QUESTION:

What do the scholars of the Din and the muftis of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: can masah (wiping) be done on water-proof socks made of nylon the same way it is done on socks made of leather?

Questioner: R. Khaliq from UK

ANSWER:

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب

Yes, masah can be done on them. If the covering worn on the feet meets the below-mentioned requirements, it will be considered like leather socks (i.e. the rulings that apply on leather socks [khuffayn] will hold good for it too).

1. It should be thick and strong such that if one wears them only and walks for some distance, they should not tear.

2. They should be long enough to cover the ankles.

3. They should remain firm on the calves – due to their thickness –  without being tied. They should not slip down.

4. They should be able to resist water, i.e. water should not soak in to the feet immediately.

If the covering worn on the feet meets the above-mentioned requirements, doing masah on it will be permissible. This is the statement of the Sahibayn (Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad) and the fatwa is given based on it. According to Imam Abu Hanifah, the socks or their soles must be made of leather. If this condition is met, then masah on them is unanimously permissible.

It is mentioned in Ghunyah and Munyah,

 (المسح علی الجوارب لایجوز عند ابی حینفۃ الا ان یکونا مجلدین) ای استوعب الجلد مایستقر القدم الی الکعب (اومنعلین) ای جعل الجلد علی ما یلی الارض منھما خاصۃ کالنعل للرجل (وقالایجوز اذاکانا ثخینین لایشفان) فان الجورب اذاکان بحیث لایجاوز الماء منہ الی القدم فھو بمنزلۃ الادیم والصرم فی عدم جذب الماء الی نفسہ الابعد لبث اودلک بخلاف الرقیق فانہ یجذب الماء وینفذہ الی الرجل فی الحال

“Wiping over the socks is not permissible according to Abu Hanifah, except that the socks be made of leather up to the ankles or just the soles, similar to shoes. The Sahibayn state that masah is permissible if the socks are thick and do not soak up water. If the socks are like this, water will not penetrate through them to the feet. In soaking water, they are similar to socks made of or coated with leather. If they soak in water after waiting or rubbing for some time, then there is no problem in this. This is unlike thin socks which soak water immediately and wet the feet.”

[Ghunyat al-Mustamli, chapter on wiping over the socks, pg. 120]

 وَالثَّخِينُ مِنْ الْجَوْرَبِ أَنْ يَسْتَمْسِكَ عَلَى السَّاقِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَشُدَّهُ بِشَيْءٍ

“Those thick socks that remain firm on the calves without being tied.”

[al-Mabsut, vol. 1, pg. 102]

Imam Ahmad Rida Khan (may Allah have mercy on him) states in Fatawa Ridawiyyah, “Thick socks, such that if one wears them only and walks for some distance, they should not tear. They should remain firm on the calves – due to their thickness –  without being tied. They should not slip down. They should be able to resist water, i.e. water should not drip in immediately on the feet. If the foot-covering does not fulfil these three conditions, then doing masah on them is unanimously impermissible. If they are coated with leather or leather soles are fixed upon them or they are as thick (as mentioned above), then wiping over them is permissible according to the Sahibayn, and the fatwa is given based on their statement.”

[Fatawa Ridawiyyah, vol. 4, pg. 346]

واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری

Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri

Translated by the SeekersPath Team

Read the original Urdu answer here – [Q-ID0358] What is the ruling on doing masah (wiping) over water-proof socks?

Also see:

[Q-ID0041] What are the conditions and rulings regarding wearing leather socks?

[Q-ID0374] When does the time period for wiping leather socks start?

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