Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … From these narrations, it is understood that the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) would sometimes fall asleep while sitting and sometimes while lying down, yet after such sleep they would not perform ablution (wudu). However, in the following two ahadith, sleep has been declared as a nullifier of ablution in an absolute sense:

(1) It is narrated from Sayyiduna Safwan (radi Allahu anhu), who says: "The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to command us, when we were traveling, not to remove our leather socks (khuff) for three days and nights except in the case of major ritual impurity (janabah), but (we could remove them) due to defecation, urination, and sleep." … The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to command us that when we were traveling, we should not remove our leather socks for three days and nights due to defecation, urination, or sleep, except in the case of janabah, in which case they must be removed. (Tirmidhi: 3535, Nasa'i: 1/98, Ibn Majah: 478, and the wording is from Ahmad) From this hadith, it is understood that, like urination and defecation, sleep is also an absolute nullifier of ablution.

(2) It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu) that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "The eyes are the string of the anus, so whoever sleeps should perform ablution." (Abu Dawud: 203, Ibn Majah: 477) Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan (radi Allahu anhu) reports that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Indeed, the eye is the string of the anus, so when the eyes sleep, the string is loosened." (Musnad Ahmad: 16879, Darimi: 1/184, Bayhaqi: 1/118, Dar Qutni: 1/160) These ahadith also indicate, in an absolute sense, that sleep nullifies ablution.

(3) The third point is that some people have been observed who, while sitting, fell asleep and during sleep passed wind audibly, yet they were unaware of it. Later, they were informed that their ablution had been nullified. The question arises that from the ahadith of this chapter and their explanation, it is established that sleep does not nullify ablution, whereas the above three ahadith indicate that sleep is a nullifier of ablution. According to the preferred opinion, the reconciliation and harmonization of these texts is as follows: The ahadith in which sleep is mentioned as a nullifier of ablution should be considered as abrogating (nasikh), and sleep should be regarded as an absolute nullifier of ablution, while the ahadith in which it is mentioned that the Companions slept and did not perform ablution should be considered abrogated (mansukh). The reasons for this are as follows:

(1) If there is a conflict between permissibility and prohibition, prohibition is given precedence; in these narrations, the nullification of ablution by sleep is a prohibition.
(2) If one of the conflicting matters pertains to the original state of exemption (bara'at asliyyah), it should be considered abrogated; in this regard, the ahadith containing the ruling that sleep nullifies ablution are abrogating and to be acted upon.
(3) In conflicting texts, the one that is more precautionary (ahwat) should be acted upon, and in these ahadith, greater precaution lies in considering sleep as a nullifier of ablution. It should be kept in mind that these approaches are adopted when clear knowledge of abrogation is not available. Drowsiness (nu‘as) and similar light sleep, in which consciousness remains, do not nullify ablution.

The case of the Companions not performing ablution after sleep can also be interpreted as referring to light sleep in which consciousness remains, and in this way, the conflict between the texts can also be resolved. Allamah Ubaidullah Rahmani rahimahullah has mentioned (Mirqat al-Mafatih, p. 396, hadith no. 319) that Abu Allamah Muhammad bin Isma'il San‘ani has also preferred this view at the beginning of Subul al-Salam. (Abdullah Rafiq)