Fiqh 3 — Khuffayn, Bandages & Ghusl المسح والغسل

Wiping over leather socks (24h / 72h) · wiping over dressings · what obligates ghusl · Exam: Sunday 8:00

Three concession topics. The numbers are the trap: 24 h resident / 72 h traveller for khuffayn, and the 4 causes of obligatory ghusl.

1 · Wiping over the Khuffayn الخفّين

Khuffayn = dual of khuff: leather footwear covering the feet up to and including the ankles. Wiping over them instead of washing the feet is established by the Prophet's ﷺ practice.

5 conditions for validity

  1. Worn after a complete wudū (in a state of purity).
  2. Cover the whole area obligatory to wash — up to and including the ankles.
  3. Prevent water from reaching the feet (except at the seams).
  4. Durable enough to walk on continuously.
  5. Pure (ṭāhir) — including tanned leather of a dead animal.

Duration & when it starts

  • Resident: 1 day & night (24 h). Traveller: 3 days & nights (72 h).
  • The period begins at the first ḥadath (breaking wudū) after putting them on — not from wearing them, not from the first wipe. (Wudū at Fajr, wear khuffayn, break wudū at sunrise → count from sunrise.)
  • Started resident then travels → only 1 day & night. Started traveller then resides → completes as a resident (more cautious).

How to wipe & what breaks it

  • Obligatory: wipe any part (even small) of the upper surface. The underside alone is not enough. Sunnah: wipe upper + lower in lines.
  • 3 invalidators: (1) removing the khuffayn (both, one, or they fall off); (2) expiry of the wiping period; (3) something occurring that requires ghusl (e.g. janābah) — because wiping replaces washing the feet, not washing the body.
Thin modern socks: wiping is valid only if they are thick & sturdy like leather, walkable, cover the ankles, pure, and worn after wudū. Most socks today fail this (Shāfiʿī / majority). Ibn Ḥazm & Ibn Taymiyyah permitted even thin socks.

2 · Bandages & Dressings الجبائر والعصائب

  • Jabīrah = splint on a broken limb; ʿiṣābah = dressing over a wound.
  • If a bandage is needed, 3 things are required: (1) wash the healthy parts of the limb; (2) wipe over the whole bandage; (3) perform tayammum for the injured part.
  • No fixed time limit — wipe as long as the excuse lasts. When the wound heals, washing becomes obligatory.
  • Same ruling for minor (ḥadath aṣghar) & major (akbar) impurity.
  • Must make up the prayer (qaḍāʾ) if: the bandage was placed without purity (and can't be removed); it is on a tayammum organ (face or hands); or it covers more healthy area than needed.

3 · Ghusl الغسل

Ghusl = causing water to flow over the entire body with intention (niyyah). Types: obligatory (farḍ) and recommended (mandūb) — ghusl for cleanliness is mustaḥabb; ghusl required for a valid act of worship is wājib.

4 causes of OBLIGATORY ghusl

  1. Janābah (major ritual impurity)
  2. Ḥayḍ (menstruation)
  3. Wilādah / Nifās (childbirth / postnatal bleeding)
  4. Death

The 2 causes of Janābah

  1. Emission of semen (manī) — by a wet dream, stimulation, etc. ("Yes, if she sees the fluid.")
  2. Sexual intercourse, even without emission ("When the two circumcised parts meet, ghusl is obligatory").

5 acts forbidden in janābah

  1. Prayer (obligatory or voluntary).
  2. Staying / sitting in the mosque (passing through is allowed).
  3. Ṭawāf around the Kaʿbah.
  4. Reciting the Qurʾān.
  5. Touching or carrying the muṣḥaf.
Scope note: the course's ghusl lesson focuses on what obligates ghusl and the janābah rulings above (not a separate farḍ-vs-sunnah breakdown of the wash itself). Drill the 4 causes and the 5 janābah prohibitions.
Numbers first — examiners love "how long?" and "from when?".

Khuffayn at a glance

ItemDetail
Resident duration1 day & night = 24 h
Traveller duration3 days & nights = 72 h
Period startsAt the first ḥadath after putting them on
Resident → travellerOnly 24 h
Traveller → residentComplete as resident (24 h)
Obligatory wipeAny part of the upper surface
5 conditions3 invalidators
Worn after complete wudūRemoving the khuffayn
Cover up to + incl. the anklesExpiry of the period
Prevent water reaching feetAnything requiring ghusl (janābah)
Durable for walking
Pure (ṭāhir)

Bandage / splint rules

CaseRule
Bandage / splint neededWash the healthy parts → wipe the whole bandage → tayammum for the injured part
Time limitNone — wipe until the excuse (wound) ends, then wash
Repeat the prayer (qaḍāʾ) ifPlaced without purity · on a tayammum organ (face / hands) · covers excess healthy skin

Ghusl

4 causes of obligatory ghusl2 causes of janābah5 forbidden in janābah
JanābahEmission of semenPrayer
Ḥayḍ (menstruation)Intercourse (even w/o emission)Staying in the mosque (passing OK)
Nifās (childbirth)Ṭawāf
DeathReciting Qurʾān
Touching / carrying the muṣḥaf
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