Authored by: Sheikh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani (Hafidhahullah)
Question:
If after performing wudu, the trousers go below the ankles, does this invalidate the wudu? Please explain in light of the Quran and Hadith.
Answer:
Letting the garment or trousers hang below the ankles is a serious sin. The hadith mentions:
"Whatever portion of the garment is below the ankles is in the Fire."
(Bukhari, Book of Clothing, Chapter: What is Below the Ankles is in the Fire: 5787)
In another hadith, it is stated:
"Whoever lets his garment drag out of pride, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Judgment."
(Muslim, Book of Clothing and Adornment, Chapter: The Prohibition of Dragging the Garment Out of Pride: 2085)
Similarly, there is a narration where Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (رضي الله عنه) mentioned his garment slipping down, to which the Prophet (ﷺ) replied:
"You are not among those who do so out of arrogance."
(Nasa'i, Book of Adornment, Chapter: Letting the Garment Hang Below the Ankles: 5337)
From these narrations, it becomes clear that for men, letting the garment hang below the ankles is a grave sin. However, the Prophet (ﷺ) specifically exempted Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (رضي الله عنه) from this ruling due to his unintentional situation. Despite the seriousness of this act, no jurist or hadith scholar has listed this act among the things that invalidate wudu.
There is also a weak narration in Sunan Abu Dawood where it is reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) saw a man praying with his garment hanging below his ankles and instructed him: "Go and perform wudu." However, this narration is not authentic because one of its narrators, Abu Ja'far, is unknown. Imam Mundhiri (رحمه الله) in his Mukhtasar Sunan Abi Dawood (1/324) and Allama Shawkani in Nayl al-Awtar (3/118) have mentioned:
"In its chain is Abu Ja'far, a man from the people of Madinah, whose name is unknown."
While discussing this in Mishkat al-Masabih, Allama Albani (رحمه الله) wrote:
"Its chain is weak due to the presence of Abu Ja'far. The one narrating from him is Yahya bin Abi Kathir, who is the Ansari Muezzin from Madinah and is unknown, as Ibn al-Qattan said. In Taqreeb, Ibn Hajar Asqalani (رحمه الله) also mentioned that his narration is weak. Allama Albani (رحمه الله) states that whoever deemed this chain of narration authentic has made an error."
(Mishkat: 1/238)
Since this narration is weak and no hadith scholar has included it among the invalidators of wudu, the person whose trousers or garment go below the ankles does not have their wudu broken. However, they are committing a sin for which there is a severe warning in the hadith.
Question:
If after performing wudu, the trousers go below the ankles, does this invalidate the wudu? Please explain in light of the Quran and Hadith.
Answer:
Letting the garment or trousers hang below the ankles is a serious sin. The hadith mentions:
"Whatever portion of the garment is below the ankles is in the Fire."
(Bukhari, Book of Clothing, Chapter: What is Below the Ankles is in the Fire: 5787)
In another hadith, it is stated:
"Whoever lets his garment drag out of pride, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Judgment."
(Muslim, Book of Clothing and Adornment, Chapter: The Prohibition of Dragging the Garment Out of Pride: 2085)
Similarly, there is a narration where Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (رضي الله عنه) mentioned his garment slipping down, to which the Prophet (ﷺ) replied:
"You are not among those who do so out of arrogance."
(Nasa'i, Book of Adornment, Chapter: Letting the Garment Hang Below the Ankles: 5337)
From these narrations, it becomes clear that for men, letting the garment hang below the ankles is a grave sin. However, the Prophet (ﷺ) specifically exempted Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (رضي الله عنه) from this ruling due to his unintentional situation. Despite the seriousness of this act, no jurist or hadith scholar has listed this act among the things that invalidate wudu.
There is also a weak narration in Sunan Abu Dawood where it is reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) saw a man praying with his garment hanging below his ankles and instructed him: "Go and perform wudu." However, this narration is not authentic because one of its narrators, Abu Ja'far, is unknown. Imam Mundhiri (رحمه الله) in his Mukhtasar Sunan Abi Dawood (1/324) and Allama Shawkani in Nayl al-Awtar (3/118) have mentioned:
"In its chain is Abu Ja'far, a man from the people of Madinah, whose name is unknown."
While discussing this in Mishkat al-Masabih, Allama Albani (رحمه الله) wrote:
"Its chain is weak due to the presence of Abu Ja'far. The one narrating from him is Yahya bin Abi Kathir, who is the Ansari Muezzin from Madinah and is unknown, as Ibn al-Qattan said. In Taqreeb, Ibn Hajar Asqalani (رحمه الله) also mentioned that his narration is weak. Allama Albani (رحمه الله) states that whoever deemed this chain of narration authentic has made an error."
(Mishkat: 1/238)
Since this narration is weak and no hadith scholar has included it among the invalidators of wudu, the person whose trousers or garment go below the ankles does not have their wudu broken. However, they are committing a sin for which there is a severe warning in the hadith.