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Fatwa CenterIs it better to wipe over the Khuffs or to wash the feet?
Question
Al salam 3alaykom wa ra7mat ALLAH wa barakatuh 3eebadALLAH. Which is better, taking off the socks and making wudu2 everytime my wudu2 is invalid, or its better to wipe over the socks if i wore them on wudu2? Why am I asking? Because wiping over the socks is from the forgotten sunan and in this way I am reviving a sunnah and second because whenever Rasoul ALLAH (Salla ALLAH 3ala al 7abib) was made to choose between 2 matters but he choose the easier, but on the other hand, surah Al ma2eedah it states that we should wash our feet to the ankels right? I know the ruling of wipeing the socks and the duration, but what I am saying that incase I can do both which 1 I chose and why? Second, wa ma yantiqo 3an al hawa in huwa illa wa7yon you7a, so hadeeth is wa7ee as well or what was ment by this ayah is al mus7af al shreef only? in this wudu2 matter that i am asking, isnt there contradiction between the sunnah and the Qur2an or its just two different ways to reach 1 goal (wipe the socks or wash the feet will both lead to correct wudu2 thus correct prayers insha2ALLAH)? Jazakum ALLAh khayra Fee aman ALLAH.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The scholars 
differed in opinion, whether it is better to wash the feet or to wipe over the Khuffs (the leather boots) and the socks. The majority of the scholars are of the view that washing the feet is better as this is the principle, whereas the Hanbali School of jurisprudence is of the view that wiping (over the Khuffs or the socks) is better as this is a concession and in order to contradict the innovators who deny that it is permissible to wipe over them. An-Nawawi 
said: “The scholars of our School are of the view that washing the feet is better as this is the principle, and some groups from among the Companions were of this view as well among whom are: ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, his son ‘Abdullaah and Abu 'Ayyoob Al-Ansaari 
whereas other groups from among the Taabi’is (the first generation which followed the Companions), were of the view that wiping is better, and this is the view of Ash-Sha’bi, Al-Hakam and Hammaad . Also, two different narrations were reported from Imaam Ahmad and the most correct of them is that wiping is better. The second narration is that they are the same, and this is the view of Ibn Al-Munthir.”
However, some scholars held a moderate opinion, like Ibn Taymiyyah who said: “What is better for each person is what corresponds to his circumstance, so if one is wearing the Khuffs, then it is better for him to wipe over them and not take them off in order to wash his feet, and if someone’s feet are uncovered, then it is better for him to wash them and not wear the socks in order to wipe over them."
Based on this, the issue is one of the issues of Ijtihaad (i.e. issues on which there is no text in Quran, or the Sunnah, or the consensus of the scholars), so whoever considers that washing is better, or that he acts according to the sayings of the scholars who hold this opinion, and he takes off his Khuffs or socks to wash his feet in order to seek the full reward, without him denying the concession of wiping, then he is permitted to do so, even though what Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah, said – which is that it is more appropriate for each person to do what corresponds to his circumstance – is the most correct opinion, and the matter is easy – praise be to Allaah.
On the other hand, the verse that contains the order to wash the feet when performing ablution is not contradictory to the Sunnah which stated that it is permissible to wipe (over the Khuffs or the socks) because both the Quran and the Sunnah are revelation and the Prophet did both of them.
Besides, the saying of Allaah (which means): {Nor does he speak from [his Own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed.}[Quran 53:3-4], includes the Sunnah as well, so the Sunnah is a revelation in the same manner that the Quran is a revelation as established by the scholars. Indeed, when 'Abdullaah Ibn ‘Amr, asked the Prophet : “Should I write anything that I hear from you?”, the Prophet pointed to his mouth with his finger and told him: “Write, I swear by the one in Whose Hand my soul is (i.e. by Allaah), it is only the truth that comes out from it.” [Abu Daawood]
Moreover, Ibn Maajah and others reported that the Prophet said: “I see coming very soon that a man from you will be leaning on his couch and as my Hadeeth is said to him, he will say “Between us and you is the Book of Allaah (i.e. it is the decisive judge), and whatever lawful we find in it, we will deem only lawful, and whatever unlawful we find in it, we will deem only unlawful”; Verily what the Messenger of Allaah forbids is like what Allaah forbids.”
Allaah Knows best.
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