The Book on Traveling - Jami' at-Tirmidhi

Hadith Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 611

Hadith Text

"I saw Jarir bin Abdullah performing Wudu and wiping over his Khuff." He said: "So I asked him: 'What is that?' He said: 'I saw the Prophet performing Wudu and he wiped over his Khuff.' So I said to him: 'Before Al-Ma'idah or after Al-Ma'idah?' He said: 'I did not accept Islam until after Al-Ma'idah.'"

Scholarly Commentary

This narration establishes the permissibility of wiping over leather socks (khuff) during ablution, which is a recognized concession in Islamic jurisprudence. The question about "before or after Al-Ma'idah" refers to Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:6) which details the procedure for purification. Jarir's response confirms that this practice was established after the revelation of this verse, thus demonstrating its continued validity in Islamic law.

The wisdom behind this concession is the ease and facilitation it provides to travelers and those facing difficulty in removing their footwear for complete washing of feet. This hadith illustrates the principle that acts witnessed from the Prophet after the final revelation remain binding upon the Muslim community.

Classical scholars have detailed conditions for wiping over khuff: they must be worn after proper ablution, cover the required area of the foot, and be made of material that prevents water from penetrating. The duration of this concession is typically one day for residents and three days for travelers.

Legal Ruling

The majority of scholars from the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools consider wiping over khuff to be permissible based on this and other authentic narrations. This ruling represents one of the many examples where Islamic law provides practical concessions while maintaining the objectives of purification.