Conditions, Pillars, Wajibat and Nullifiers of Wudhu

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Conditions, Pillars, Wajibat and Nullifiers of Wudhu
Author: Shaikh Taraheen Ad-Dosiri (hafidhahullaah)
Source: a Masjid Rahmah (Newark, NJ) CD, under the title "Conditions, Pillars and Wajibat of
Salaat and Wudhoo"
Translator: Taalib 'Abdullah
Transcribed and Prepared by: Maher Attiyeh


The following is a summary of the conditions, pillars, obligations and nullifiers of the
wudhu, from four lectures given by Shaikh Taraheeb Ad Dosiri (hafidhahullaah).

The Conditions for Wudhu are 10:

1- Islaam (one must be Muslim for any deed/act of worship to be accepted)

Whoever understands this condition of Islaam for the salat will understand this
condition of Islaam for the wudhu. So if a kaafir(disbeliever) makes wudhu and then
prays, neither is accepted from him whether he never was a Muslim or apostated.
Allaah said:

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And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners,
etc.) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of
dust. (Al-Furqan, ayah 23)


2- 'Aql (Sound mind - not insane)
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The second condition for the correctness of wudhu is 'aql. If an insane person makes
wudhu, his wudhu will not be accepted, because he is not of sound mind.


3- Tamyeez (must be at the age of understanding, which is seven)

The third condition is at-tamyeez. Tamyeez in the wudhu is the same tamyeez that is a
condition for the salat. So if a child of five years of age watches his mother or father,
and does what they do, and makes wudhu like they do, his wudhu is not acceptable
because he lam yumayyez (has not reached the age of understanding). The Messenger of
Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said,

"The pen is lifted from three: the sleeper until he awakes, the child until he
reaches the age of puberty, and the insane until he regains his
sanity." (Authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in al-Irwa', no.297)


4- Niyyah (to make wudhu)

The fourth condition is an-Niyyah (intention), meaning that you have intended the
'ibadah, and you are specific about the 'ibadah that you intend to do.

So for example, salatu Dhuhr is four rak'at. Salatul 'Asr is four rak'at. Salatul 'Ishah is
four rak'at. So if a person fell ill (in a coma), and was unconscious for more than a
day, such that he awoke at 'asr time the next day, or he was out for two days - missing
10 prayers. So how does he distinguish between salatul Dhuhr, 'Asr and 'Ishah of one
day and salatul Dhuhr, 'Asr and 'Ishah the next day. [They're each four rak'ah, so how
does he distinguish?]

An-Niyyah, and this is the importance of the niyyah.

To intend the 'ibadah that one wants to do, and also to differentiate which kind of
'ibadah it is and what category of 'ibadah it is. So first: is it going to
be wajib (obligatory), mandooba (recommended)? How many rak'at is it going to be?
What type? So if a person prayed salatu Dhuhr, but he didn't intend it - he prayed the
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four rak'ah and, after the salat, then he made the niyyah to pray salatu Dhuhr - this
would not be correct, because he performed the act without a niyyah.

And the wudhu is 'ibadah, and an act of worship requires an intention. Because the
Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said:

"Indeed, deeds are judged by their intention..."

And Allaah says:

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And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allaah, and
worship none but Him Alone, and perform As-Salat and give Zakat: and that is
the right religion. (Al-Baiyinah, ayah 5)


And

means they have been commanded to worship Allaah in the condition that
they are worshippers of Him, sincere to Him, and they know that it is His Deen.

5- Istis-habu hukmee hadhihee niyyah hatta tatimoo at-tahara (The Intention
has to accompany the tahara until you are finished with the act; Continuation
of Niyyah throughout - the niyyah cannot be discontinued)

This means that a person must have the niyyah from before the beginning of the
wudhu, maintaining it to the very end. The niyyah will be part of the act of worship til
the end.

So the niyyah begins right before the maghmadha wa istinsha` (washing your nose and
mouth) and the washing of the face, and your niyyah should stay with you until
you wash your left foot. Your niyyah (must) not be cut.

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So suppose a person began wudhu and - suddenly - his mind became distracted,
and he began to think about some work he had to do. So he left the wudhu and
completed the work, then returned to do wudhu. He remembered where he left off in
wudhu and continued from there [he did not re-start the wudhu]. Is his wudhu
correct?

No, because his niyyah was cut.

It's important to understand this, so you can correct your own mistakes - if you make
a mistake in this regard. And you can also help your brothers in this regard, if you see
them likewise falling into this mistake.

So as soon as the niyyah for the act of worship is cut, it [the act of worship] ends -
whether the cutting is short or long.


6- Haddath (defecation, urination, gas, etc..) had to have stopped

Haddath had to have stopped. The thing that caused haddath in the first place had to
have stopped. The thing that cut the tahara (whether the tahara was cut by urination,
defecation, or gas) had to have ceased. So the person cannot be urinating or
defecating or passing gas at the same time he is doing wudhu. The haddath had to
have stopped.


7- Istinjah/Istidmar (removing traces of haddath)

So when the haddath has stopped, then he does Istinjah (removing traces of haddath
with water) or Istijmar (using a solid material to cleanse oneself and remove traces of
haddath), then he can go on to make wudhu.

So Istinjah and Istijmar cannot be done after the wudhu - instead of correctly doing
so before the wudhu - because the condition itself is that the thing which brought the
haddath (ritual impurity) in the first place has to stop. So Istinjah and Istijmar take
away the traces of haddath. So the thing which is a reason for at-tahara has to end. So
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therefore the Istinjah and Istijmar take away what remains of it, so it is completely
cleansed.

The other reason is touching the two points of excretion is one of the nullifiers of
one's wudhu.


8- Water must be pure and clear, as well as legal (cannot be stolen water)

There are three types of water:

a- najis (impure)- something impure has gotten into it, such as urine or feces, and the
majority of water becomes impure. Cannot be made wudhu with.

b- tahur (pure and purifies) - it is water one can make wudhu with/from. It is pure
itself and can also purify something else; it is pure and can remove ritual impurity. It is
water that comes from the sea, or rivers, or from the sky (rain, snow, sleet, hail), and
water that can be found in wells. It is water that has remained in the original form
Allaah created it in.

c- taher (pure)- this water is pure and is mixed with something else that is pure, like
water that has a rose in it, so it becomes rose water. Or water used to make coffee,
which is also pure, so it becomes coffee, or water used to make tea, so it becomes
tea. So it is no longer just water. So this water is taher lakin laysa bee tuhoor (pure but it
does not purify). And only water that is tahoor can be made wudhu with. So it is not
correct to make wudhu with tea, or rose water, or soup (broth).

Also, the water must be legal, meaning not stolen or strong-armed from its owner
with force. The water has to belong to the person, or another person who owns it
allows him to use the water. Or the water is from a general source that everyone can
use, such as rivers, seas, the masaajid - open for everyone to use.


9- Water should reach skin

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Taking away something that would prevent water from reaching the skin. The water
has to be able to reach the skin directly. If there is another substance on the skin that
would cause the water to roll away and not reach the skin, then that must be taken
away. However, if it is there and does not prevent the water from reaching the skin,
then there is no harm in that.

When Allaah (Subhanahu wa Ta'aala) ordered us to wash our hands and faces, that
meant the water had to reach the skin directly on the hands and face. Also, the shaikh
(hafidhahullaah) called the sisters' attention to the fact that they must take away
anything from their hands and feet also, if they want to make wudhu or ghusl after the
cycle, because these things prevent the water from reaching the skin, especially the
things placed on fingers and toes. They can be like glass and cause water not to reach
the nails, which is part of the skin. Those things must be removed so the water can
reach.

We all want the pleasure of Allaah, (Subhanahu wa Ta'aala), and [to make a wudhu
pleasing to Allaah], [a ghusl pleasing to Allaah], yet if we have not removed these
things, we have to strive to reach the pleasure of Allaah, (Subhanahu wa Ta'aala).
[Otherwise], we would be exerting ourselves without any benefit.


10- Entrance of time of Wudhu to remove the haddath for those who have an
illness of continuing Haddath, such as continence, or continuous gas [this
condition does not apply to others]

For those who have continence - continuous urination - or those with continuous gas,
they must wait til the entrance of time of wudhu before making wudhu. For other
than them, they can make wudhu before the time of (for example) dhuhr enters. But
for those people with illnesses, it is not correct for them to make wudhu before the
time for the fard salat is in. Those who don't have a problem holding their urine or
gas, they can (for example) make wudhu an hour before the time for salat and then go
for the salat. But those with continuous gas or continence (cannot hold their urine),
they should make wudhu when the time for the salat enters and go straight to the salat
- even if the gas or urine continues, because:

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Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope... (Al-Baqarah, ayah 286)


The Pillars (Rukun, Furood) of Wudhu are six:

1- Washing face (from beginning of hairline to chin, and from ear to ear)

Allaah says:

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O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salat (the prayer), wash your
faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands
over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles... (Al-Ma`idah, ayah 6)

The face begins (is from) the hairline down to the chin, and (in width is) from ear to
ear. So length-wise [vertically], the face is from the hairline to the chin, and the width
is from ear to ear. These are the borders of the face that must be washed. As for the
bald person, his top border is where the hairline usually is (where most people's
hairline usually is). Because the face is that which is facing a person, and this part [top
of the head, or beyond the ears] is not facing the person. The word "wajh" is taken
from "al-muwajiha," that which faces a person.


2- Washing hands (from tips of fingers to elbows)

The second pillar of wudhu is washing the hands to the elbows. The hand starts with
the tip of the fingers til the elbow, that which you must wash in wudhu. This includes
the palms, the hands themselves, the forearms, and the elbow.
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If you wash from your wrist to the elbow, the wudhu is not correct [due to missing
the hands (palms)]. If you wash three fingers to the elbow, the wudhu is not correct
[due to missing two fingers]. I see that many people are not concerned about washing
their hands from the finger tips, because they have already washed their palms. And
washing the palms at the very beginning is from the Sunnah (mustahaab,
recommended) but washing the hands [after washing the face] from the finger tips til
the elbow is a Rukn (Pillar) of the wudhu. The pillar is something that if left out -
either intentionally or out of forgetfulness - it would negate the act that you are doing,
whether it is wudhu, or salat (prayer), or siyam (fasting), or any act of worship.


3- Wiping over whole head and two ears

The third pillar is wiping over the whole head and including the ears. This is done by
taking water into your two hands, and you begin [wiping] at the hairline, going back
first before coming forward. And then you take the "pointing" (index) finger and the
thumb - the "pointing" (index) finger goes inside the ear, while the thumb goes
outside the ear - and you wipe both ears with the two hands.

And the woman does just like the man in this act. She would take the water and wipe
from her hairline and so to the back of her skull only. It is not necessary to wipe all
the way down her long hair. Likewise, if a man has long hair, it's not necessary for him
to follow his hairline all the way down his back with the wudhu. Just from the hairline
to the back of the skull, and then forward again. And then the ears.


4- Washing the two feet up to the top of the ankle bone

The fourth pillar is washing the feet, including the ankles. The ankle is the bone which
joins the last part of the shin along with the foot. That is the ankle. And the washing
should take place from the higher part of the ankle bone - not from the lower part -
which means you should cover the ankle bone. So washing should take place above
the ankle, down the ankle bone and the foot. All that includes washing the feet and
the ankle bone together.

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5- To maintain the order as they have come in the Qur`an (as mentioned here)

The fifth pillar is at-Tarteeb, maintaining the order of the limbs that are mentioned by
Allaah (Subhanahu wa Ta'aala) for making wudhu. The order must be maintained. So,
for example, a person cannot first do his head, then his hands, then the face. But they
have to maintain the order as it is mentioned in the Qur`an. The limbs have to come
in order. All the pillars must be in order - for the wudhu. That [itself] is a pillar of the
wudhu.


6- The limbs should be washed one after another - in a continuous manner -
not allowing time to elapse between them such that one limb dries before you
reach the next limb.

The sixth pillar is al-Mu`ala. What is al-Mu`ala? It means to wash the limbs one after
another, not allowing time to elapse between the limbs such that the water dries on
one limb before you get to another one. It has to follow one limb after another in a
short time span, not leaving a lot of time between the washing of these limbs. One
limb has to follow the other directly, one after another, not allowing the water to dry
on one limb and then finish, and then go back and do it again. So this is al-
Mu`ala, [washing] one limb immediately following the other - not leaving time
between them.

So the difference between at-Tarteeb and al-Mu`ala is: at-Tarteeb is keeping the order of
the wudhu itself in accordance with the Qur`anic ayah (the already referenced sixth
ayah of Surat Al-Ma`idah), whereas al-Mu`ala is, while keeping that order, that you
don't pause in between such that the previous limb dries.


Wajibat of the Wudhu is one:

1- Saying Bismillaah before beginning the Wudhu (if you forget and remember
during wudhu, then say it during Wudhu; and if you forget (unintentionally left
it out), there's nothing upon you in terms of expiation)
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Wajibat for the wudhu is only one: at-Tasmiyah. To say 'Bismillaah' before beginning
the wudhu, in accordance with the Prophet's (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) statement:

"There is no wudhu for the one who does not say 'Bismillaah.'"

So the person should say 'Bismillaah' and then start to wash the limbs included in the
wudhu. So if a person forgets to say 'Bismillaah,' he does not repeat the wudhu. At-
Tasmiyah is from the wajibaat - not from the rukun (pillars) - so if he forgets, then it
[the obligation] is lifted from the person. And there's nothing to replace it with, such
as in the salat if he forgets something from the wajibat, he can do sujud as-sahuw
(prostrations of forgetfulness). But for wudhu, there is no replacement for forgetting,
so that responsibility has been lifted from that person if he forgets.

So if a person forgets to say 'Bismillaah,' and remembers in the middle of the wudhu,
then [at that point] he should say 'Bismillaah' and finish the wudhu. From the time he
remembers, he says 'Bismillaah' and there's no need for him to re-start the wudhu
from the beginning.


The Nullifiers of the Wudhu (Nawaaqid ul-Wudhu) are eight:


1- Al-khaarij min a Sabilain (that something comes out of the two areas of excretion),
like gas, urine or feces. So everything that is excreted from these two areas of
excretion, whether it is najis (impure) like gas, urine or feces, or something that is pure
like a worm, or stone or a small piece of iron. If any of those things are excreted from
the two areas of excretion, then that negates the wudhu.

For Allaah said:

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Or any of you comes from answering the call of nature... (Al-Ma`idah, ayah
6)
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And the statement of the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) to the man who had a
sound in his stomach,

"Do not leave [the prayer] until you hear a sound or you perceive a smell."

So the sound means the wind coming out, and the smell means when the gas leaves.


2- Al-khaarij, al-fahish, an-najis minal jasad (That which is impure and comes out from
the body in a large quantity) Usually, a person will excrete gas, urine and feces from
the two points of excretion but there are people who might have had operations and
therefore they may have an opening on the wound/scar. If these substances come
from the scar, then that breaks wudhu.

So if another substance comes from the body, a wound in the body that bleeds
heavily, there are people of knowledge who say that is also a nullifier of the wudhu,
because in their view the blood itself is najis (impure). [There is ikhtilaf on this
matter.] [It nullifies the wudhu,] because it comes from the body AND it's a lot. But if
it's a small quantity (drops), it does not break the wudhu.

Therefore, if something najis (impure) does not come from the two points of
excretion, and it is little, that does not nullify the wudhu. If it is a lot, it does nullify
the wudhu. And if it's not najis, then there's no problem.

[The shaikh was asked about puss, and he said,] puss is actually a product of blood, so
if it is heavy, then yes it negates wudhu; if it not heavy, it does not negate wudhu.


3- Zawal il-'Aql (Losing mental capacity) by fainting, losing consciousness, or insanity.
Heavy sleep also negates wudhu because the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said,

"The eye is the caution or protector of the rectum."

This means that if the eye sleeps, the tie on the rectum becomes loose, and releases
wind.
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4- Mas`ul Mar`ati by shahwa (touching a strange woman with lust), so this (obviously)
does not include the man's mother or sisters. The scholars differ about this point;
some say (touching a strange woman with lust) does negate the wudhu and some say
it does not. May Allaah have mercy on all of them. We have to be balanced between
the two. The best position is to make wudhu, for it is'ibaada (worship) and to avoid
the khilaaf (the differences of opinion). Because no one will say the wudhu of this
person (who made wudhu to avoid khilaaf) is "not correct," and the Muslim strives to
keep his Deen.


5- Masu al-fard bi batini al-yad (Touching the private parts - front or rear - with the
inside of the palm) because the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said,

"Whoever touches his private parts should go and make wudhu."

It doesn't matter whether it is your private parts (front or rear) or the private parts of
someone else (front or rear).

An example would be a mother cleaning her child (son or daughter), so if she is
cleaning najasah (impurities) from them and has to touch the child's private parts, then
the mother must make wudhu. If the mother does not want to lose
her taharah (purity), she could wear gloves or use another barrier when cleaning her
child's privates, because the glove acts as a barrier - the body parts are not touching
each other.


6- Akil lahim al-ibil (Eating camel meat) because the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa
sallam) said,

"Whoever eats the meat of aj-juzoor (camel), then he should make wudhu."

He was asked,

"Should we make wudhu after eating camel meat, he (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said,

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"Yes, make wudhu from eating the meat of the ibil (camel)."


7- Taghsil al-meeyit (washing, handling the dead [corpse]) because the Prophet (salallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam) said,

"The person who washes the corpse has to make ghusl and the one who carries
the corpse has to make wudhu."

This does not mean carrying the corpse once it is placed inside the coffin - once it's
been wrapped - but carrying the corpse while touching the body, because the person
washing the corpse may come in contact with the body, negating the wudhu. He has
to wash the private parts of the person who has died, and he has to wash the chest
and the whole body. So washing the body of the deceased is one of the things that
negates the tahara of a person.


8- Ar-Rid 'anil Islam (Apostasy from Islam) negates a person's tahara.

Allaah said:

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And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad), as it was to those
(Allaah's Messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allaah,
(then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among
the losers. (Az-Zumar, ayah 65)

and


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And those who believe will say: "Are these the men (hypocrites) who swore
their strongest oaths by Allaah that they were with you (Muslims)?" All that
they did has been in vain (because of their hypocrisy), and they have become
the losers. (Al-Ma`idah, ayah 53)

And the wudhu is an act of 'ibadah, and if a person apostates, then he loses the 'ibadah,
therefore he loses the wudhu.

And may the peace and blessings be upon Muhammad, his family and his
companions.