Source: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
❖ Question:
If a person continues to wipe over his leather socks (khuffs) after the prescribed time has expired and then prays in that state, what is the ruling?
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd!
When the prescribed period for wiping over the khuffs ends, and a person wipes thereafter and performs prayer, there are two possible situations:
① First Situation:
Becoming in a state of minor impurity after the expiry of the wiping period
◈ If the wiping period has ended and the person becomes without wudu, then wipes again over the khuffs instead of washing the feet:
- This wudu is invalid, because the prescribed period for wiping has expired.
- It is obligatory for him to perform complete wudu, which includes washing the feet.
- Since the feet were not washed, the wudu is incomplete, and the prayer offered in that state is invalid.
- He must repeat the prayer.
② Second Situation:
Wudu still valid despite expiry of the wiping period
◈ If the wiping period ends but the person’s wudu remains intact, and he prays without breaking it:
- His prayer is valid.
- This is because the mere expiry of the wiping period does not nullify wudu.
- Some scholars hold that wudu ends automatically when the wiping period expires, but this has no authentic Shar‘i proof.
- Without clear evidence that the expiry of the wiping period breaks wudu, it will be considered valid until actually broken by a known nullifier.
- Even if wudu remains for a whole day, it is permissible to pray with it as long as it is intact according to Shar‘i criteria.
Note:
There is no authentic evidence from the Prophet ﷺ to indicate that wudu is nullified immediately upon the expiry of the wiping period. Therefore, as long as wudu remains valid, prayer may be offered.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
