Wiping over the socks
25-3-2004 | IslamWeb
Question:
Please explain how to wipe the socks in Wudu?
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.
All scholars are agreed on the lawfulness of wiping over the socks during Wudhoo’ (ritual ablution) if they are leather-made or thick enough to be walked with, but they disagree over normal socks. The Maalikis, Shaafi'ees and Abu Haneefah 
believe that it is not lawful to wipe over normal socks in Wudhoo’, whereas the Hanbalis, as well as Abu Yoosuf and Muhammad from the Hanafi School (and the opinion of the last two scholars is the Fatwa of the Hanafi School) believe that it is lawful to wipe over normal socks in Wudhoo’ due to the Hadeeth narrated by At-Tirtmithi and others from Al-Mugheerah Ibn Shu’bah 
who said, "The Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam made his Wudhoo’ wiping over his socks and shoes."
Abu-Dawood 
said that this was also narrated from Abu Moosaa Al-Ash’ari who said that the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, wiped over his socks in Wudhoo’, but the chain of this Hadeeth is a discontinued one. Abu-Daawood said also that ‘Ali Ibn Abu Taalib, ‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood, Al-Baraa’ Ibn ‘Aazib, Anas Ibn Maalik and Abu Umaamah all wiped over their socks in Wudhoo’. It is also narrated that ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab did the same.
Therefore, the latter view is the most preponderant one because it is backed by the Hadeeth of Al-Mugheerah and the fact that the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as well as those who directly followed them did it.
Some conditions were set for wiping over the socks in Wudhoo’, some of which were agreed upon by all the scholars while others were not:
1. That they be thick is preferable, but according to the verified opinion of scholars, it is permissible and sufficient to wipe over transparent and thin socks.
2. That they stick to the feet so that one can walk with them.
3. That they be put on after performing Wudhoo’.
4. That they be pure themselves because we should not wipe over something that is impure.
5. That they be lawful in and of themselves (i.e., not stolen or made of silk).
6. That they cover all the part of the foot that should be washed in Wudhoo’ (at least two thirds of it should be intact).
The person who is resident may wipe over the socks during Wudhoo’ for a day and a night, whereas the traveler may do so 3 days and their nights.
Allaah Knows best.