Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 3 – Issues Related to Ṣalāh, p. 100Question
If ghusl is obligatory but a person forgets and performs only wuḍūʾ, then offers some prayers, when they remember — is it necessary to repeat those prayers, or is seeking forgiveness sufficient?
(Iʿjāz Aḥmad, Gojra, Toba Tek Singh)
Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
There is no explicit ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth on this precise situation, but the guidance of the fuqahāʾ, muḥaddithīn, and the practice of the Companions clarifies the ruling.
Statements from Early Scholars
Dialogue between ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī and Sufyān al-Thawrī
Ibn Mahdī said:
“I asked Sufyān al-Thawrī: Do you know of anyone who said that if someone leads ṣalāh in this state, both he and the congregation must repeat the prayer?”
He replied: “No, only Ḥammād said that.”
(Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī 1/365, ḥadīth 1359 – ḥasan chain)
Practice of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما
He once led prayer, then remembered that his hand had touched his private part. He repeated wuḍūʾ but did not instruct the congregation to repeat their prayer.
- Chain: ḥasan from ʿAbdullāh al-ʿUmari, who is acceptable from Nāfiʿ according to many scholars.
- Imām al-Tirmidhī graded “ʿUmari from Nāfiʿ” as ḥasan, and Muslim narrates from him.
Consensus of the Companions
Imām ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī said:
“There is consensus (ijmāʿ) that the junub person (requiring ghusl) must repeat his own prayer, but the congregation behind him do not repeat theirs. I know of no disagreement except from Ḥammād ibn Abī Sulaymān.”
(Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī 1/365, ḥadīth 1357 – authentic chain; al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī 2/401)
Later, Sufyān al-Thawrī also adopted Ḥammād’s opinion, but the majority remained upon the consensus view.
Summary of the Ruling
1 – For the person who prayed without wuḍūʾ or ghusl:
- If one forgets or is unaware and prays without being in the state of ṭahārah, it is obligatory to repeat those prayers once they remember.
- This applies whether the state required wuḍūʾ or ghusl.
2 – For the congregation behind such an imam:
- If they were unaware of his state, their prayer remains valid.
- They do not need to repeat it.
- This is the position of the majority and supported by the ijmāʿ of the Companions.
Example from the Companions
Incident with ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه
Shurayd al-Qaḍī narrated:
- ʿUmar once led the people in ṣalāh while in a state of janābah. Later, he repeated his own prayer but did not instruct the congregation to repeat theirs.
(al-Sunan al-Kubrā 2/399–400; Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī 1/364, ḥadīth 1364 – ḥasan chain)
Imām Ibn Qudāmah’s Statement in al-Mughnī
“If the imam leads prayer without wuḍūʾ or in janābah, and neither he nor the followers know, the followers’ prayer is valid but the imam’s is invalid. This is supported by the consensus of the Companions.”
(al-Mughnī, 2/99–100)
Final Ruling:- Yes, if you prayed without wuḍūʾ or ghusl (even out of forgetfulness), you must repeat those prayers.
- No, the congregation behind such an imam (unknowingly) does not repeat their prayers.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
