Three Main Things That Nullify Wudu – Complete with Evidences
Source: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
Nawāqiḍ al-Wudu — Things That Break Wudu
Question: What breaks wudu?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd!
Scholars have differed on the matters that break wudu, but here only those acts will be mentioned that are established by clear Shar‘i proofs.
➊ Anything That Exits from the Front or Back Passage
◈ Whatever is discharged from the human’s front or back passage nullifies wudu.
◈ This includes urine, feces, pre-seminal fluid (madhy), semen (maniy), wind or gas, etc.
◈ Anything that exits from either passage is a definitive nullifier of wudu and does not require further questioning for clarification.
Explanation:
◈ If what exits is semen, and it comes out with desire, ghusl becomes obligatory.
◈ If what exits is pre-seminal fluid (madhy), then washing the penis and testicles and performing wudu becomes obligatory.
➋ Deep Sleep
◈ Sleep in which a person is unaware if their wudu has broken is a nullifier of wudu.
◈ However, if the sleep is so light that a person would immediately know if their wudu broke, then wudu does not break.
Further Explanation:
◈ It makes no difference whether the sleep is lying down or sitting, leaning or without support.
◈ The key point is whether awareness of bodily functions remains during sleep.
◈ If a person sleeps in such a way that they would not know if their wudu broke, then wudu becomes obligatory.
◈ This is because sleep in itself is not a nullifier of wudu, but the possibility of wudu breaking during it is the concern.
◈ If sleep itself were a nullifier, every type of sleep — light or deep — would break wudu, similar to how urine breaks wudu regardless of amount.
➌ Eating Camel Meat
◈ Whoever eats camel meat, their wudu breaks — whether the meat is raw or cooked.
Evidence:
From the hadith of Jābir ibn Samurah (RA):
«اَنّه سئلَ النبیِ أَ نَتَوَضَّأُ مِنْ لُحُوْمِ الْغَنَمِ؟ قَالَ: اِنْ شِئْتَْٔ فقَالَ: انَٔتَوَضَّأُ مِنْ لُحُوْمِ الْاِبِلِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ»
Saḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ḥayḍ, Bāb al-Wudu min Luḥūm al-Ibil, ḥadīth 356
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked: Should we perform wudu after eating mutton? He said: If you wish, do so, and if you do not wish, do not. He was asked: Should we perform wudu after eating camel meat? He said: Yes, perform wudu after eating camel meat.”
Points Derived from the Hadith:
◈ Wudu after eating mutton is optional, but after camel meat it is obligatory.
◈ This ruling applies regardless of the meat’s state (raw or cooked), color, or body part consumed.
◈ The Prophet ﷺ made no distinction despite knowing people consume various parts of the camel.
◈ If some parts had a different ruling, the Prophet ﷺ would have clarified this for the Ummah.
Shar‘i Analogy:
In Islamic law, there is no example of certain body parts of an animal being halal while others are haram — this distinction existed in the Jewish law as mentioned in:
﴿وَعَلَى الَّذينَ هادوا حَرَّمنا كُلَّ ذى ظُفُرٍ…﴾ Sūrah al-Anʿām: 146
Similarly, scholars unanimously agree that pork fat is haram, even though the Qur’an explicitly mentions only its meat:
﴿حُرِّمَت عَلَيكُمُ المَيتَةُ… وَلَحمُ الخِنزيرِ…﴾ Sūrah al-Mā’idah: 3
Thus, just as pork fat is included in the prohibition, camel fat, intestines, and all parts are included in the ruling that camel meat nullifies wudu.
Conclusion:
The three acts that nullify wudu with authentic proofs are:
① Anything that exits from the front or back passage (urine, feces, wind, semen, madhy, etc.).
② Deep sleep that removes awareness of wudu breaking.
③ Eating camel meat — raw or cooked.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
