Fatwa No : 35093
It is difficult to take off army boots before Wuzu

It is difficult to take off army boots before Wuzu

I am associated with the Pakistan Army. In the army, we mostly wear boots. My question is that if I put on my boots after performing wuzu (ablution), then my wuzu breaks for whatever reason, can I perform wuzu without washing my feet? It is difficult to take off one’s boots while on duty.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

If the questioner’s boots is made out of leather (which is usually the case for army boots), and it hides the ankles and reaches up to the shin, and the questioner wore it while in a state of purity (i.e. the state of ablution, after ghusl), then it is permissible for the questioner to wipe his boots when his wuzu breaks, otherwise, it is not permissible.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی الدر المختار : فيجوز على الزربول لو مشدودا الخ
و فی رد المحتار : تحت (قوله لو مشدودا) ؛ لأن شده بمنزله الخياطة و هو مستمسك بنفسه بعد الشد كالخف المخيط بعضه ببعض(الیٰ قوله) قلت : و الظاهر أنه الخف الذي يلبسه الأتراك في زماننا اھ (1/262)۔