excerpt from Shaykh Mubashar Ahmad Rabbani’s book “Ahkām wa Masā’il – In the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah”:
Is ablution (wuḍūʾ) required for reciting Durūd, performing adhkār (remembrances), or reading supplications (wazāʾif)? If one’s wuḍūʾ breaks during dhikr, is it necessary to renew it? What is the Sharʿi ruling on this?
Wuḍūʾ is obligatory and essential for performing ṣalāh (prayer); without it, the prayer is not valid.
It is reported from Usāmah ibn Zayd رضي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Allah does not accept prayer without purification, nor does He accept charity from unlawful wealth."
Ibn Mājah, Book of Purification: 271
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Purification, Chapter: The Obligation of Purification for Prayer: 224
Abū Dāwūd: 59
This narration is also reported by Anas, Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, Abū Bakrah, and ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهم.
However, ablution is not a condition for reciting adhkār or supplications. One may recite them in a state of wuḍūʾ or without it.
Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah al-Ṣiddīqah رضي الله عنها narrated:
"The Prophet ﷺ used to remember Allah in all of his conditions."
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Menstruation, Chapter: Remembrance of Allah during States of Janābah and Otherwise: 373
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, mentioned in a suspended form before ḥadīth 634
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله, commenting on this in Fatḥ al-Bārī (2/115), states:
"Imām al-Bukhārī’s inclusion of this ḥadīth at this point suggests that he favored the view of Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī, which is also the position of Imām Mālik and the scholars of Kūfah—that the adhān is a form of dhikr and does not require the conditions necessary for prayer, such as wuḍūʾ or facing the qiblah."
Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله also established a chapter in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim titled:
“Chapter: The Remembrance of Allah in a State of Janābah and Otherwise”
In his commentary, he writes:
"This ḥadīth serves as the foundational proof for the permissibility of remembering Allah through tasbīḥ (saying 'Subḥānallāh'), tahlīl ('Lā ilāha illā Allāh'), takbīr ('Allāhu Akbar'), taḥmīd ('Alḥamdu lillāh'), and other forms of dhikr—even while in a state of major impurity (janābah). This is permitted by consensus of the Muslims."
Sharḥ Muslim by al-Nawawī: 4/59
Performing tasbīḥ, tahlīl, takbīr, taḥmīd, and other adhkār or wazāʾif does not require wuḍūʾ.
It is permissible in both states—with or without ablution.
However, being in a state of wuḍūʾ is preferable and commendable.
And Allah knows best.
❖ Question:
Is ablution (wuḍūʾ) required for reciting Durūd, performing adhkār (remembrances), or reading supplications (wazāʾif)? If one’s wuḍūʾ breaks during dhikr, is it necessary to renew it? What is the Sharʿi ruling on this?
❖ Answer:
Wuḍūʾ is obligatory and essential for performing ṣalāh (prayer); without it, the prayer is not valid.
It is reported from Usāmah ibn Zayd رضي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Allah does not accept prayer without purification, nor does He accept charity from unlawful wealth."
Ibn Mājah, Book of Purification: 271 Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Purification, Chapter: The Obligation of Purification for Prayer: 224 Abū Dāwūd: 59This narration is also reported by Anas, Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, Abū Bakrah, and ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهم.
However, ablution is not a condition for reciting adhkār or supplications. One may recite them in a state of wuḍūʾ or without it.
Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah al-Ṣiddīqah رضي الله عنها narrated:
"The Prophet ﷺ used to remember Allah in all of his conditions."
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Book of Menstruation, Chapter: Remembrance of Allah during States of Janābah and Otherwise: 373 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, mentioned in a suspended form before ḥadīth 634Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله, commenting on this in Fatḥ al-Bārī (2/115), states:
"Imām al-Bukhārī’s inclusion of this ḥadīth at this point suggests that he favored the view of Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī, which is also the position of Imām Mālik and the scholars of Kūfah—that the adhān is a form of dhikr and does not require the conditions necessary for prayer, such as wuḍūʾ or facing the qiblah."
Imām al-Nawawī رحمه الله also established a chapter in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim titled:
“Chapter: The Remembrance of Allah in a State of Janābah and Otherwise”
In his commentary, he writes:
"This ḥadīth serves as the foundational proof for the permissibility of remembering Allah through tasbīḥ (saying 'Subḥānallāh'), tahlīl ('Lā ilāha illā Allāh'), takbīr ('Allāhu Akbar'), taḥmīd ('Alḥamdu lillāh'), and other forms of dhikr—even while in a state of major impurity (janābah). This is permitted by consensus of the Muslims."
Sharḥ Muslim by al-Nawawī: 4/59❖ Conclusion:
Performing tasbīḥ, tahlīl, takbīr, taḥmīd, and other adhkār or wazāʾif does not require wuḍūʾ. It is permissible in both states—with or without ablution. However, being in a state of wuḍūʾ is preferable and commendable.And Allah knows best.
