Things That Invalidate Wudu’

♦ Relieving oneself (defecating or urinating), or passing wind. God, the Exalted, says:

“... or one of you comes after answering the call of nature.” (Surah Al-Maidah: 6) 

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

 “The prayer of any of you who is in a state of impurity (hadath) will not be accepted until he performs ablution.”

One man asked Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him: What is “hadath”, Abu Hurairah? He said: “Breaking wind.” (Agreed upon)

♦ Urethral discharge or pre-seminal fluid (madhi) and secretion of prostate (wadi). Ali said:

“I was a man whose pre-seminal fluid flowed readily. So I requested a man to ask Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) about it (in view of his relationship to his daughter). When he asked the Prophet (Peace be upon him), he said: ‘Wash your penis and perform ablution.’” (Reported by Bukhari)

♦ Complete sleep (during which one loses consciousness). Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, reported Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) as saying:

“The eye when awake precludes breaking wind. If anyone sleeps he must perform ablution.” (Reported by Ahmad, Abu Daud & Ibn Majah)

However, drowsiness during which one is still conscious does not invalidate wudu’.

♦ Eating camel’s meat. Jabir ibn Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that a man asked the Prophet (Peace be upon him):

“‘Should we perform ablution after eating mutton?’ He replied: ‘If you wish perform ablution, otherwise don’t perform it.’ The man asked (again): ‘Should we perform ablution after eating camel’s meat?’ He said: ‘Yes, perform ablution after eating camel’s meat.’ He asked: ‘Can we perform prayer at camel’s rest places?’ He answered: ‘No’.” (Muslim & Ahmad)

♦ Loss of one’s senses or state of unconsciousness resulting from lunacy, epilepsy, fainting, drug or drunkenness, because integrity of the mind is a prerequisite to the validity of wudu’.

♦ Touching sexual organs (i.e. the penis, vulva or anus) with the exposed palm of the hand. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“If a man touches his penis he should perform wudu’, and if a woman touches her vulva she should (also) perform wudu’.” (Reported by Ahmad)

♦ Vomiting. It was narrated that:

“The Prophet (Peace be upon him) vomited and then performed wudu’.” (Reported by Ahmad)

♦ Excessive bleeding. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“Whoever vomits, bleeds through the nose during prayer should perform wudu’.”

♦ Touching a woman (such as his wife) with desire that leads to pre-seminal discharge, based on Ibn Abbas’ saying: Semen necessitates having a bath. As for pre-seminal fluid (madhi) and secretion of prostrate (wadi), he said: Wash your penis and perform wudu’ as that for prayer.