What Invalidates Wudu According To The Majority of Scholars?

Wudu (وضوء) is an Arabic word that translates to ablution. In Islam, it is a ritual purification that is mandatory for Muslims before offering prayer (salah), reciting the Quran, and performing any other key religious act, such as circumambulating the Ka'aba (tawaf). In fact, wudu refers to “partial ablution”, while “full ablution” in Islam refers to ghusl (Islamic bathing).

The spirit of wudu is maintaining the state of purity, not only for the performance of a key act of worship like prayer, but to remain clean and ritually pure even after that. In this context, preservation of wudu becomes even more important. But it is humanly impossible to avoid breaking wudu, as there are many human acts and events that may invalidate it. Hence, Muslims are very particular about knowing what breaks or invalidates wudu.

In this guide, we will explore what invalidates wudu according to the majority of scholars.

The Obligatory Nature of Wudu And How to Perform It

The performance of wudu is made obligatory in Islam. At the same time, Islam also differentiates between “half ablution” (wudu) and “full ablution” (ghusl). Similarly, it is clearly stated that wudu is mandatory for the performance of key acts of worship, whereas ghusl is only compulsory under specific conditions. The 6^th verse of Surah Al-Ma'ida narrates it, while also explaining how to perform wudu.

Translation of relevant part:

O believers, when you stand up for the service of prayer, wash your faces and hands up to elbows, and also wipe your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of seminal pollution, then bathe and purify yourself well.

The above Quranic verse explicitly defines when and how to perform wudu (half ablution) and when to perform ghusl (full ablution). An important point in this context is that when one is in the state of seminal pollution, they cannot perform any act of worship until the performance of full ablution. So, before the performance of wudu, one has to ensure that they are not in a state of seminal pollution, which obligates them to do full ablution, instead of just making wudu.

The obligation of wudu is also mentioned in Sunnah, such as Hadith 6954 of Sahih Al-Bukhari.

Translation:

Allah does not accept the prayer of any of you if he does Hadath (passes wind) till he performs the ablution (anew)

This Hadith not only emphasizes the compulsory nature of wudu before performance of Salah but also indicates an important happening that invalidates wudu, i.e., passing of wind.

Stepwise Procedure of Making Wudu

The procedure of making wuduas explained by the majority of scholars, is as follows:

• Make an intention.
• Recite In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
• Wash both hands up to wrists, right hand first, followed by left.
• Rinse your mouth with water three times.
• Rinse your nostrils with water three times.
• Wash your face three times.
• Wash the right forearm, including hands, three times. Repeat the same for the left forearm.
• Wipe head (masah) with wet hands.
• Wash the right foot from toes to ankle three times. Repeat the same for the left foot.

What Actually Invalidates Wudu?

A majority of the scholars agree that wudu is invalid in the following circumstances.

• Exiting Anything from Private Parts: Wudu is invalidated when anything comes out of the private parts, such as urine, stool, wind (passing gas), semen, pre-seminal fluid, blood, or pus. Odorous and audible infatuation is also included in it. It is a consensus among scholars of almost all Islamic jurisprudences that any of these happenings invalidates wudu, whether in small quantities or in large amounts. It also invalidates wudu, whether it happens intentionally or unintentionally.
• Vomiting: A majority of the scholars are of the view that vomiting also invalidates wudu. However, there is a slight difference among them. Some of them opine that a mouthful of vomit invalidates wudu, whereas a little amount of vomit does not.
• Going into Deep Sleep: When an individual goes into deep sleep, resulting in loss of awareness, wudu is nullified. Here, the scholars explain that deep sleep means a state when the individual is unable to know whether something that breaks wudu happened or not during sleep. Deep sleep includes lying down and sleeping heavily. This is also mentioned in Hadith 203 of Sunan Abi Dawudas follows:

Translation:

The eyes are the leather strap of the anus, so one who sleeps should perform ablution.

It implies that when a person goes into deep sleep, he loses control over his body, hence there is every possibility that wind might have passed without his knowledge. So, deep sleep invalidates wudu, and one has to repeat it before offering any act of worship.

• Losing consciousness: When a person loses consciousness, wudu is invalidated, according to the majority consensus. Loss of consciousness includes fainting, intoxication with drugs or alcohol, and seizures. One of the major causes of loss of consciousness is injury or sickness. Under any of these conditions, the affected person is completely unable to ascertain what happened to him during that period when he was unconscious. The scholars consider this state of a person to be like entering a deep sleep. For the purpose of invalidating wudu, the same ruling applies here as in the case of a person going into deep sleep. Hence, the consensus is that wudu is invalidated when a person loses consciousness for any reason.
• Touching the Private Parts with Naked Hands: Wudu is invalidated if a person touches his own private parts with bare hands. This is narrated in Hadith 444 of Sunan An-Nasaias follows:

Translation:

Whoever touches his private part, let him perform Wudu

Although the majority of the scholars agree that touching private parts with bare hands invalidates wudu, some scholars, especially those following Hanafi Fiqh, are of the opinion that it does not invalidate wudu.

• Flowing Blood or Pus: Most scholars across schools of thought hold that severe bleeding or pus invalidates wudu. The followers of the Shafi’i and Hanbali schools of thought differ with it, saying that wudu is invalidated if severe bleeding or pus happens from the private parts.

IMPORTANT

Understanding what breaks wudu is extremely important due to the following factors:

• It protects the validity of our worship.
• It protects us from unnecessary hardships by avoiding unnecessary repetition of wudu.
• It protects us from unnecessary doubts.
• It helps us align daily worship with perfect knowledge.

FAQs

1. Is it necessary to refresh wudu each time before offering prayer?

No, wudu does not necessarily require refreshing unless it is invalidated. If you are sure that your wudu is still intact, there is no need to make a fresh wudu for offering prayer.

2. Does my wudu get invalid if I fall asleep while sitting?

Light sleep while sitting without support does not break wudu. However, if one falls into deep sleep while sitting, it invalidates wudu.

3. Does passing wind invalidate wudu?

Yes, passing wind (gas) breaks wudu, according to the consensus across all Islamic juristic schools.

4. Does excessive bleeding from the nose invalidate wudu?

Excessive bleeding does break wudu, but slight bleeding from the nose does not. However, if bleeding is from the private parts, whether slight or excessive, it breaks wudu.

5. Does touching my spouse invalidate wudu?

No, just a simple physical touch does not invalidate your wudu, unless it involves touching private parts or if it results in discharge.

Conclusion

Wudu is an obligatory ritual purification before performing key acts of worship, such as prayers or reciting the Quran. Although maintaining cleanliness and purity is highly recommended in Islamic teachings, ensuring ritual purity while offering prayer is mandatory. There are many traditions in the Hadith collections that categorically state that prayer is not valid until wudu is performed. That makes it crucial for us to be aware of the acts or events that invalidate our wudu. Some of the major happenings that invalidate wudu include passing of wind, urination, defecation, deep sleep, and loss of consciousness. In the event of any of these conditions, wudu becomes invalid and needs to be renewed.