—namely trousers and garments; briefs fall under the same category. Likewise, he mentioned what is worn on the feet, namely leather socks. It is evident that overshoes and ordinary socks fall under the same category. A pilgrim in ihrām is prohibited from wearing these. Correspondingly, wiping over them is permissible for someone outside ihrām and for a pilgrim in ihrām for whom wiping—but not wearing them—is permissible. For the footwear that the pilgrim in ihrām was forbidden to wear is what he was instructed to wipe over.

Similarly, when he instructed people to cleanse themselves with stones after relieving themselves, he specified stones only because they were generally available, not because cleansing with other materials was impermissible. Rather, the correct position is that of the majority, who permit using other materials. This is also the stronger of the two positions reported from Ahmad, because the Prophet prohibited cleansing with dung and decayed bones, saying:

“They are food for your brothers among the jinn.”

Since he prohibited these two materials for this stated reason, it follows that the ruling is not confined to stones; otherwise, there would have been no need to give that reason.

Likewise, according to most scholars, his instruction to give the charity due at the end of Ramadan as one sā' of dates or barley was because these were staple foods. Thus, the people of each land give from their own staple food, even if it is not one of the five specified kinds. Those whose staple is rice or sorghum, for example, give from that, according to most scholars. This is also one of the two positions reported from Ahmad.

His prohibition on cleansing with dung and decayed bones does not constitute permission to cleanse with everything else. Rather, using human food or fodder for their animals for cleansing is even more deserving of prohibition than