permissibility of wiping over leather socks, whether one is travelling or staying at home, exactly as the transmitted reports state.

Why does the author raise this question—a point of jurisprudence—in a treatise on creed?

Because the innovators denied it while the people of the Sunnah upheld it, and the reports about wiping over the leather socks have reached the level of multiple uninterrupted transmission from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Those best known for rejecting the practice are the Rāfiḍah. In this they oppose the people of the Sunnah and the authentic hadiths. The ruling is well established: a resident may wipe for one day and one night, and a traveller for three days and nights. This is a concession and an easing granted by Allah to His servants.

The Rāfiḍah, however, reject wiping over leather socks and claim instead that one should wipe over the bare feet. This is a gross distortion, for no scholar maintains that view. Whoever abandons the truth, Allah tests him with falsehood.

The Rāfiḍah seek proof for wiping over the feet from the verse, “…and wipe over your heads and your feet…” ⦗Al-Māʾidah: 6⦘, reading “your feet” in the genitive so that it is linked to “heads.” Since the heads are wiped, they argue, the feet must likewise be wiped.