Answered by Sidi Salman Younas
my son has a skin disorder which cannot be treated. The soles of his feet and palms of his hands are affected by this skin disorder. His feet are extremely bad and need to stay moisturised at all time otherwise they bleed and hurt. My son also wears normal cotton socks 24/7 unless he is having a shower or wudhu. I would like to know if he can do wudhu in the morning and do massah on the socks for any other wudhu please.

salamu `alaykum
I pray you are well and in the best of health. May Allah grant you all good in this life and the next.
If one has a foot condition due to which washing proves genuinely harmful then one can merely wipe. If wiping too is harmful then one can leave the limb altogether – neither washing nor wiping. One’s ablution and prayer will remain valid and sound. (see: Hadiyyah al Ala’iyyat)
If this is the case with your son then it is not really required of him to try and wash his feet and wipe over his footgear for the permitted time – although this to is valid. He could simply wipe directly over his feet if washing is not possible or leave it altogether if wiping directly too is harmful.
Wasalam
Salman