Wiping over leather socks (al-mash 'ala al-khuffayn)

Wiping over leather socks (khuffs) means passing wet hands over them instead of washing the feet in ablution. ² Abu Dawud gives it three chapters in the Book of Purification: wiping over khuffs, the time limit for wiping, and wiping over woollen socks. ^{3 4 5}

Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba relates that he was with the Prophet ﷺ on the Tabuk campaign; the Prophet went aside before dawn, then al-Mughira poured water for him from a leather flask; he washed his hands and face, and since the sleeves of his cloak were tight he drew his arms out from beneath it and washed them to the elbows, wiped his head, and then wiped over his khuffs. ⁶ They then reached the people, who had put 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf forward and prayed one rak'a of the dawn prayer behind him; the Prophet prayed the second behind him, then rose and completed his prayer, and told the people, "You have done right" or "You have done well." ⁷ In al-Sha'bi's version from 'Urwa ibn al-Mughira, al-Mughira reached down to remove the khuffs and was told, "Leave the khuffs, for I put my feet into them while they were pure." ⁸

From this al-Khattabi derives that wiping is valid only if the khuffs were put on in a state of complete purity: one who washed one foot, put it in its khuff and then washed the other would not be covered; this, he says, is the view of Malik, al-Shafi'i, Ahmad and Ishaq, and the report also shows that one may be helped in ablution by a servant. ⁸

• Jarir ibn 'Abd Allah urinated, performed ablution and wiped over his khuffs, saying, "What should stop me, when I saw the Prophet wipe?" He was told, "That was only before al-Ma'ida was revealed," and answered, "I became Muslim only after al-Ma'ida was revealed." ⁹ Al-Khattabi explains the objection as the claim that wiping was abrogated by al-Ma'ida 6, and Jarir's answer as showing that he saw the Prophet wipe after his conversion, so that wiping was not abrogated. ⁹
• Burayda's report that the Negus gave the Prophet a pair of plain black khuffs, which he wore and then wiped over in ablution; Abu Dawud notes that this report is transmitted only by Basrans. ¹⁰ The annotator draws from it that gifts from the People of the Book may be accepted and that things are pure in principle. ⁴
• Al-Mughira's other report, in which he asked the Prophet, "Did you forget?", and was told, "No, you forgot; this is what my Lord commanded me." ⁴
• Bilal's report that the Prophet wiped over his turban and his muqs, a kind of khuff with a short shaft. ⁸

Abu Dawud relates from Khuzayma ibn Thabit: "Wiping over khuffs is three days for the traveller and a day and a night for the resident," and in Mansur's version, "had we asked him for more he would have given us more." ⁴ He also gives Ubayy ibn 'Imara's report that he asked, "One day? Two days? Three?" and was told, "Yes, as long as you wish" — in one version until he reached seven — and says its chain is disputed and it is not strong. ^{4 5} Al-Khattabi rejects the addition "had we asked for more" because al-Hakam and Hammad related the report without it, and because, even if established, it is the narrator's guess, whereas proof lies only in the words of the Lawgiver. ¹¹

Al-Khattabi then gives with his own chain the report of Safwan ibn 'Assal: when we were travelling he told us not to remove our khuffs for three days and nights except for major ritual impurity — "but rather for defecation, urination and sleep"; he explains that "but rather" marks an exception, showing that the concession covers these minor impurities and not major impurity. ¹²

Abu Dawud relates al-Mughira's report that the Prophet wiped over woollen socks and sandals, and notes that 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi would not transmit it, since what is known from al-Mughira is wiping over khuffs, and that Abu Musa's report on it is neither connected nor strong. ¹³ He then lists Companions who wiped over woollen socks: 'Ali, Ibn Mas'ud, al-Bara' ibn 'Azib, Anas, Abu Umama, Sahl ibn Sa'd and 'Amr ibn Hurayth, and it is related of 'Umar and Ibn 'Abbas. ¹³

The Imami view on wiping over khuffs from their own books, and the Hanafi details on the conditions of the khuff, are still to be added.