The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, instructed us, when we were travelling or on a journey, not to remove our leather socks for three days and their nights, except because of major ritual impurity, but not because of defecation, urination, or sleep.”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said:

“When a servant falls ill or travels, the deeds he used to perform while healthy and resident are recorded for him.”

And he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Travel is a portion of torment: it deprives you of your sleep, food, and drink. So when one of you has accomplished the purpose of his journey, let him hasten back to his family.”

These texts, and others from the Book and Sunnah, make no distinction between long and short journeys. Whoever distinguishes between them has thus separated what Allah has treated alike, making a distinction with no basis in the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of His Messenger.

This practice—whereby the Lawgiver attaches a ruling to whatever falls under an unqualified term, while some people distinguish between its different kinds without any evidence from revelation—has parallels. One is that the Lawgiver attached purification to whatever is called water, in His words:

“and find no water, then seek clean earth.”

He did not distinguish between one kind of water and another, nor did He divide water into two categories: merely pure and purifying.

Another is that the Lawgiver attached the ruling on wiping to whatever is called a leather sock, without distinguishing between one kind and another. This therefore includes those that are split or have holes, and other kinds, without any specified restriction. Nor did the Lawgiver stipulate that they must remain in place by themselves.