Because he wore one sock before completing purification, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) granted concession to wipe over the socks when a person has worn them in a state of purity. In this chapter, the condition of the person we have described is that he wore one sock without completing ablution, because when he wore one sock, he had washed one foot, not both feet.

Hazrat Zur bin Hubaish (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that I came to Sayyiduna Safwan bin Assal Muradi (may Allah be pleased with him), so he asked, "Why have you come?" I submitted, "I have come to seek knowledge." He said, "Indeed, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say, 'Whoever leaves his house to seek knowledge, the angels spread their wings for him out of pleasure for what he seeks.'"

I submitted, "I have come to ask you about wiping over leather socks (khuffs)." He said, "Yes, we were part of the army which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent (for a campaign). He (peace be upon him) commanded us to wipe over our leather socks, provided we had put them on in a state of purity—three (days and nights) when we are traveling and one night (and day) when we are resident. And we should not remove them due to urination or defecation, but only remove them due to (obligatory) ghusl from janabah (major ritual impurity)."

And he said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say, 'Indeed, there is a door for repentance open towards the west, whose width is seventy years; it will not be closed until the sun rises from the west, from the direction of the door.'"

Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says, "I narrated the hadith of Abdur Razzaq to Imam Muzani, so he said, 'Our companions have narrated this hadith, because Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) has no stronger evidence than this.'"