of the foot cannot be explained by the claim that the original obligation and its substitute cannot be combined. Rather, it is because wiping the upper surface of the leather footwear—even with a single stroke of the fingers—suffices for the entire foot. No part of it therefore needs to be washed, whether exposed or covered. This accords with what the master of the sun commanded his community: when travelling, they were not to remove their leather footwear for three days and nights on account of defecation, urination, or sleep. Thus, would not any leather footwear they wore fall within the unrestricted wording of the text?

Similarly, when he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked what clothing a pilgrim in the consecrated state may wear, he replied:

“He must not wear shirts, turbans, trousers, hooded cloaks, or leather footwear. Whoever cannot find sandals should wear leather footwear, cutting it down below the ankles.”

This is how Ibn ʿUmar narrated it. He mentioned that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, delivered these instructions in a sermon while in Medina. At that time, the concession permitting substitutes had not yet been prescribed. He therefore did not permit them to wear trousers when they could not find a waist-wrapper, nor did he permit them to wear leather footwear without qualification.

Later, at ʿArafāt, he said:

“Trousers are for whoever cannot find a waist-wrapper, and leather footwear is for whoever cannot find sandals.”

This is how Ibn ʿAbbās narrated it, and his hadith appears in both Sahīh collections. Jābir also narrated it, and his hadith appears in Sahīh Muslim. Thus, at ʿArafāt, he granted them the concession of using substitutes: he permitted them to wear trousers when they could not find a waist-wrapper, without undoing their seams. This is the position of the majority of scholars; whoever stipulates undoing their seams contradicts the text. At that time, he also permitted them to wear leather footwear