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One can only wipe over the socks if he wears them whilst in a state of purity

Question

I want to ask about wiping over the socks. If I take off my socks and then my ablution is invalidated, and I wear them again after a while, so when I want to perform ablution again, can I wipe over them, or I am obliged to wash my feet and then wipe over them the next time I perform ablution?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

The last option which you mentioned is the correct one, as it is a condition to be in a state of purity in order to wipe over the leather socks and the like, like light cloth socks, because if someone wears them when he is in a state of minor or major impurity, he cannot wipe over them. The evidence about this is the saying of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ): "Leave them (the socks) as I wore them when in a state of purity." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said so when Mugheerah Ibn Shu’bah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him wanted to remove the socks of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) as he was pouring water for him when he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was performing ablution.

Allaah Knows best.

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