#208: Ruling on the Sleep that does not Invalidate Wudhū

QUESTION

“Please, what are those kind of sleep that do not invalidate ablution?”

ANSWER!

Alhamdulillaahi rabbi Al-Alamin!

The Ulamaa are at a variance on whether sleep vitiates Wudu or not.The first madh’hab in this regard is that sleep, whether much or little, heavy or light, vitiates the Wudu.

The second madh’hab in this regard unrestrictedly does not consider sleep a vitiator of wudu.

The third school considers it a vitiator of wudu but differentiate between that which is little and light from that which is much and heavy.

The later is the edict of the Jamhur (majority) of the Fuqahaa, and it is the one backed by convincing evidences.

As for Imaam Maalik, he stated that “whosoever sleeps on his side or during the Sujud must repeat his wudhu whether or not the sleep is long or short”

Imaam Abu Abdillaah Muhammad bn Idris Ash-Shaafi’i – rahimahullaah – holds that whosoever sleeps in another position other than the sitting position must repeat his Wudu.

Imaam Abu Hanifah – rahimahullaah – holds that Wudu does not get nullified unless when one sleeps in a lying position.

For this reason, some of the Fuqahaa divide sleep as regards Wudu into four.
Imaam ‘AbdulBaari Al-Ashmaawi Al-Maaliki – rahimahullaah – said:

“Sleep, and it can be divided into four: that which is long and heavy, this vitiates the wudu; that which is short but heavy, this one too vitiates the wudu; that which is short and light, this does not vitiate the Wudu; that which is long and light – for this, it is Mustahabb to repeat the Wudu”

(Ref: ‘Al-Muqaddimatu Al-Ashmaawiyya)

All in all, we hold that any sleep – slept in whatever position – during which a believer is not conscious of what is happening in his environment and would not have known if he passed out wind vitiates the wudhu.

The evidence for this is the Hadith narrated by the Companion Safwaan bn ‘Assaal – radiyallaahu ‘anhu – in which he said: “We were on a journey with the Prophet – salallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam – and he commanded us that we should not remove our skin foot wears due to feces, urine or sleep. And that we should not take it off unless from Janaabah”

Recorded and Transmitted by Ahmad, An-Nasa’i, At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Khuzaymah, and the Hadith is Sahih.

Allaahu A’alam! Baarakallaahu feekum!

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