Ruling on Wudu Breaking Due to Passing Wind and Its Shar'i Evidence
Taken from: Fatawa Ilmiyyah, Volume 1, Kitab al-Aqa’id, Page 225
Question:
Does passing wind break the wudu (ablution) or not?
(Hafiz Habib Muhammad, Biyar, Dir)
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Yes, when a person passes wind, their wudu is certainly invalidated—whether it is minor or major, with sound or without it, with an odor or without. There is no doubt that the emission of wind nullifies the wudu.
Imam Abu Dawood (d. 275 AH) states:
"حدثنا عثمان بن أبي شيبة حدثنا جرير بن عبد الحميد عن عاصم الأحول عن عيسى بن حطان عن مسلم بن سلام عن علي بن طلق رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (إِذَا فَسَا أَحَدُكُمْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَلْيَنْصَرِفْ فَلْيَتَوَضَّأْ، وَلْيُعِدْ الصَّلَاةَ)”
“If one of you passes wind during prayer, he should leave, perform wudu, and repeat the prayer.”
(Sunan Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Taharah, Chapter: On One Who Breaks His Wudu During Salah, Hadith: 205)
This Hadith is Hasan (Lidhatihi) and has been narrated by Tirmidhi (1164), Nasa’i (Al-Sunan al-Kubra 5/325, Hadith: 9025, 9026), Darimi (Sunan: 1/260, Hadith: 1146) with varied wording through the chain of ‘Asim al-Ahwal.
Imam Tirmidhi said:
"Hadith Hasan" — This Hadith is Hasan.
Hafiz Ibn Hibban also classified this Hadith as authentic.
(Al-Ihsan: 6/201, Hadith: 4189; other editions: 6/8, Hadith: 2237, 9/514–515, Hadith: 4199, 4201; Mawarid al-Zam'an: 203, 204)
◈ ‘Uthman bin Abi Shaybah:
"Thiqa, Hafiz, famous, though had occasional errors. Some said he did not memorize the Qur'an."
(Taqrib: 4513)
A narrator of Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan Nasa’i, Sunan Ibn Majah.
◈ Jarir bin ‘Abd al-Hamid:
"Thiqa, accurate in writing; it is said he erred from memory in later years."
(Taqrib: 916)
A prominent narrator in the Six Major Books.
◈ ‘Asim al-Ahwal:
"Thiqa, of the fourth generation; only al-Qattan criticized him, likely due to his governmental appointment."
(Taqrib: 3060)
◈ ‘Isa bin Hattan:
Authenticated by the following scholars:
(Tarikh al-Thiqat: 1330, Kitab al-Thiqat: 5/215)
◈ Muslim bin Salam al-Hanafi:
Declared Thiqa by the following scholars:
(Kitab al-Thiqat: 5/395, Thiqat Ibn Shahin: 1391)
◈ ‘Ali bin Taliq:
A Companion of the Messenger ﷺ.
(Sunan al-Darimi: p. 208, Hadith: 1146)
◈ Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إِذَا وَجَدَ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي بَطْنِهِ شَيْئًا فَأَشْكَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَخَرَجَ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ أَمْ لا فَلا يَخْرُجَنَّ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ صَوْتًا أَوْ يَجِدَ رِيحًا"
“If any of you feels something in his stomach and is uncertain whether anything has come out or not, he should not leave the mosque unless he hears a sound or perceives an odor.”
(Sahih Muslim: 99/326, Darussalam: 805)
◈ ‘Ubadah bin Tamim narrates from his uncle ‘Abdullah bin Zayd al-Mazini رضي الله عنه:
"لَا يَنْصَرِفْ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ صَوْتًا أَوْ يَجِدَ رِيحًا"
“He should not leave (the prayer) unless he hears a sound or perceives a smell.”
(Sahih Bukhari: 177, Sahih Muslim: 98/361, Darussalam: 804)
◈ Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه also narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"لَا يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ صَلَاةَ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا أَحْدَثَ حتى يتوضأ"
“Allah does not accept the prayer of any of you when he is in a state of hadath (minor impurity) until he performs wudu.”
(Sahih Bukhari: 135)
◈ Abdullah bin ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما stated:
"الْوُضُوءُ مِمَّا خَرَجَ وَلَيْسَ مِمَّا دَخَلَ"
“Wudu is required due to what exits, not what enters.”
(Al-Awsat by Ibn al-Mundhir, Vol 1, p. 185, Hadith: 81 — Authentic chain)
From all these Hadiths, it is conclusively established that wudu is nullified by the emission of wind, regardless of whether:
One must perform wudu again.
This is the position of Ahl al-Hadith, and it is based on authentic narrations.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
Taken from: Fatawa Ilmiyyah, Volume 1, Kitab al-Aqa’id, Page 225Question:
Does passing wind break the wudu (ablution) or not?
(Hafiz Habib Muhammad, Biyar, Dir)
❖ The Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Yes, when a person passes wind, their wudu is certainly invalidated—whether it is minor or major, with sound or without it, with an odor or without. There is no doubt that the emission of wind nullifies the wudu.
✿ Evidence from Hadith:
Imam Abu Dawood (d. 275 AH) states:
"حدثنا عثمان بن أبي شيبة حدثنا جرير بن عبد الحميد عن عاصم الأحول عن عيسى بن حطان عن مسلم بن سلام عن علي بن طلق رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (إِذَا فَسَا أَحَدُكُمْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَلْيَنْصَرِفْ فَلْيَتَوَضَّأْ، وَلْيُعِدْ الصَّلَاةَ)”
“If one of you passes wind during prayer, he should leave, perform wudu, and repeat the prayer.”
(Sunan Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Taharah, Chapter: On One Who Breaks His Wudu During Salah, Hadith: 205)
This Hadith is Hasan (Lidhatihi) and has been narrated by Tirmidhi (1164), Nasa’i (Al-Sunan al-Kubra 5/325, Hadith: 9025, 9026), Darimi (Sunan: 1/260, Hadith: 1146) with varied wording through the chain of ‘Asim al-Ahwal.
Imam Tirmidhi said:
"Hadith Hasan" — This Hadith is Hasan.
Hafiz Ibn Hibban also classified this Hadith as authentic.
(Al-Ihsan: 6/201, Hadith: 4189; other editions: 6/8, Hadith: 2237, 9/514–515, Hadith: 4199, 4201; Mawarid al-Zam'an: 203, 204)
✿ Brief Introduction to the Narrators:
◈ ‘Uthman bin Abi Shaybah:
"Thiqa, Hafiz, famous, though had occasional errors. Some said he did not memorize the Qur'an."
(Taqrib: 4513)
A narrator of Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan Nasa’i, Sunan Ibn Majah.
◈ Jarir bin ‘Abd al-Hamid:
"Thiqa, accurate in writing; it is said he erred from memory in later years."
(Taqrib: 916)
A prominent narrator in the Six Major Books.
◈ ‘Asim al-Ahwal:
"Thiqa, of the fourth generation; only al-Qattan criticized him, likely due to his governmental appointment."
(Taqrib: 3060)
◈ ‘Isa bin Hattan:
Authenticated by the following scholars:
(Tarikh al-Thiqat: 1330, Kitab al-Thiqat: 5/215)
◈ Muslim bin Salam al-Hanafi:
Declared Thiqa by the following scholars:
(Kitab al-Thiqat: 5/395, Thiqat Ibn Shahin: 1391)
◈ ‘Ali bin Taliq:
A Companion of the Messenger ﷺ.
(Sunan al-Darimi: p. 208, Hadith: 1146)
✿ Additional Proofs:
◈ Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إِذَا وَجَدَ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي بَطْنِهِ شَيْئًا فَأَشْكَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَخَرَجَ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ أَمْ لا فَلا يَخْرُجَنَّ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ صَوْتًا أَوْ يَجِدَ رِيحًا"
“If any of you feels something in his stomach and is uncertain whether anything has come out or not, he should not leave the mosque unless he hears a sound or perceives an odor.”
(Sahih Muslim: 99/326, Darussalam: 805)
◈ ‘Ubadah bin Tamim narrates from his uncle ‘Abdullah bin Zayd al-Mazini رضي الله عنه:
"لَا يَنْصَرِفْ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ صَوْتًا أَوْ يَجِدَ رِيحًا"
“He should not leave (the prayer) unless he hears a sound or perceives a smell.”
(Sahih Bukhari: 177, Sahih Muslim: 98/361, Darussalam: 804)
◈ Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه also narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"لَا يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ صَلَاةَ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا أَحْدَثَ حتى يتوضأ"
“Allah does not accept the prayer of any of you when he is in a state of hadath (minor impurity) until he performs wudu.”
(Sahih Bukhari: 135)
◈ Abdullah bin ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما stated:
"الْوُضُوءُ مِمَّا خَرَجَ وَلَيْسَ مِمَّا دَخَلَ"
“Wudu is required due to what exits, not what enters.”
(Al-Awsat by Ibn al-Mundhir, Vol 1, p. 185, Hadith: 81 — Authentic chain)
❖ Conclusion:
From all these Hadiths, it is conclusively established that wudu is nullified by the emission of wind, regardless of whether:
- it is audible or silent,
- it has a smell or not,
- it is minor or major.
One must perform wudu again.
This is the position of Ahl al-Hadith, and it is based on authentic narrations.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
