61 - Chapter: How to Wipe

161 - Muhammad ibn al-Sabbah al-Bazzaz narrated to us, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi al-Zinad narrated to us, he said: my father mentioned it, from 'Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, from al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah: that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to wipe over the khuffayn (leather socks). And other than Muhammad said: over the upper part of the khuffayn.

162 - Muhammad ibn al-'Ala' narrated to us, Hafs — meaning ibn Ghiyath — narrated to us, from al-A'mash, from Abu Ishaq, from 'Abd Khayr, from 'Ali who said: If religion were based on opinion, then the bottom of the khuff would be more deserving of wiping than its top. But I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, wiping over the upper surface of his khuffayn.

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The scholars of knowledge have responded to the hadiths about wiping over sandals with three answers:

First: That it was from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, during ablution performed voluntarily.

Second — and this is the saying of al-Bayhaqi: that the meaning of "he wiped over his sandals" is that he washed his feet while wearing the sandals.

Third — and this is the saying of al-Tahawi: that he wiped over both the socks and the sandals, and his wiping over the socks was what effected purification, while his wiping over the sandals was an additional virtue. See "Nasb al-Rayah" 1/188-189.

(1) A sound hadith, and this chain is good because of 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi al-Zinad, and he was followed up, and the rest of its narrators are trustworthy. Abu al-Zinad: he is 'Abdullah ibn Dhakwan.
It was also recorded by al-Tirmidhi (98) via the route of 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi al-Zinad, with this chain.
It is in "Musnad Ahmad" (18156).
See what preceded under number (149).

(2) Its chain is sound, as al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said in "al-Talkhis al-Habir" 1/160. Al-A'mash: he is Sulayman ibn Mihran, and Abu Ishaq: he is 'Amr ibn 'Abdullah al-Sabi'i, and 'Abd Khayr: he is Ibn Yazid al-Hamdani.