I say, and with God's help: The Malikis and Shafi'is completely prohibit wiping over socks; taking the apparent meaning of the verse on ablution, which is also the opinion of Imam Abu Hanifa, may God have mercy on him. They did not act upon the hadith of Al-Mughirah, may God be pleased with him, regarding wiping over socks. However, Imam Ahmad and the companions of Abu Hanifa, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad, and this is the fatwa in the Hanafi school, believe that it is possible to act upon the hadith if it is referred back to the original ruling in the matter - which is wiping over leather socks. If the sock meets the characteristics of a leather sock, it is permissible to wipe over it; otherwise, it is not permissible. They supported the permissibility of wiping over socks with hadiths that permit wiping over leather socks, including the hadith of Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah, may God be pleased with him: "The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, performed ablution and wiped over his socks and shoes," found in Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 1: 99, Sahih Ibn Hibban 4: 167, Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1: 167, which he authenticated, Sunan Abu Dawood 1: 41, Sunan an-Nasa'i al-Kubra 1: 92, and Sunan Ibn Majah 1: 185. However, they did not act upon the general permissibility of wiping over socks based on this hadith, but rather restricted it with conditions; because the hadith narrates a specific incident and does not clarify the details of the characteristics of the sock that the Prophet, peace be upon him, wiped over. What is its thickness? Its durability? It could be above the leather sock or have a sole, or it might not be so. It is known that deriving rulings from actual incidents is not valid without knowing their circumstances and contexts. Additionally, the hadith of Al-Mughirah has some criticism; it is narrated from Al-Mughirah through about sixty chains, and this wording is only mentioned in this chain. So how can one be assured of it? And God knows best.