I say, and with Allah's success: From Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performed ablution and wiped over his socks and sandals, as mentioned 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. None of the imams have permitted wiping over the sandals based on this hadith, as they interpreted the hadith and did not take it at face value. Among what has been said in its interpretation: Imam al-Tahawi said in Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar 1: 97: "It may be that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) wiped over sandals under which there were socks, and he intended with that wiping to refer to his socks, not to his sandals. His socks are such that if he were to have them on without sandals, it would be permissible for him to wipe over them. Thus, his wiping was intended for the socks, and it happened to include the socks and sandals, so his wiping over the socks is what he purified himself with, and his wiping over the sandals is additional." And see: Ma'arif al-Sunan 1: 347, and Allah knows best.