Wearing shoes whilst in the state of Ihraam

23/11/2009| IslamWeb

Question

Is it permissible for a person who has an allergy in his feet and wants to perform Hajj to wear shoes and slaughter a sacrificial animal (as Fidyah)?

Fatwa

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is forbidden for the person who is in the state of Ihraam to wear shoes because they fit the feet. Sandals also take the same ruling. Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said, “As regards the sandals, some scholars said that they are permissible because the Messenger of Allah said in the Hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him: “Whoever does not find a pair of soles that are fit for Ihraam to wear, let him wear a pair of leather socks and cut them beneath his ankle bones.” That is because if he cuts them beneath the ankle they become like soles. However, the apparent meaning of the Prophetic narrations indicate that a pair of leather socks is also forbidden. Consequently, the sound thing is that they are forbidden and that it is not permissible for the person in the state of Ihraam to wear shoes even if they are underneath his ankle bones.”

However, if such a person is in dire need to wear shoes because he suffers from a disease or the like, then he is allowed to wear them without being liable to offer a Fidyah. Allah Knows best.