Taken from: "Ahkām wa Masā’il in the Light of the Qur’an and Hadith", Volume 02
If a person experiences nocturnal emission (iḥtilām) but remains unaware, and consequently offers five daily prayers in the state of janābah (major ritual impurity) —
What is the ruling in this situation?
There are two scholarly views on this matter:
There is no need to repeat the prayers, because a person is only responsible for what he knows.
➤ Since he was unaware of the impurity, he is not accountable for the prayers offered in ignorance.
He must repeat all the prayers performed in the state of ritual impurity, as prayer without ghusl is invalid, and upon discovering the impurity, those prayers should be re-performed.
❖ Narration of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه):
When he found signs of emission on his clothes after offering prayer, he said:
“By Allah, it seems I had a nocturnal emission and was unaware. I offered prayer without performing ghusl.”
Then he performed ghusl, washed his clothes, and repeated the prayer later in the day.
(Muwaṭṭaʼ Mālik, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh)
✔ Although some scholars permit the validity of the prayers due to lack of knowledge,
✔ The better and more cautious opinion is to repeat all prayers performed in the state of janābah upon discovering it.
Wallāhu Aʿlam.
❀ Question:
If a person experiences nocturnal emission (iḥtilām) but remains unaware, and consequently offers five daily prayers in the state of janābah (major ritual impurity) —
What is the ruling in this situation?❀ Answer:
There are two scholarly views on this matter:
There is no need to repeat the prayers, because a person is only responsible for what he knows.
➤ Since he was unaware of the impurity, he is not accountable for the prayers offered in ignorance.
He must repeat all the prayers performed in the state of ritual impurity, as prayer without ghusl is invalid, and upon discovering the impurity, those prayers should be re-performed.
✔ Supporting Narrations:
❖ Narration of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه):
When he found signs of emission on his clothes after offering prayer, he said:
“By Allah, it seems I had a nocturnal emission and was unaware. I offered prayer without performing ghusl.”
Then he performed ghusl, washed his clothes, and repeated the prayer later in the day.
(Muwaṭṭaʼ Mālik, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh)
❀ Summary:
✔ Although some scholars permit the validity of the prayers due to lack of knowledge,
✔ The better and more cautious opinion is to repeat all prayers performed in the state of janābah upon discovering it.
Wallāhu Aʿlam.
