Chapter: Wiping over Leather Socks

He was asked—may Allah have mercy on him—about the scholars’ views on wiping over leather socks:

Is it a condition that the sock have no holes, so that no part of the foot is exposed? Is there a limit to the extent of holes allowed? Which view is best supported by the evidence, in accordance with the words of the Most High:

“If you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and best in outcome.”

People need to know this.

The Answer

He replied:

There are two well-known scholarly views on this issue. The position of Mālik, Abū Hanīfah, Ibn al-Mubārak and others is that wiping over socks with small holes is permissible, although they differ over what constitutes a small hole. Some scholars of Ahmad’s school also adopted this view.

The position of al-Shāfi‘ī, Ahmad and others is that wiping is permissible only over socks that cover the entire area required to be washed.

They argue that if part of the foot is exposed, the obligation for the exposed part is washing, while the obligation for the covered part is wiping. This would entail combining washing