7 Things That Break Wudu (Ablution)

Wudu (Ablution) is a way for Muslims to purify themselves from any hadith (small ritual impurity) as a condition for worshiping Allah SWT, especially when offering Salah/Namaz.

And the best thing Muslims can do is to protect themselves from things that can break Wudu.

It is because Wudu is part of the requirements for prayers which is confirmed in the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): “Allah will not accept the prayer of one of you if he has habits until he performs ablution.” (Hadith Shahih Bukhari:135)

If the Wudu that we perform turns out to be incorrect or has been broken, then the worship we perform becomes invalid and will not be rewarded. However, some people may not understand Wudu-related things, including things that can break it.

The following is an explanation regarding the things that can break Wudu in Islamic Teachings:

1. Passing Gas (Fart)

• This is based on a hadith from the words of the Prophet Muhammad who said that whoever blows the wind must perform Wudu. (Sunan Al-Tirmidhi 88)

Most scholars believe that farts, whether they make a sound or not and come out of the anus or genitals, are one of the things that can invalidate Wudu. So, if someone believes that he has passed gas (farting) either from his anus or genitals, then he is obliged to repeat his Wudu again before he can perform prayers and other acts of worship again.

2. Urination and Defecation

• If one of us has done these things, it is obligatory to repeat his Wudu again before performing prayers and other acts of worship. (Sahih Bukhari 134)

Scholars agree that anything that comes out of the genitals, such as defecating, or urinating, can invalidate our Wudu.

3. Deep Sleep Where Someone Loses Consciousness

• Sleeping is a matter that can invalidate Wudu on the basis of the description of the hadith of Rasulullah SAW which was narrated from Shafwan Ibn’ Origin. Abu Malik Kamal ibn Sayyid Salim interpreted the hadith below as a deep sleep.

In other words, sleep leaves no consciousness and doesn’t feel anything or catch the sounds around it, so it doesn’t feel anything when something comes out.

This means that if a Muslim has fallen into a deep sleep so that he loses consciousness, then when he wakes up he is obliged to take Wudu again before performing prayers or other acts of worship. (At-Tirmidzi 72)

4. Vomit a mouthful or more

• Make sure you repeat your Wudu if you vomit either a mouthful or so before performing your prayers or other acts of worship. (At Tirmidzi 87)

Vomiting is the discharge of food or drinks from the stomach out through the mouth. Not only during fasting, vomiting after Wudu can also invalidate the ablution itself.

5. Bleeding from Any Body Part

• This is because of a hadith that once said that the Prophet PBUH said “must perform ablution against all the blood that flows.” (Mishkat al-Masabih 333)

Blood coming out of any part of the body can invalidate Wudu, even if it is not through the genitals or mouth. This is because blood and pus are impure and thus spoil one’s cleanliness. In fact, if you only spit out one or two drops, then you still need to do Wudu again by cleaning it.

6. Sexual discharge (including ejaculation of either male or female)

• The discharge of sexual fluids caused by the release of sexual desire by both men and women is the next thing that can invalidate wudu. (Sahih Muslim 178).

7. Eating Camel Meat

• According to Shaykh Muhammad Al-Utsaimin in the book Syarah Riyadhus Shalihin (Volume II) eating camel meat, both cooked and raw, can invalidate Wudu.

This is because consuming camel meat, whether cooked or raw, will leave stains, aroma and so on, so it is necessary to perform Wudu again.Moreover, Muslims are allowed to eat and drink after Wudu. This means that these activities do not cancel the Wudu that has been done. (Jami al.Tirmidi 81)