❖ Question:
Is it permissible to wipe over torn socks during wudu?
❖ Answer by al-Bāḥith Shaykh Afzal Zaheer Jamali ḥafiẓahullāh:
① Concession of Wiping Over Socks in Shari'ah:
The original purpose of the concession to wipe over socks in Shari'ah is to create ease for the Ummah, not hardship.
There is no condition found in the Qur’an or Sunnah which states that wiping is only permissible over intact or non-torn socks.
② Legal Status of Wiping:
If the socks are worn as a covering for the feet, whether they are torn, thin, or thick,
then wiping over them is valid.
Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn (raḥimahullāh) said:
If we begin to lay down self-imposed conditions for wiping over socks, it will lead to hardship for the Ummah,
which goes against the objectives of Shari'ah.
✔ ③ Summary:
It is permissible to wipe over torn or thin socks, as long as they are commonly recognized as “socks” and typically worn on the feet.
Shari'ah has granted a concession for wiping, and unnecessary restrictions or conditions should be avoided.
Reference:Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn (raḥimahullāh), Fatāwā Nūr ʿalā al-Darb, p. 350
