Extract from Badaai al-Sanaai by Allm. Kasani and Tuhfatul Fuqaha by Allm. Ala al-Deen Samarqandi
The permissibility of masah ala khuffayn
Masah ala khuffayn, wiping over the socks, is permissible according to the majority of scholars and sahaba, may Allah be pleased with them. Imam Malik is of the opinion that it is permissible for a musafir (traveller) but not for a muqeem (resident non-traveller).
It is reported that Hasan al-Basri says I met seventy companions of the Prophet ﷺ who fought in the Battle of Badr, all of them permitted masah ala khuffayn. There are many narrations from multiple sahaba regarding the masah ala khuffayn such that Imam Karkhi mentions that I fear kufr (disbelief) for the one who does not consider masah ala khuffayn.
It is narrated that Abdullah ibn Abbas differed with the sahaba with regards to the permissibility of masah ala khuffayn. However this opinion was retracted as narrated by his student, Ata ibn Abi Rabah, where he said Abdullah ibn Abbas differed with the people with regards to masah ala khuffayn, however he did not pass away except that he had returned to the opinion of the people.
The period of masah ala khuffayn
Is masah ala khuffayn restricted to a time period
The ulama (scholars) have differed regarding whether masah ala khuffayn is restricted to a time period or not. The majority of the ulama (scholars) hold that the period of masah ala khuffayn is one day and one night for a muqeem, and three days and three nights for a musafir.
Imam Malik is of the view that masah ala khuffayn is not restricted to a specific time period. A difference of opinion can also be found amongst the sahaba, with the likes of Umar, Ali, Ibn Masud, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, Saad ibn Abi Waqqas, Jabir ibn Samurah, Abu Musa al-Ash’ari and Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah being of the opinion that it is constrained to a time period. On the other hand, sahabah such as Abu Darda, Zaid ibn Thabit and others holding that it is not restricted to a time period.
The Ahnaf hold that masah ala khuffayn is restricted due to the hadith mentioned in Muslim.
When does the period of masah ala khuffayn begin
For those who hold that the period of masah ala khuffayn is restricted, there is a difference of opinion when the period of masah ala khuffayn begins, and therefore ends. Does it start from the period when one wore the khuffayn or does it start from the period when one first broke their state of ritual purity.
There are three different opinions as to when masah ala khuffayn begins. The first opinion, and this is the opinion of the majority of ulama, that the period of masah ala khuffayn begins from the time when, after wearing the khuffayn, one first enters the state of hadath (impurity).
The second opinion is that the period of masah ala khuffayn begins from the time when one first does the masah ala khuffayn. The third opinion is that the period of masah ala khuffayn begins from the time of wearing the khuffayn.
Effects on the practical application regarding the differences of opinion about the beginning time of masah
Scenario – On the first day, a person does wudhu after the beginning of dawn, wears the khuffayn and prays fajr salah. Thereafter he enters the state of hadath (impurity) after the sun rises. After midday he does wudhu with masah ala khuffayn. When does the period of masah ala khuffayn terminate?
According to the majority of ulama, he can do masah ala khuffayn up to the point after the sun rises on the second day if he is a muqeem, and on the fourth day if he is a musafir.
As for those who consider the starting period to be at the time of masah, they will say that he can do masah ala khuffayn upto the point after the sun rises on the second day if he is a muqeem, and on the fourth day if he is a musafir.
As for those who consider the starting period to be at the time of wearing the khuffayn, he can do masah ala khuffayn upto the point after the beginning of dawn on the second day if he is a muqeem, and on the fourth day if he is a musafir.
The conditions for masah ala khuffayn
The condition for masah ala khuffayn to be correct is that one must wear the khuffayn, or that which is in its meaning, after being in a state of complete purity.
A person washed their feet, wore the khuffayn, then completed their wudhu, and then entered the state of hadath. Masah ala khuffayn will be permissible for this person according to the Ahnaf. Whereas the Shawafi will say it will not be valid until they complete their wudhu and thereafter wash their feet.
There is ijmaa’ (consensus) that if a man washed his feet and wore the khuffayn, thereafter he entered into a state of hadath before completing his wudhu, masah ala khuffayn will not be valid.
The second condition for the permissibility of masah ala khuffayn is that the person should be free from the state of hadath akbar (major impurity), as masah ala khuffayn has not been established in this case.
Another condition for the permissibility of masah ala khuffayn is that the khuff should cover over the ankles, and it should not have any big holes in it.
Masah upon jawrabayn (socks)
As for the ruling regarding masah upon jawrabayn (socks), this is of three types.
If it is mujalladayn (made of leather) or muna’alayn (has leather soles), it is permissible to do masah upon it.
If it is not muna’alayn, then if it so thin such that one can see what is underneath it, it is not permissible to do masah upon it.
As for the case where it is not muna’alayn but it is thick, then there is ikhtilaaf (difference of opinion). Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad have permitted it, whereas Imam Abu Hanifa has not permitted it. However it is said that Imam Abu Hanifa retracted his opinion towards the end of his life, and took the position of his students, Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad.
Imam Shafi’ee has not permitted masah upon jawrabayn (socks), even if they are muna’alayn, unless it is made of leather upto the ankle.
Holes in the khuffayn
If there are holes in the khuffayn, the permissibility of doing masah upon it will depend on its size. If the hole is small in size, masah will be permissible, and if it is big in size it will not be permissible.
The scholars have defined a big hole as that which is larger than the size of a mans three fingers. Therefore any hole larger than this will not be permitted to masah upon. Likewise a khuff with a hole smaller than this size will be permitted to do masah upon.
As for the case where there is more than one hole in the khuffayn, then if the holes are in one khuff, then combine the sizes of the holes. If after combining the size of the holes is more than three fingers then masah will not be permitted. As for the case where there are holes in both khuff, then do not combine the size of the holes, as Imam Muhammad mentions. Rather the stipulation for the hole not to exceed the size of three fingers is to be considered for each khuff separately.
Masah, as stipulated in shariah, is to wipe once that which is apparent from the khuffayn, not it’s bottom or it’s heels. If one were to do masah upon the bottom of the khuffayn, its side or heels it would not be permitted, likewise if one were to do masah upon the shin it would not be permitted. This is the opinion of Imam Shafi’ee.
According to the Ahnaf, one is to do masah upon that which is apparent from the khuffayn, using both hands ie, the right hand for wiping the right foot and the left hand for wiping the left foot. One should start the masah from the tips of one’s toes and move towards the shins.
The amount of masah which is fardh
The amount of masah needed to be done in order to complete the fardh is to wipe with a minimum of three fingers, such that if one were to wipe with only one or two fingers and cover the same amount it would not be permitted. This is the opinion of the Ahnaf.
Imam Shafi’ee is of the opinion that masah will be considered to be done even if only one or two fingers are used, as long as one will call the action masah (wiping). This is also their position with regards to masah of the head during wudhu. The Ahnaf hold that to do masah with one or two fingers is not permissible. This is opposed to the view of Imam Zufar.
The nullifiers of masah ala khuffayn
As soon as the time period for masah expires, that is one day and one night for a muqeem and three days and three nights for a traveller, one will not be allowed to do masah anymore and they will be required to either wash their feet or do wudhu. When the time period of masah ala khuffayn has expired a person is either in the state of hadath (ritual impurity) or not. If they are in the state of hadath they will need to do wudhu and then pray. As for the one who was pure at the time of the expiration of the time period for masah ala khuffayn, they need to wash their feet only, and not the rest of the parts needed for wudhu, before they can pray. This is the opinion of the Ahnaf and Abdullah ibn Umar.
According to Imam Shafi’ee there are two opinions, the first being similar to the Ahnaf as mentioned above, the second being that the whole wudhu needs to be repeated upon removing the khuffayn.
Ibrahim Nakha’i holds three opinions, the first being the same as the Ahnaf, the second being the same as the Shawafi’ and the third being that one does not need to repeat the wudhu, nor the washing of the feet if they are already in a state of purity when removing the khuffayn. His reasoning for this last opinion is that wudhu is not broken except by hadath, therefore the removing of the khuffayn will not classify as a nullifier.
Likewise removing the khuff, one or both will nullify the masah and will be required to wash their feet at the minimum. One is not permitted to wash one foot and do masah upon the other.
It is not required that the whole khuff be removed in order for masah to be nullified. Rather if the majority of the foot or heel exits from the khuff then one will take the same ruling as if someone had removed the whole khuff, that is masah will be nullified.
