One of the most essential steps before engaging in any form of worship, be it; reading the quran, praying, etc. is wudhu. The Islamic ritual of purifying one’s self by thoroughly washing important parts of their body such as; the face, arms, head and feet.
Since cleanliness is half a pillar of faith, wudhu proves itself to be a complete non- negotiable form of Tahara, especially when one is about to perform such an important practice of our religion. As stated in the Holy Quran
“O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves.”
Not only does this indicate that wudhu is a compulsory act of purity but the following hadith helps us understand just how significant wudhu is. It is reported by a companion that when the Prophet ﷺ saw Muslims performing wudhu, he said
“If a man performs ablution perfectly and then offers the compulsory congregational prayer, Allah will forgive his sins committed between that (prayer) and the (next) prayer till he offers it.”
Fortunately, Muslims are equipped with the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ on proper ways to execute each activity of life. And given its importance it is key that Muslims are cognizant about following the laws set in place to make their wudhu count.
Islam is a religion that understands the struggles a Muslim may face on a day-to-day basis and has introduced alternatives or amended its laws to make fulfilling religious responsibilities easier for us. This provision of alternatives highlights the understanding nature of Allah (SWT) and his support for the well-being of the believers.
Understanding Masah:
As Muslims, of the time of the Prophet ﷺ, were having difficulty redoing their ablution multiple times during the day the concept of Masah was introduced and made acceptable.
Masah is the act of wiping the head or foot with a small amount of water or damp hands instead of pouring water all over them. For the feet specifically, masah can be done over socks as well; however, certain guidelines and criteria must be met to make masah valid.
- First and foremost, for masah to be valid it is important to ensure the socks are worn right after purifying.
While traveling with the Prophet ﷺ, Al-Mughīrah (ra) the son of Shu'ba ibn Abi Amir, tried to help him perform wudhu by taking off his leather socks, however, the Prophet ﷺ stopped him and said, “Leave them on. I wore them after purifying.” Then he wiped over them. This is just one of the numerous instances of such a situation as many more authentic narrations exist of the Prophet ﷺ teaching his companions about the proper method of performing masah.
- Masah must be performed over thick socks
The types of socks worn nowadays, unfortunately do not abide by the requirements of masah. Made of thin fabrics like cotton, polyester, wool, etc. the socks are unable to keep the water from reaching the feet. It is pivotal that the socks worn must be thick enough that water does not seep through to your foot as you are wiping and they are able to keep their shape once removed.
According to some scholars, Shaykh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) emphasized that for it to be permissible to wipe over socks during wudhu, the socks must be thick and fully covering. He stated, “One of the conditions (for it to be permissible to wipe over the socks) is that the socks should be thick and covering. If they are thin, it is not permissible to wipe over them, because in that case the foot is as if it is uncovered.” (Fatawa Ash-Shaykh Ibn Baz, 10/110).
As it is noted that the Prophet’s ﷺ sunnah was to perform masah over his khuff (a thick sock made of leather). Hence it is important to make sure the socks worn nowadays are similar in attributes to a khuff.
- each sock must cover the entire foot including the ankles
To ensure your masah is valid, it's essential that the socks worn fully cover your entire foot, including the ankles. Without this complete coverage, the masah would not be considered correct according to Islamic guidelines. Proper coverage is a crucial aspect of this purification ritual, emphasizing the importance of adhering to traditional practices for maintaining spiritual cleanliness.
Finding Socks for Ablution that meet all the requirements for masah can seem daunting, but DEENIN has you covered. The ABDEEZ Wudhu Socks are meticulously designed to be 100% Shariah-compliant adhering to fatawa from esteemed Islamic institutions such as Darul Uloom, Karachi, and DarusSalam, Chicago. These tri-layered socks feature an outer layer of durable nylon, a middle layer of waterproof membrane, and an inner layer of soft bamboo fiber, ensuring that no water seeps through these waterproof socks. They are breathable, moisture-wicking, anti-odor, and highly durable. With added thermal regulation, these socks provide both comfort and functionality, making them an ideal choice for those in need of masah-friendly socks without any hassle. These Wudhu Socks come in 4 classic colors making them compatible with any outfit.
How to perform Masah?
Now that we’ve discussed all the basic rules of masah, let's talk about how to actually perform masah. The simple process of masah begins by wetting your right hand, then using three fingers to perform the masah. Wipe your fingers over the top of your foot, starting from the tips of your toes and moving towards the ankle, then continue over the heel.
Some frequent mistakes made by Muslims are; wiping the bottom of the sock instead of the top, wetting the hands and merely tapping the socks with a few fingers, wiping over socks or shoes that do not cover the ankle, wiping over shoes and then removing them for prayer, and wearing the socks without first performing wudhu. To ensure your masah- and consequently your wudhu- remains valid, it is crucial to be mindful not to make these mistakes.
References:
- https://www.perrismasjid.com/articles/wudu/wudu1/
- https://islamqa.org/hanafi/albalagh/22378/masah-over-regular-socks-2/
- https://www.iium.edu.my/deed/hadith/bukhari/004_sbt.html
- https://theislamicshop.com/blogs/news/how-to-perform-masah-over-socks-during-wudu#:~:text=You%20firstly%20wet%20your%20right,and%20then%20ovwe%20the%20heel.