KHUF

FIQH OF TRAVELERS
(FAMSY welcoming kit)
(bukit cerakah, shah alam...january, 2009)

wiping over khuf/socks

for those who study overseas especially where muslims are minority, performing wudu' is a trouble since there might not be a specific place for it in university or workplaces. we ended up getting stared in the public toilet for washing our feet in the sink. as much as we wanna believe that our feet is cleaner than everyone's face since we wash A LOT, it still not a practical way to go. islam is a deen of practicality. where there is difficulty, there is always a rukhsah (relief or dispension). so, instead of having twist our back trying to wash our feet in the 1.5 meter high sink, it is permissible to wipe over the khuf/ socks/ shoes. the basis of the rukhsah is the following hadith in sahih muslim:

Al-mughirah b. shu'bah gives the following account; "Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) lagged behind and i did so along with him. he relieved himself and after doing so he said: "Do you have water with you." i passed him a vessel of water and he washed his hands and face. then he started to roll up the sleeve of his robe from his forearm but the sleeve become too tight, so he brought his arm out from below the robe and tossed the robe over his shoulder. he then washed his forearms. he wiped over his forelock and his turban and his socks. afterwards, he got back on his steed and i got back on mine and rode until we came upon some people standing in prayer, being led in prayer by 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf. he had already completed a unit of prayer with them. when he realized that the prophet (peace be upon him) was present, he began to step back, but (the prophet) motioned to him and kept praying. when he uttered salam, the prophet (peace be upon him) stood up and i stood up with him and we prayed the unit of the prayer that we had missed."

what is khuf?

khuf is a special type of socks made of leather. scholars differ on the permissibility of using nylon, woolen or cotton socks. however, some shafi'iyah scholars allow using such socks in place of a khuf should it fulfil certain conditions. this opinion is supported by Sheikh Islam Ibn Taimiyah in his Majmu' alFatwa.

conditions of the khuf/socks

1. the socks must be strong enough to enable walking in them without tearing.
2. the socks should remain in position without being tied and should not slip.
3. water must not be able to seep through.
4. the sock must not be transparent.

how to wipe khuf/socks

draw the fingers of the right hand on the upper surface if the sock standing from the toes up to the foreleg (just above the ankle). it should be done once only on each sock. the right hand should be used for the right sock and the left hand for the left sock.

validity of wiping over the socks

for it to be valid it is essential to put khuf/socks after complete wudu' has been made. thereafter if wudu' breaks, it will be permissible to wipe over the socks without washing the feet when wudu' is being made.

validity of a muqeem (non-travellers) is 24 hours while for the musafir (travellers) is 72 hours in condition that the socks haven't been removed throughout the time. (the period will be reckoned from the time the wudu' breaks, not from the time the khuf/socks were put on)


source:
1. fatwa from sheikh abdul khatib regarding placing the socks as khuf.
http://satuperkongsian.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/fatwa-sheikh-abdullah-khatib-berkenaan-menjadikan-stokin-sebagai-khuf/more-77