I asked: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) may I wipe over the socks? He replied: Yes. He asked: For one day? He replied: For one day. He again asked: And for two days? He replied: For two days too. He again asked: And for three days? He replied: Yes, as long as you wish.
Abu Dawud said: Another version says: He asked him about the period until he reached the period of seven days. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied: Yes, as long as you wish (i.e. there is no time limit).
Abu Dawud said: There is a variance in the chain of narrators of this tradition. The chain is not strong.
Another chain from Yahya b. Ayyub is also disputed.
Purification (Kitab Al-Taharah) - Sunan Abi Dawud 158
The hadith addresses the permissibility of wiping over leather socks (khuffayn) during ablution, a significant concession in Islamic ritual purity laws that demonstrates the Shariah's consideration for practical ease.
Textual Analysis & Juridical Ruling
The initial exchange establishes a minimum period of one to three days for wiping over socks, while the extended version mentions seven days. The Prophet's final response "as long as you wish" indicates this is a concession (rukhsah) not bound by strict temporal limits, provided the socks remain pure and undamaged.
Classical scholars interpreted this as establishing the legitimacy of masah (wiping) over khuffayn as an alternative to washing feet during wudu, with the majority view permitting this for 24 hours for residents and 72 hours for travelers.
Conditions for Valid Wiping
The socks must be worn after complete ablution, must cover the entire foot up to the ankles, and be made of material that prevents water penetration while being sturdy enough for walking.
Wiping becomes invalid if major ritual impurity occurs (requiring ghusl), if the socks are removed, or if they develop holes exposing parts of the foot that require washing.
Method of Wiping
The proper method involves moistening the hands and wiping the top of each sock once, from toes to shin, following the sunnah practice of the Companions. This symbolic act substitutes for washing the feet in wudu.
Scholarly Note on Chain Weakness
As noted by Imam Abu Dawud, this particular chain contains variance and weakness. However, the ruling of wiping over socks is established through multiple authentic narrations in other collections, making the juridical ruling sound despite this specific chain's weakness.