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Q&A · Purification

Can you wipe over socks or leather footwear (masah) instead of washing your feet during wudu, and how long is this allowed?

Yes. Instead of removing footwear and washing the feet, a person may wipe over khuffs (leather riding boots) or thick socks with wet hands — a concession the Prophet ﷺ practiced and taught. The main conditions are that the footwear was put on while the feet were already in a complete state of purity (right after a full wudu), and, per the majority of scholars, the material must be sturdy or thick enough to be walked in without water passing through — some contemporary scholars extend this to ordinary thick socks, while others restrict it to leather or similarly durable khuffs. The wiping itself is done once, passing wet fingers over the top of each foot from the toes toward the shin; the sole and heel are not wiped. This concession has a time limit: one full day and night for a resident, and three days and nights for a traveler, counted from the first time wudu is broken after putting the footwear on — not from when it was first worn (Sahih Muslim 276). Once the time expires, the feet must be washed normally at the next wudu.

References
Sahih Muslim 276
Informational, not a personal fatwa. Consult a qualified scholar for rulings on your situation.

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