Can I Skip Washing My Feet for Ablution If I Am in Public Bathroom?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

I performed wudu’ for Dhuhr prayer and prayed. Then I went outside with that wudu. After half an hour, I saw that it was time to pray ‘Asr. I wondered if I needed to make wudu again, so I did. In Europe, it’s easy to find a washroom with a basin where I can make wudu’ but it is difficult to wash my feet.

In this case, will it be ok if I do not wash my feet as I was wearing my shoes and socks?

Answer

Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for being conscious of your purification and prayer.

Wudu’ (Ablution)

In your situation, if your ablution had not been nullified, there was no need for you to perform it again to pray ‘Asr. If it had been nullified, or you wished to renew your ablution for the reward, the feet would have to be washed or your socks would have to be wiped over with certain conditions. Simply not washing the feet, nor wiping the socks would cause your ablution to be invalid.

Please see these links for more details and consider taking a course with us on the Absolute Essentials for the fiqh of worship:
What are the characteristics of the socks which makes wiping over them permissible?
Can One Wipe Over Thick Wool Socks in Wudu?
I Used to Wipe Over Socks. Should I Repeat These Prayers? (Shafi’i)
Wudu at work is difficult

Course Suggestion:
On Worship (Purification, Prayer, Fasting, Zakat, and Hajj): Ba Fadl’s The Short Abridgement
Absolute Essentials of Islam (Shafi‘i)