Imam Al-Barbahāri: Wiping over the leather socks is a Sunnah ―Shaikh Al-Fawzān: Whoever rejects that is not from Ahlus-Sunnah

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

In the name of Allaah, Most Merciful, Bestower of Mercy.

Imaam Abu Muhammad Al-Hasan b. `Alee b. Khalaf al-Barbahaaree (died 329H,rahimahullaah) stated in his Sharhus-Sunnah (point 34):

Wiping over the leather socks is a Sunnah.

والمسح على الخفين سنة

Explanation:

Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) commenting upon this stated in It-haaf al-Qaaree (vol. 1):

“Wiping over the socks is a Sunnah.” So he wrote this matter even though it is an issue of fiqh. That is because it has a connection to the `Aqeedah. So whoever rejects wiping over the socks has exited Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah due to him opposing the correct `Aqeedah and because it is established upon the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) from numerous ahaadeeth that reach the level of at-Tawaatur (i.e. so many narrators at every level of the chain of narration that it is not possible for them to have gathered together upon a lie).

“Wiping over the socks.” This is an allowance (rukhsah), and to act upon an allowance is a Sunnah due to the saying of the prophet (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam):

“Allaah loves that His allowances (rukhas) be carried out just as He hates that His prohibitions be violated.”

[Ahmad in the Musnad, 2/108; at-Tabaraanee in as-Sagheer, 5302; Ibn Khuzaimah in his Saheeh, 2026; Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh, 2742; from `Abdullaah Ibn `Umar; al-Mundhiree in at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb]

So wiping over the khuffayn (leather socks) and over whatever is in their place such as [normal] socks is established in the Prophetic Sunnah. And no one opposes that except for the Raafidah Shee`ah who instead affirm wiping over the bare feet. So the bare feet are not to be washed according to the Raafidah, instead they wipe over them. They use as a proof the verse in a mode of recitation:

وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلِكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ

“..and wipe over your heads and your feet to the ankles.”

[al-Maa’idah: 6]

Notice the term feet recited as arjulikum with a kasrah instead of arjulakum with a fat-hah, which changes the grammatical construction of the sentence.

To the Raafidhah the ka`baan (two ankles) are not the normally well-known two ankles that are at the base of the shins. Rather this term ka`baan to them refers to what is below the area of the knot of the shoelaces. So it refers to the entire foot including the heel. So this is the ankle according to the Raafidhah. And this is not the ankle according to Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah.

Furthermore there is no proof for them in reciting the verse with a kasrah. That is because the well-known recitation is with a nasb (i.e. fat-hah) making it:

ا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ

“O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles.”

[al-Maa’idah: 6]

That makes the arjulakum (your feet) a conjunction and connective to faghsiloo wujoohakum (wash your faces). And this makes the meaning clear, i.e. wash your faces and wash your feet.

And the recitation of it as arjulikum with a kasrah is due to its proximity to what just came before it wherein Allaah said: wamsahoo bi ru’oosikum (wipe your heads). And there is proof that the Prophet (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) would wash his bare feet and he would not wipe over them unless he was wearing leather socks.

End.

My Additional Notes:

Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) said:

“When one of you enters his feet into his leather socks whilst they are pure [after washing them in wudhoo], then wipe over them: Three days for the traveller and one day for the resident.”

[See Tarteeb Ahaadeeth “Saheeh al-Jaami` as-Sagheer waz-Ziyaadah” 1/195, Chapter 17: “Wiping over the leather socks.” Narration authenticated by Shaikh al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah).

`Alee Ibn Abee Taalib (radiyallaahu `anhu) said:

جعل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم للمقيم يوماً وليلة،وللمسافر ثلاثة أيام ولياليهن،يعني في المسح على الخفين

The Prophet (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) made it a day and a night for the resident, and for the traveller three days and nights, meaning: wiping over the leather socks.

[Saheeh Muslim, Book of Purification, 276]

Also:

سنن الترمذي – كِتَاب الطَّهَارَةِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – بَاب مَا جَاءَ فِي الْمَسْحِ عَلَى الْجَوْرَبَيْنِوَالنَّعْلَيْ

Sunan at-Tirmidhee: Book of Purification: from the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam): Chapter: That which has been reported concerning wiping over the Socks and Shoes [or Sandals].

حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ وَمَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلَانَ قَالَا حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ أَبِي قَيْسٍ عَنْ هُزَيْلِ بْنِ شُرَحْبِيلَ عَنْالْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ قَالَ  تَوَضَّأَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمَسَحَ عَلَى الْجَوْرَبَيْنِ وَالنَّعْلَيْنِ  قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ

Mugheerah Ibn Shu`bah (radiyallaahu `anhu) said:

The Prophet (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) made wudhoo and he wiped over his socks and shoes [or sandals].

Abu `Eesaa at-Tirmidhee graded the Hadeeth as Hasan-Saheeh (i.e. authentic). Also Abu Dawood in his Sunan: Chapter 61: Wiping Over The Socks, Hadeeth number 159: From Mugheerah Ibn Shu`bah:

The Prophet (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) made wudhoo and he wiped over his socks and shoes [or sandals].

Abu Dawood said: This has also been narrated from Abu Moosaa al-Ash`aree (radiyallaahu `anhu) – and from Abu Mas`ood, al-Baraa Ibn `Aazib, Anas Ibn Maalik, Abu Umaamah, Sahl Ibn Sa`d, `Amr Ibn Huraith, `Umar Ibn Khattaab and Ibn `Abbaas (radiyallaahu `anhum).

Shaikh Al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah) graded these narrations in Abu Dawood as being authentic. These narrations are also reported by Ibn Maajah in as-Sunan (559), an-Nasaa’ee in al-Kubraa (130), al-Bayhaqee in al-Kubraa (1260), Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (4/167), Ibn Abee Shaybah in his Musannaf (1973), Tabaraanee in al-Kabeer (20/415). And many others.

This is a clear response to those blind-followers of the Hanafee Madh-hab who adamantly refuse to accept the legitimacy of wiping over the footwear for the resident [and even the traveller]. They try to find any and every excuse to avoid acting upon the hadeeth due to their fanaticism for the Madh-hab. So they will say the Sunnah is “leather khuffayn” and not socks, shoes or sandals.

Alhamdulillaah for the love of the Sunnah.