Answered by: Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question

Is Masah over headscarves permissible?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer

It is permissible to make Masah over leather socks, which are called khuffain

Saaiduna Jafar bin Amr bin Umaiya Ad-Damri narrates, my father said ‘I saw the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam passing wet hands over his khuffs (leather socks)’ (Sahih Bukhari)

Four conditions need to be found for masah over the khuffain to be valid.

1. The socks must be strong enough to enable walking in them on roads for approximately three miles without the socks tearing.
2. The socks should remain in position (covering the foreleg) without being tied. They should not slip. Socks that have elastic sewn into them (to keep them in position) will be regarded as being tied.
3. Water must not be able to seep through.
4. The socks must not be transparent or even semi-transparent. (Imdadul Mufteen p.195 v.2)

From your question, we can derive two issues, which need answering. The first is whether when breaking the wudhu is doing masah over feet sufficient or do you have to perform the entire wudhu. Secondly, is it permissible to do masah over headscarves instead of passing wet fingers over the head?

Regarding the first issue, you will have to do the entire wudhu again besides washing the feet at which case you will pass wet fingers over the leather socks. (Ilmul Fiqh p.80 v.1)

Regarding the second issue, it is not permissible to do masah over headscarves as there is no difficulty in taking it off at the time of performing masah over the head. (Fatawa Hindiyyah p.40 v.1)

Only Allah Knows Best

Written by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham