It is well known that the Khawarij do not accept wiping over leather socks; thus, this report of his supports his doctrinal position. Perhaps for this reason some hadith masters, including Ibn Abd al-Barr, rejected it in al-Tamhid. After listing a number of Companions who wiped over leather socks, beginning with Umar and Ali and ending with Abu Hurayrah, he said (11/138):

“No contrary report has been narrated from anyone other than them, except for something unestablished from Aishah, Ibn Abbas, and Abu Hurayrah.”

Al-Hafiz commented on this in al-Talkhis (1/158):

“I say: Ahmad said, ‘Abu Hurayrah’s hadith denying wiping is not authentic; it is false.’”

Here I must mention two observations:

First: Ibn Abd al-Barr included Abu Hurayrah among those who wiped over leather socks, yet to this day I have not found from him a chain sufficient to establish this as proof—except what I have mentioned of his narration from the Prophet that he said something similar to the hadith cited above, and except what Ibn Abi Shaybah transmitted (1/184) by way of Aban ibn Abd Allah, from someone who narrated from Abu Hurayrah:

“The Prophet wiped over leather socks.”

Ahmad (2/358) and al-Bayhaqi (1/107) also transmitted it through this route, in a more complete version, with the wording: “A freedman of Abu Hurayrah narrated to me: I heard Abu Hurayrah say: The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Bring me water for minor ablution.’ So I brought him water for minor ablution. He cleansed himself after relieving himself, then put his hand into the soil and rubbed it, then washed it. He then performed minor ablution and wiped over his leather socks. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you have not washed your feet!’ He said:”