Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Rulings on What Nullifies Wuḍū: Musta'mal Water, Bleeding, Injections & Impure Fluids

An Important Ruling about Used Water

If you are without Wuḍū and your hand, fingertip, fingernail, toenail or any other part of your body that must be washed during Wuḍū comes into contact with water covering less than the surface area of 25 square yards or 225 square feet for example, water in a bucket or tub, that water will become Musta'mal (used), and it can no longer be used for Wuḍū or Ghusl, regardless of whether this was done deliberately or unintentionally. Similarly, if Ghusl is due and any unwashed part of the body comes into contact with water, this water cannot be used for Wuḍū or Ghusl. However, it doesn't matter if washed hand or washed part of body comes into contact with the water.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 333, vol. 1)

(Please study part 2 of Baĥār-e-Sharī'at for more information on Musta'mal water.)

Attention All Pān (Betel Leaves) Eaters!

A'lā Ḥaḍrat Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَلَيْہِرَحْمَۃُالرَّحْمٰن says, "Those who are addicted to Pān know from experience that small particles of the Pān get stuck in all parts of the teeth (especially when there are gaps in the teeth) and rinsing the mouth three times or even ten times does not help in cleaning it properly. In fact, even using a toothpick or Miswāk does not help, whereas cleaning the mouth properly has been stressed greatly. It has been mentioned in numerous Aḥādīš that when a person stands to offer Ṣalāĥ, an angel places mouth on his mouth and anything he recites comes out of his mouth and enters the mouth of the angel. If, at that time, there are particles of food stuck in his teeth, the angels feel so severe distress by it that nothing else causes so severe distress to them.

Beloved Rasūl of Allāh صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, "When you stand at night to offer Ṣalāĥ, you should clean your teeth with a Miswāk because when you recite the Qurān an angel places his mouth on yours and anything coming out of your mouth enters the mouth of that angel."

(Shu'bul Īmān, pp. 381, vol. 2, Hadīš 2117)

There is a report narrated by Ḥaḍrat Sayyidunā Abū Ayyūb Anṣārī رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ in the book Kabīr written by Imām Ṭabarānī رَحْمَۃُاللّٰہِتَعَالٰیعَلَیْہِ that there is nothing more troublesome for both angels than seeing their companion offering Ṣalāĥ with pieces of food stuck in his teeth.

(Mu'jam Kabīr, pp. 177, vol. 4, Hadīš 4061, Fatāwā-e-Raḍavīyyaĥ, pp. 624-625, vol. 1)

A Great Madanī Point of Taşawwuf (Sufism)

Ḥujja-tul-Islām Imām Muḥammad Ghazālī عَلَيْہِرَحْمَۃُاللّٰہِالوَالِی says, "When you pay your attention towards Ṣalāĥ after completing your Wuḍū, now imagine: 'The parts of my body that people can see are purified but standing in the court of Allāh عَزَّوَجَلَّ without a purified heart is shameful because Allāh عَزَّوَجَلَّ sees hearts as well.' He further adds, "One should remember that the sanctity of the heart lies in repentance, abandoning sins and adopting nice ethics. A person who neglects the inner purity and pays attention to the outer purity only is like a person who invites a king to his house for a feast and in order to please the king he cleans, polishes and colours the outside of his house but neglects the interior. How will the king feel when he enters his house and sees filth everywhere? Will he be happy or displeased? Every wise person may understand how the king would react."

(Iḥyā-ul-'Ulūm, pp. 185, vol. 1)

صَلُّوْا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Five Rulings Regarding Bleeding from Wound

1.     Blood, pus or yellowish fluid came out, flowed and it could reach to a part of the body that is Farḍ to be washed in Wuḍū or Ghusl, Wuḍū will become invalid.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 304, vol. 1)

2.     If the blood just emerged on the surface and did not flow, for example when the skin is cut slightly with the point of a sewing pin, knife or while using a toothpick or Miswāk to clean your teeth or while biting an apple causing impression of blood on apple or if traces of blood seen on finger after inserting it into nose but not capable of flowing, Wuḍū will not be affected.

(ibid)

3.     If it flows but not onto the surface of skin that must be washed in Wuḍū or Ghusl (e.g. you have a spot in your eye that bursts but the fluid remains within the eyelids or you feel bleeding inside your ear canal but the blood stays inside), Wuḍū will not be affected.

(ibid, pp. 27)

4.     Even if the wound is quite large and the fluid is visible, Wuḍū will not become null (invalid) unless the fluid (pus/blood) flows from the wound.

(ibid)

5.     If one kept on cleaning the emerging blood from the wound and did not let it flow, then ponder whether the cleaned quantity was capable of flowing or not. If yes, Wuḍū will become invalid and otherwise, not.

(ibid)

Do Injections Nullify Wuḍū?

1.     In case of inter muscular injection, Wuḍū will become invalid provided blood comes out in such an amount that could flow.

2.     However, in case of Intravenous (IV) injection, blood is first drawn into the needle and its quantity is enough to make it capable of flow, hence it would nullify the Wuḍū.

3.     Similarly, when liquid glucose is injected into veins via a drip, the Wuḍū will no longer remain valid because in such cases blood rises into the tube in the amount that could flow. If somehow, blood does not enter the tube, Wuḍū will not be affected.

4.     Getting blood out of body through a syringe for a blood test will also nullify the Wuḍū. This blood is as impure as urine. Therefore, do not offer Ṣalāĥ with a bottle of blood in pocket.

Tears of an Ailing Eye

1.     Tears that flow out due to an infection or illness of the eyes are impure and would also nullify Wuḍū.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 310, vol. 1)

Unfortunately, many people are unaware of this ruling and they mop away such tears like ordinary tears with their sleeves or clothes thus making their clothes impure.

2.     The fluid discharged from the eye of a blind man due to disease is impure and nullifies Wuḍū.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 306, vol. 1)

Pure and Impure Fluid

3.     Any fluid that is discharged from the human body but could not nullify Wuḍū is not impure. Examples are blood or pus that cannot flow, or vomit that is less than a mouthful.

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 309, vol. 1)

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