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Islamic Journal·Pakistan

A journal of Islamic research in continuous monthly circulation since 1991. Published by Al-Mawrid.

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Monthly Renaissance
EST. 1991 · LAHORE
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Archive/Vol. 9 · № 6/Termination of Wudū
ARTICLE ID q701
In this issue
A Man’s First FoesSūrah Alam NashrahSpeech at the Mosque of Banū SālimCan Bank Lending be Islamically Fair?In the Hurt Game, Honesty LosesAgain, Islam is an Easy VillainSelections from Shaykh Sa`dīNo Jihād Without the State

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2 min · 328 words
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Termination of Wudū

DS
Dr. Shehzad Saleem
June 1999 · 2 min read

What factors end Wudū ? Is eating camel’s meet and sleeping also among them? Does Wudū terminate if you see someone naked?

Following things terminate a person’s Wudū:

1. A seminal/ovular discharge.

2. Sexual intercourse, whether the discharge or the ejaculation occurs or not.

3. Pre-seminal discharge (spermatorrhea).

4. Passing of bowels.

5. Passing of wind.

6. Passing of urine.

Of this the first two require Ghusl (bath), and the last five mere Wudū to make a person pure.

This is all as far as the Sharī‘ah is concerned in this regard. It spells out that only these six factors terminate a person’s Wudū.

However, there may be other instances apart from these six which may make a person feel impure and unclean, and which depend on how sensitive a person is in matters of cleanliness. The Prophet’s own sensitivity in this regard made him do Wudū at such instances. But, he never made them compulsory for his followers. For example, after eating a camel’s meat, he is reported to have done Wudū. Similarly, he once said that if a person touches his private parts he should do Wudū. Therefore, one must not mix up the desirable/permissible with the compulsory.

Sleep itself does not terminate a person’s Wudū. However, since during sleep a person loses consciousness, there is a possibility that he might have encountered some of the factors that terminate Wudū without his knowing them. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, it is desirable that a person do Wudū. Furthermore, if a person just doses off or wakes up from a sleep and is certain that he is still in his state of Wudū, he does not need to do it again. It is reported:

The Companions of the Prophet (sws) would go to sleep. Then would wake up and offer Salāh without doing Wudū.  (Tirmadhī, Kitāb al-Tahārah)

Merely seeing someone naked does not terminate one's Wudū unless of course there is some sort of a seminal discharge.


DS
Dr. Shehzad Saleem

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Cite
Dr. Shehzad Saleem (1999). Termination of Wudū. Monthly Renaissance, 9(6).