Rules Regarding Wiping Over Khuffs (Footgear)

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Is it permissible for one to wash his feet only, and after that to wear the leather socks and then to perform wudu wiping over the leather socks?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam,

I pray that you are well, insha’Allah.

Yes, it would be permitted to wash your feet and immediately wear your footgear (khuffs). However, it would only be valid to wipe over them if you did not do anything that would nullify your ablution between wearing your footgear and actually performing the ablution (wudu).

It is a condition for the validity of wiping (masah) over footgear that they be worn in a state of complete ritual purity. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah; `Ala al-Din `Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-`Ala’iyya]

For example, let’s say Zaid, when requiring ablution, washes his feet and wears his footgear at 9am. Then, at 11am he uses the washroom. He would now be required to wash his feet again. On the other hand, were he to perform the ablution at 10am, his ablution would be valid and he would not need to wash his feet again nor wipe at this point (as he already washed them at 9am).

And Allah knows best.

Wassalam,

Tabraze Azam

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani