Author: Sheikh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani (Hafidhahullah)
Question:
Does wudu break due to bleeding? Some people believe that wudu breaks when blood flows out of the body. What is the correct stance on this issue?
Answer:
Wudu does not break when blood comes out of the body. There are several pieces of evidence supporting this:
➊ Imam Bukhari (رحمه الله) in the Book of Wudu, under the chapter titled "Those Who Do Not Consider Ablution Necessary Except After the Two Exits (of the body)," briefly mentions an incident from the battle of Dhat al-Riqa, which is detailed in other hadith collections. The essence of the incident is as follows:
Narrated by Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (رضي الله عنه): We set out with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for the battle of Dhat al-Riqa. A man from the polytheists captured a Muslim woman. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned, the husband of that woman, who had not been present earlier, came back and, upon hearing of the incident, swore that he would not rest until he shed the blood of some of the companions of Muhammad (ﷺ). He went out searching for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). When the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions halted at a place, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked, "Who will keep watch tonight?" A Muhajir and an Ansari companion responded to this call, and the Prophet (ﷺ) instructed them to guard the mountain pass as the enemy might approach from there. The Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions then descended into the valley.
At the pass, the Ansari suggested to the Muhajir, "Would you prefer to keep watch during the first part of the night or the latter?" The Ansari took the first part, and the Muhajir went to sleep while the Ansari stood for prayer. During his prayer, the enemy arrived and shot an arrow. The Ansari pulled out the arrow and continued praying. The enemy shot a second and a third arrow, and he continued removing them without breaking his prayer, completing the bowing and prostrations. Then, he woke his companion. Upon seeing the Ansari covered in blood, the Muhajir said, "SubhanAllah! Why did you not wake me earlier?" The Ansari replied, "I was reciting a Surah, and I did not want to interrupt it. However, when the attacks became severe, I feared that I might not fulfill the duty the Prophet (ﷺ) assigned me, so I completed my prayer and woke you."
(Reported by Darqutni, Abu Dawood, Hakim, Ibn Khuzaymah, and others.)
↰ This incident, authenticated by scholars like Imam Hakim, Imam Dhahabi, Imam Ibn Hibban, and Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (رحمهم الله), indicates that bleeding from the body does not invalidate wudu. If wudu were to break due to bleeding, the companion would have broken his prayer, but he did not. Furthermore, it is unlikely that such an incident would have occurred without the Prophet (ﷺ) being informed of it. If bleeding had invalidated wudu, the Prophet (ﷺ) would have clarified this and mentioned the invalidation of the prayer, but he did not, showing that blood does not invalidate wudu. Imam Bukhari (رحمه الله) also emphasized this issue through his chapter headings, refuting the Hanafi view that bleeding breaks wudu.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani (رحمه الله) comments:
"The author (Imam Bukhari) intended with this hadith to refute the Hanafi view that flowing blood invalidates wudu."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/281)
Additional Evidence:
➋ Sayyiduna Miswar bin Makhrama (رضي الله عنه) narrates that:"Umar (رضي الله عنه) performed prayer while his wound was bleeding profusely."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/280, Sunan Bayhaqi, Ibn Abi Shaybah)
➌ It is narrated about Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (رضي الله عنهما):"Ibn Umar squeezed a pimple and blood came out, yet he did not perform wudu."
(Ibn Abi Shaybah: 1/128, Hadith 1479)
In another narration, it is said:"Then he prayed and did not perform wudu."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/280, Ibn Abi Shaybah: 1/128, Hadith 1473)
➍ Imam Tawus (رحمه الله) is reported to have said:"He did not consider it necessary to perform wudu due to bleeding. He would wash the blood and continue as usual."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/280)
➎ Imam Hasan Basri (رحمه الله) stated:"Muslims have always prayed in the state of bleeding wounds."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/281)
➏ Imam A'mash (رحمه الله) asked Abu Ja'far Al-Baqir about the ruling on nosebleeds, to which he replied:"Even if a river of blood flowed, I would not renew my wudu."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/282)
Moreover, this stance that bleeding does not invalidate wudu is also the opinion of the seven jurists of Madinah, Imam Malik, and Imam Shafi'i (رحمهم الله).
(Fath al-Bari: 1/282)
From these narrations, it becomes evident that bleeding, whether it occurs from any part of the body—such as the throat, gums, from cupping, an injury, or a boil bursting—does not invalidate wudu. It does not matter whether the blood is little or a lot, or if it is caused by an injection or a gunshot wound. None of these scenarios invalidate wudu. The narrations presented to argue that wudu breaks due to bleeding are not reliable evidence. For more details, refer to Nasb al-Rayah (1/42) and Majalla al-Da'wah (September 1998).
Question:
Does wudu break due to bleeding? Some people believe that wudu breaks when blood flows out of the body. What is the correct stance on this issue?
Answer:
Wudu does not break when blood comes out of the body. There are several pieces of evidence supporting this:
➊ Imam Bukhari (رحمه الله) in the Book of Wudu, under the chapter titled "Those Who Do Not Consider Ablution Necessary Except After the Two Exits (of the body)," briefly mentions an incident from the battle of Dhat al-Riqa, which is detailed in other hadith collections. The essence of the incident is as follows:
Narrated by Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (رضي الله عنه): We set out with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for the battle of Dhat al-Riqa. A man from the polytheists captured a Muslim woman. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned, the husband of that woman, who had not been present earlier, came back and, upon hearing of the incident, swore that he would not rest until he shed the blood of some of the companions of Muhammad (ﷺ). He went out searching for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). When the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions halted at a place, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked, "Who will keep watch tonight?" A Muhajir and an Ansari companion responded to this call, and the Prophet (ﷺ) instructed them to guard the mountain pass as the enemy might approach from there. The Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions then descended into the valley.
At the pass, the Ansari suggested to the Muhajir, "Would you prefer to keep watch during the first part of the night or the latter?" The Ansari took the first part, and the Muhajir went to sleep while the Ansari stood for prayer. During his prayer, the enemy arrived and shot an arrow. The Ansari pulled out the arrow and continued praying. The enemy shot a second and a third arrow, and he continued removing them without breaking his prayer, completing the bowing and prostrations. Then, he woke his companion. Upon seeing the Ansari covered in blood, the Muhajir said, "SubhanAllah! Why did you not wake me earlier?" The Ansari replied, "I was reciting a Surah, and I did not want to interrupt it. However, when the attacks became severe, I feared that I might not fulfill the duty the Prophet (ﷺ) assigned me, so I completed my prayer and woke you."
(Reported by Darqutni, Abu Dawood, Hakim, Ibn Khuzaymah, and others.)
↰ This incident, authenticated by scholars like Imam Hakim, Imam Dhahabi, Imam Ibn Hibban, and Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (رحمهم الله), indicates that bleeding from the body does not invalidate wudu. If wudu were to break due to bleeding, the companion would have broken his prayer, but he did not. Furthermore, it is unlikely that such an incident would have occurred without the Prophet (ﷺ) being informed of it. If bleeding had invalidated wudu, the Prophet (ﷺ) would have clarified this and mentioned the invalidation of the prayer, but he did not, showing that blood does not invalidate wudu. Imam Bukhari (رحمه الله) also emphasized this issue through his chapter headings, refuting the Hanafi view that bleeding breaks wudu.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani (رحمه الله) comments:
"The author (Imam Bukhari) intended with this hadith to refute the Hanafi view that flowing blood invalidates wudu."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/281)
Additional Evidence:
➋ Sayyiduna Miswar bin Makhrama (رضي الله عنه) narrates that:"Umar (رضي الله عنه) performed prayer while his wound was bleeding profusely."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/280, Sunan Bayhaqi, Ibn Abi Shaybah)
➌ It is narrated about Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (رضي الله عنهما):"Ibn Umar squeezed a pimple and blood came out, yet he did not perform wudu."
(Ibn Abi Shaybah: 1/128, Hadith 1479)
In another narration, it is said:"Then he prayed and did not perform wudu."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/280, Ibn Abi Shaybah: 1/128, Hadith 1473)
➍ Imam Tawus (رحمه الله) is reported to have said:"He did not consider it necessary to perform wudu due to bleeding. He would wash the blood and continue as usual."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/280)
➎ Imam Hasan Basri (رحمه الله) stated:"Muslims have always prayed in the state of bleeding wounds."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/281)
➏ Imam A'mash (رحمه الله) asked Abu Ja'far Al-Baqir about the ruling on nosebleeds, to which he replied:"Even if a river of blood flowed, I would not renew my wudu."
(Fath al-Bari: 1/282)
Moreover, this stance that bleeding does not invalidate wudu is also the opinion of the seven jurists of Madinah, Imam Malik, and Imam Shafi'i (رحمهم الله).
(Fath al-Bari: 1/282)
From these narrations, it becomes evident that bleeding, whether it occurs from any part of the body—such as the throat, gums, from cupping, an injury, or a boil bursting—does not invalidate wudu. It does not matter whether the blood is little or a lot, or if it is caused by an injection or a gunshot wound. None of these scenarios invalidate wudu. The narrations presented to argue that wudu breaks due to bleeding are not reliable evidence. For more details, refer to Nasb al-Rayah (1/42) and Majalla al-Da'wah (September 1998).