ONE HADITH A DAY

I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) urinate, then perform ablution and wipe over his leather socks

Agreed upon · Authentic

عَنْ إِبرَاهِيمَ النَّخَعِيِّ عَنْ هَمَّامِ بنِ الحَارِثِ قَالَ: بَالَ جَرِيرٌ، ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأَ، وَمَسَحَ عَلَى خُفَّيْهِ، فَقِيلَ: تَفْعَلُ هَذَا؟ فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَالَ، ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأَ وَمَسَحَ عَلَى خُفَّيْهِ. قَالَ الأَعْمَشُ: قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ: كَانَ يُعْجِبُهُمْ هَذَا الحَدِيثُ؛ لِأَنَّ إِسْلَامَ جَرِيرٍ، كَانَ بَعْدَ نُزُولِ المَائِدَةِ.

“Ibrāhīm an-Nakha‘i reported that Hammām ibn al-Hārith said: Jarīr once urinated, then performed ablution and wiped over his leather socks. Someone said to him: Are you really doing this? He replied: Yes. I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) urinate, then perform ablution and wipe over his leather socks. Al-A‘mash said: Ibrāhīm remarked: They liked this Hadīth because Jarir embraced Islam after the revelation of Surat al-Mā’idah.”

Explanation

Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) urinated, then performed ablution and was content with wiping over his leather socks without washing his feet. Those around him said: Are you really doing this?! He replied: Yes, I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) urinate, then perform ablution and wipe over his leather socks. Jarīr had embraced Islam late after the revelation of Surat al-Mā’idah, which contains the verse of ablution—indicating that wiping over the leather socks was not abrogated by that verse.

Benefits

• Keenness of the Companions and their successors to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ).
• An-Nawawi said: All scholars whose consensus is considered authoritative have agreed on the permissibility of wiping over the leather socks, whether during travel or while residing, and whether out of necessity or not—even for a woman who stays at home or a person who is bedridden and unable to walk.
• The virtue of Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) is shown in his broad-mindedness and patience when his students objected to him, even though they were mistaken in doing so.
• Refutation of those who denied wiping over the leather socks and claimed it was abrogated, for the Hadīth of Jarīr (may Allah be pleased with him) came after the revelation of the verse on ablution.
• Clarification that when a person is criticized for something he believes to be correct, he should not become angry with the one who objects to him or argues based on his understanding. Rather, he should explain his evidence gently and with good manners.
• Providing evidence from history when needed.

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