How Long Is Wudu Valid for? Understanding the Validity of Wudu

Hi again! Understanding the validity of wudu is crucial. Without this knowledge, you won't be certain if your wudu has been broken or when you should perform it again. The most common consequence is that you may not know if you can still engage in rituals that require wudu while performing them. One important question you need to understand is: how long is wudu valid?

Regardless of your reason for reading this article, I am sure you are looking for an explanation of "how long is wudu valid." Don't worry! I won't let you down today. Trust me! That’s what I will explain in this article. Just read it until the end!

Things Causing You to Need Wudu

First of all, I will explain the reasons why you need wudu. You must understand this first, as it will help you comprehend the answers to the main questions in this discussion.

To be honest, discussing the reasons for needing wudu involves understanding the situations that require you to perform it. Before you grasp any of that, it’s essential to know what breaks your wudu. It is highly unlikely that you will need to perform wudu if it has not been broken.

Read Also: What Types of Farts Break Wudu?

In general, if you read literature on Islamic law regarding wudu, you will find that there are two main things that can break it:

Small Hadas

Small Hadas refers to a state of impurity caused by the following:

1. Anything that exits from the two private openings: the front (القُبُلُ) and the back (الدُّبُرُ).
2. Loss of consciousness due to sleep, insanity, and similar conditions.
3. Skin-to-skin contact between a man and a woman who are not mahram, without a barrier.
4. Touching another person’s private parts (front or back) with the palm of the hand or the inside of the finger.
5. Vomiting and nosebleeds.

In Islam, if you have small hadas, you can remove it through wudu. If you cannot do that, tayammum is an alternative.

Big Hadas

Big hadas refers to a state of impurity that can be removed by performing ghusl Janabah. If you cannot perform ghusl, you can also use tayammum as an alternative.

Below are the situations that lead to big hadas:

1. The discharge of sperm.
2. Engaging in sexual relations.
3. The cessation of menstrual blood.
4. The cessation of postpartum bleeding.
5. Childbirth.
6. Death.

These are the conditions that break your wudu.

However, one important point to understand is that while both small hadas and big hadas can break your wudu, the primary cause for needing wudu is small hadas. This is because it is the only condition that can be removed through wudu. If you have big hadas, you should perform ghusl Janabah (or alternatively tayammum if you cannot perform ghusl) to purify yourself.

How Long Is Wudu Valid For?

Hi! Are you still with me? Now, I will explain the answer to the main question in this discussion: How long is the validity of wudu? Some Muslims may not fully understand this, and I’m sure you don’t want to be one of them, right? So, please read the explanation below!

To be honest, you cannot determine the duration of the validity of wudu with certainty. You can’t say it lasts for 1 minute, 2 minutes, 1 hour, or 2 hours, and so on. The reason is that the validity of wudu can only be assessed by the presence of small or big hadas in your body.

For example, if you perform wudu at 7:00 AM and then pass gas at 9:00 AM, your wudu is valid for 2 hours. If you perform wudu at 12:00 PM and then have intercourse at 3:00 PM, your wudu is valid for 3 hours, and so forth.

So, what’s the answer to that question?

Of course, if we cannot determine the duration of the validity of wudu with certainty, then the answer to that question is, "As long as there are no small or big hadas in your body, your wudu is still valid."

What Should I Do If I Doubt Whether I Farted or Not?

Now, I’m going to explain the last topic related to our discussion: doubt about whether you have farted. A common question is: What should I do if I doubt whether I have farted or not? If you experience this, what should you do?

The only thing you need to do in this situation is to check if you have farted. You can do this by determining whether you hear a fart or smell one. If you are sure that you have heard or smelled a fart, then your wudu is broken, and you must perform wudu again before engaging in rituals that require it.

You can find guidance in the hadith below:

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قاَلَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِذَا وَجَدَ أَحَدُكُمْ فِيْ بَطْنِهِ شَيْئًا فَأَشْكَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَخَرَجَ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ أَمْ لَا ؟ فَلَا يَخْرُجَنَّ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ صَوْتًا أَوْ يَجِدَ رِيْحًا . أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ

From Abu Hurairah radiyallahu anhu, he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, 'If one of you feels something in his stomach and doubts whether something has come out, he should not leave the mosque until he hears a sound or smells an aroma.'" This hadith was narrated by Muslim.

If you are certain about whether you believe you have farted, you can use that belief as the standard for the validity of your wudu. If you believe you have farted, then you have indeed farted, and your wudu is broken. Conversely, if you are sure that you have not farted, then you have not, and your wudu remains valid (not broken).

Do you have any questions? Please write in the comment section!