Does a Nullifier of Wudu Prevent the Validity of the Ritual of Bath?


Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi

Question

What does one do if they have urinary incontinence and leak while doing a ghusl?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

I pray this finds you in the best of states.

Leakage of urine affecting you while performing your ritual bath (ghusl) is of no consequence in exiting the state of Janaba. Nonetheless, you will still have to perform wudu after this ghusl to be allowed to pray.

The reason for this ruling is that the performance of ritual purification (whether it is ghusl or wudu) has to be free from the occurrence of any of its nullifiers for it to be valid. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

Leakage of urine nullifies wudu, but it is not a nullifier of ghusl. Thus leakage of urine will invalidate wudu if it happens during it. On the other hand, it won’t nullify a ghusl even if it happens during it. Nonetheless, a wudu free from any urine leakage is needed to be allowed to pray after this ghusl.

All of the above is true when someone is not excused. As for someone excused because of chronic disease, his wudu will be valid even if his excuse occurs during the performance of the wudu. [Ibid]

Kindly check this link as well:
The Fiqh of Chronic Excuses and Ablution

And Allah knows best.

[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching far and wide for answers to the fundamental questions of life and was disappointed at the answers he found.

Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others.

He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.