Wiping Over Leather Socks

Kitab al Athar of Imam Abu Hanifa - Chapter on Wiping Over Leather Socks




There is no disagreement about the transmission of wiping over leather socks (khuffayn) from the Sahabah (ra), since each one of them about whom it has been narrated that he repudiated it has also had it narrated of him that he affirmed it. It is narrated of al-Hasan al-Basri (ra) that he said, 'I saw seventy (70) of the people of Badr from among the Companions all of whom held the view that one wipes over leather socks.'

It is for this reason that Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) held the view that it is one of the preconditions of [being one of] the people of the Sunnah and the Comunity (Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah] and he said, 'We give preference to the Shaykhayn (Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra), preferring them over all the other Companions) and we love the two who were related through their daughters [to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam, and they were Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra)], and we hold the view that one wipes over leather socks.'



8. Imam Muhammad (ra) said, 'Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) informed us saying, 'Abu Bakr ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Jahm (ra) narrated to us that Abdullah ibn Umar (ra) said, 'I went to Iraq on the military expedition of Jalula, and I saw Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (ra) wiping over leather socks, so I said, 'What is this, Sa'd?' He answered, 'When you meet Ameerul Mu'mineen Umar (ra), ask him.'' He said, 'So I met Umar (ra) and informed him of what Sa'd (ra) had done. Umar (ra) said, 'Sa'd (ra) spoke the truth. We saw the Messenger of Allah (salalllaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) doing it, so we did it.'' *

* (Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated it in the Musannaf, Volume 1, Page 164, and Abu Yusuf on Page 16)

Imam Muhammad (ra) said, 'That is the verdict of Imam Abu Hanifa (ra), and we adhere to it.'



9. Imam Muhammad (ra) said, 'Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) informed us, 'Hammad (ra) narrated to us from Ibrahim (ra) from Hanzalah ibn Nabatah [1] al-Ju'fi (ra) that Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) said, 'Wiping over leather socks is permitted to the resident for a day and a night, and to the traveller for three days [2] and their nights, provided that you put them on [3] while you are in a state of purity.''

Imam Muhammad (ra) said, 'That is the verdict of Abu Hanifa (ra), and we adhere to it.'

[1] This is a mistake. The original chain of transmission is Hanzalah (ra) from Nabatah al-Ju'fi (ra).

[2] This is the position of Imam Abu Hanifa (ra), Imam ash-Shafi'ee (ra), and Imam Ahmad (ra). Imam Malik (ra) said in the well-known transmission from him that there is no specific period of time that one wipes [over leather socks].

[3] The saying of Umar (ra) in Ma'ani al-Athar, 'Whoever enters his feet [in leather socks] while they are pure' clarifies his saying [here], 'While you are pure,' in which what is meant by purity is purity of the feet at the moment of donning [the leather socks], and it also covers both forms [of purity].



10. Muhammad said, "Abu Hanifa infromed us saying, 'Hammaad narrated to us that Salim ibn Abdullah ibn Umar said, "Abdullah ibn Umar (ra) and Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (ra) differed about wiping over leather socks, and Sa'd (ra) said, 'I wipe [over leather socks],' and Abdullah said, 'It doesn't please me.' So they came to Umar ibn al-Khattaab (ra) and told him the story, and Umar (ra) said, 'Your perternal Uncle has greater understanding (fiqh) than you.'""





11. Muhammad said, "Abu Hanifa informed us from Hammaad from ash-Sha'bi from Ibrahim ibn Abi Musa al-Ash'ari from al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah, that he went out with the messenger of Allah (salallahu 'alahyi wa sallam) on a journey and the Messenger of Allah (salallahu 'alahyi wa sallam) went off to relieve himself. Then he came back, and he was wearing a long Byzantine outer garment with tight sleeves, which the messenger of Allah (salallahu 'alahyi wa sallam) rolled up because of the tightness of its sleeves. Al Mughirah said, 'So I began to pour waterfor him from a clay vessel which I had He (salallahu 'alahyi wa sallam) made his wudu for the prayer and wiped over his leather socks without taking them off, and then He (salallahu 'alahyi wa sallam) stepped forward and prayed.'"

Byzantine: That is Rumiyah and in most narrations from the two Shaykhs [al-Bukhari and Muslim] it was Sham but there is no contradiction between the two because Sham at the time was under Byzantine rule.

Also from this, the permissibility of wearing tight fitting close is implicit.

In another narration it is said that he roled his hands out from underneath the garment and cast the garment over the shoulder.



12. Muhammad said, "Abu Hanifa informed us from Hammaad from Ibrahim from someone who saw (the person who saw him was Hammaam ibn al-Harith and the questioner was either the one who saw him, i.e. Hammaam, or Shahr ibn Hawshab) Jarrir ibn Abdullah (ra) doing wudu one day and wipping over his leather socks, and so someone asked him about that and he said, I saw the Messenger of Allah (salallahu 'alahyi wa sallam) do it, and I only accompanied him after Surat al-Maidah was revealed'"



13. Muhammad said, "Abu Hanifa informed us from Hammaad from Ibrahim from Amr ibn al-Harith that Amr ibn-Harith ibn Abi-Dirar accompanied ibn Masud on a journey, and three days and nights would pass without him taking his leather socks off.



14. Muhammad said, "Abu Hanifa informed us from Hammaad that Ibrahim used to wipe over his leather galoshes (jumruq)

Muhammed said, "That is the verdict Abu Hanifa and we adhere to it.

Leather galoshes whose shanks would be cut lower than the heels and worn over the leather socks.



15. Muhammad said, "Abu Hanifa informed us from Hammaad that Ibrahim said, 'If you have been wiping (over leather socks) and you are in the state of wudu, but then take off your leather socks, then wash your feet'" (This is for something incumbant, but you do not need to have to redo the rest of the wudu)

Muhammed said, "That is the verdict Abu Hanifa and we adhere to it.



Plenty more Hadith to read from Kitab al Athar:
http://www.muftisays.com/forums/the-true-salaf-as-saliheen/6302/the-kitab-al-athar-of-imam-abu-hanifa.html?pg=1