Brother, I get frost bite on my toes in winters so I have not been washing my feet while performing ablution since grade 9 (Only In winters). Is my act right or wrong? Also I miss prayers cux of cold weather nowadays so tell me how can I get motivation to offer prayer regularly in winters.
If using water causes a person difficulty, they can either perform tayammum (making ablution with fine sand or dust), or perform al-masḥ ʿala al-khuffayn, which is to use your hands to wipe the top parts of your socks during ablution without taking them off.
To perform tayammum the person will simply have to put both hands on a clean patch of dry soil or sand or any dusty surface in the house, then wipe their face, then rub their hands together.
As for wiping over socks, it can only be done if you perform an ordinary ablution first, then put on the socks. Afterwards, you can use the bathroom, then when performing ablution again, you can wash your face and hands like normal while keeping your socks on. Instead of taking the socks off, you may simply wipe your hands over the top part of your feet, starting with the toes.
This can only be done for 24 hours, after which the person has to take the socks off and perform an ordinary ablution for the next prayer. In this way, you can perform ablution at home, put your socks on, then keep the socks on all day and only wipe your hand over them when performing ablution.
As for having motivation to pray, I recommend reading a regular amount of Quran everyday so that you may feel a closer connection with God. And the best way to do this is to read Quran during tahajjud, as I explain in this essay.
References:
- Fatwa from Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi (Arabic PDF)
- Fatwa from the Palestinian Fatwa Authority (Arabic PDF)
- Fatwa from the Qatari Fatwa Authority (Arabic PDF)