1: Creed 2: Manners  3: Character 4: Act of Worship 5: Deeds

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How to Make Masah over the Socks & Bandages in Islam

Its Legislation

Masah or wiping over the leather socks is legislated in the Book and by the Sunnah.

Allah Said:
«وَأَرْجُلِکُمْ»
(wipe over) your feet

So the reading of “your feet” is connected to “wipe over”, thereby making Masah legitimate.

The Messenger of Allah  ﷺ said:
إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ أَحَدُكُمْ وَلَبِسَ خُفَّيْهِ فَلْيَمْسَحْ عَلَيْهِمَا ، وَلْيُصَلِّ فِيهِمَا ، وَلَا يَخْلَعْهُمَا إِنْ شَاءَ إِلَّا مِنْ جَنَابَةٍ

If anyone of you performed ablution, then put on his Khuffs, let him wipe over them, and let him not take them off unless he is in a state of Janabah. (Adj-Daraqutni, Al-Hakim)

Legislation of Masah over Bandages: it is confirmed in his ﷺ saying about a man who had a head wound, washed his head and them died:
إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَكْفِيهِ أَنْ يَتَيَمَّمَ وَيَعْصِبَ عَلَى جُرْحِهِ خِرْقَةً ، ثُمَّ يَمْسَحَ عَلَيْهَا ، وَيَغْسِلَ سَائِرَ جَسَدِهِ

It was sufficient for him to perform Tayammum, to tie a band around his wound and pass his wet hands on it (on the band), then pour the water on his body. (Abu Dawud)

Conditions for Masah:

The following are the conditions for the validity of wiping over the Khuffs-Socks:

• 1: That they are worn over what is already in a state of purity.

When Al-Mughirah bin Shu’bah wanted to help the Messenger of Allah ﷺ by removing his Khuffs-Socks for him to wash his feet for ablution, Holy Prophet (PBUH) said to him:
 «دَعْهُمَا فَإِنِّي أَدْخَلْتُهُمَا طَاهِرَتَيْنِ»

Leave them, since I put them in them while they were both in a state of purity. (Muslim & Bukhari)

• 2: They should completely cover the feet.
• 3: They should be thick enough to not reveal what is beneath them.
• 4: That the duration of wiping does not continue longer than a day and a night for the resident, and not longer than three days and nights for the traveler.

The Messenger of Allah  ﷺ said:This is due to the saying of ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him: “the Messenger of Allah has appointed three days for the traveler and one day for the resident.” (Muslim)

• 5: That they are not removed after wiping over them, if they are removed it becomes necessary to wash the feet, or the ablution will be invalid.
• 6: As for wiping over bandages, there is no condition of purity for them, nor a fixed length of time. The only condition is that the bandages should not cover more than the injured area, except what is necessary to affix them, and that they are not removed form their location, and that the injury has not healed. If the bandages fall off, or the wound heals, then the Masah becomes invalid and the areas must be washed.

Two Important Notes:

• 1: It is permissible to wipe over the ‘Imamah while traveling or during cold weather. This is due to the narration with Muslim: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed ablution while traveling and wiped over his forehead and on the ‘Imamah.”
• 2: There is no difference between a man and a woman regarding wiping, over Khuffs-Socks, bandages and head coverings like the ‘Imamah. What is allowed for the man is allowed for the woman, they are one and the same.

How to Perform Masah?

After wetting the hands he puts the palm of the left hand under the heel, and the palm of the right hand on the tip of the toes. Then he passes his right hand towards the upper part of his leg, and his left hand towards the tips of his toes. If he passes his hands on the upper part of the Khuffs-Socks, and not under them it is sufficient because of the saying of ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, “Had the (commandments) of the religion been based on opinions, the lower part of the Khuffs-Socks would have been more worthy of wiping than the upper part.” (Abut Dawud)

As for Al-Masah over bandages, one wets his hand and wipes over the area only once.

It  is necessary for the editors to note that mere falling off of bandages does not require that a wound must be washed. For if a bandage is placed over a real wound, and one wipes over it for ablution, then it falls off, and one replaces it, then when he replaces it he is back to the same situation he was in the beginning. That is, he performs ablution and wipes over the bandages, it is not required for him to wash the wound since washing the wound is what such wiping was legislated to prevent.