Ubayy ibn 'Umarah narrated: I said, "O Messenger of Allah, may I wipe (1) over the two khuffs?" He said, "Yes." I said, "For a day?" [He said, "For a day." I said, "And for two days?" (2)] He said, "And for two days." I said, "And for three?" He said, "And as much as you wish." Abu Dawud narrated it (3). Furthermore, it is a wiping performed while in a state of purification, so it is not time-limited, just like wiping the head and the splint (4). Our evidence is what Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, set three days and their nights for the traveler, and a day and a night for the resident. Muslim narrated it (5). Also, the hadith of Safwan ibn 'Assal, which we have mentioned (6). Additionally, from 'Awf ibn Malik al-Ashja'i, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded wiping over the two khuffs during the Battle of Tabuk: three days and their nights for the traveler, and a day and a night for the resident. Imam Ahmad narrated it (7) and said: It is the finest hadith concerning wiping over the two khuffs; because it was during the Battle of Tabuk, which was the last battle (8) that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, fought, and it was his final practice. Their hadith is not strong, as Abu Dawud stated. In its chain of narration are unknown narrators, among them: 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Razin, Ayyub ibn Qatan, and Muhammad ibn Zayd. It is possible that [the Prophet's] statement "as much as you wish" refers to removing them at the end of the duration and then putting them on again. It is also possible that he meant "as much as you wish" from among the day, two days, or three. It is also possible that it is abrogated by our hadiths, because they are later, since the hadith of 'Awf was during the Battle of Tabuk, and there was only a little time between it and the passing of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Furthermore, their analogy is invalidated by the case of tayammum.
Section: If the duration expires, the wudu is nullified, and he may not wipe unless he removes them then
(1) In the original: "atamsehu" (Do you wipe?). The version established in [M] and the Sunan of Abu Dawud is "am-sahu" (May I wipe?). (2) Omitted from the original. (3) In: Kitab al-Taharah, Chapter: The Time-Limit for Wiping. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/35. (4) In the original: "fi al-jabirah" (in the splint). (5) In: Kitab al-Taharah, Chapter: The Time-Limit for Wiping over the Khuffs. Sahih Muslim 1/232. Also recorded by al-Nasa'i, in: Kitab al-Taharah, Chapter: The Time-Limit for Wiping over the Khuffs for the Resident. Al-Mujtaba 1/72. And by al-Darimi, in: Kitab al-Taharah, Chapter: The Time-Limit for Wiping. Sunan al-Darimi 1/181. And by Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 1/96, 100, 120, 133, 134, 149. (6) Previously mentioned on page 362. (7) In al-Musnad 6/27. (8) In [M]: "ghazah" (battle).
