Without Wazu (Ablution), none of the acts of worship is accepted; hence, it’s very important to learn how to perform Wazu and to know what breaks it.

Ahadith on performing Wazu are presented elsewhere: https://www.hubeali.com/articles/Wazu-HowToPerform.pdf

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) مَا يَنْقُضُ الْوُضُوءَ فَقَالَا مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْ طَرَفَيْكَ الْأَسْفَلَيْنِ مِنَ الدُّبُرِ وَ الذَّكَرِ غَائِطٌ أَوْ بَوْلٌ أَوْ مَنِيٌّ أَوْ رِيحٌ وَ النَّوْمُ حَتَّى يُذْهِبَ الْعَقْلَ وَ كُلُّ النَّوْمِ يُكْرَهُ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ تَسْمَعُ الصَّوْتَ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Hammad, from Hareyz who said,

‘I said to Abu Ja’far^-asws and Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘What breaks the Ablution (Wudhu)?’ So they^-asws both said: ‘Whatever comes out from your two lower ends, from the backside and the manhood, faeces or urine or semen or wind; and the sleep until the intellect goes (loose awareness). All sleep is disliked, except if you happen to hear the sounds’ (in consciousness).[1]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ الْعَمْرَكِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ مُوسَى ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ هَلْ يَصْلُحُ لَهُ أَنْ يَسْتَدْخِلَ الدَّوَاءَ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّيَ وَ هُوَ مَعَهُ أَ يَنْقُضُ الْوُضُوءَ قَالَ لَا يَنْقُضُ الْوُضُوءَ وَ لَا يُصَلِّي حَتَّى يَطْرَحَهُ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Al Amraky,

(It has been narrated) from Ali son of Ja’far^-asws, from his brother^-asws Musa^-asws, said, ‘I asked him^-asws about the man, ‘Is it correct for him that he inserts the medicine, then he prays Salaat and it is with him. Would it break the Ablution (Wudhu)?’ He^-asws said: ‘It would not break the Ablution (Wudhu), and he should not pray Salaat until he removes it’.[2]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنِ الْقَيْ‏ءِ هَلْ يَنْقُضُ الْوُضُوءَ قَالَ لَا .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Ibn Azina, from Abu Asama who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the vomit, ‘Would it break the Ablution (Wudhu)?’ So he^-asws said: ‘No’.[3]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ الْحَلَبِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ عَلَى طُهْرٍ فَيَأْخُذُ مِنْ أَظْفَارِهِ أَوْ شَعْرِهِ أَ يُعِيدُ الْوُضُوءَ فَقَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنْ يَمْسَحُ رَأْسَهُ وَ أَظْفَارَهُ بِالْمَاءِ

Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Al Fazl Bin Shazaan, from Safwan Bin Yahya, from Ibn Muskan, from Muhammad Al Halby who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the man who happens to be upon purity, so he takes from his nails, or his hair, ‘Should he repeat the Ablution (Wudhu)?’ So he^-asws said: ‘No, but he should wipe his head and his nails, with the water’.

قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّهُمْ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ فِيهِ الْوُضُوءَ فَقَالَ إِنْ خَاصَمُوكُمْ فَلَا تُخَاصِمُوهُمْ وَ قُولُوا هَكَذَا السُّنَّةُ .

He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘But they (people) are claiming that with regards to it is the Ablution (Wudhu)’. So he^-asws said: ‘If they were to dispute with you, so do not dispute with them, and you should say, ‘The Sunnah is like this’.[4]

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُصَدِّقِ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ السَّابَاطِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَقْرِضُ مِنْ شَعْرِهِ بِأَسْنَانِهِ أَ يَمْسَحُهُ بِالْمَاءِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ فِي الْحَدِيدِ .

Ahmad Bin Idrees, and Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Ahmad, from Ahmad Bin Al Hassan, from Amro Bin Saeed, from Musaddaq Bin Sadaqa, from Ammar Al Sabaty,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, said: ‘The man cuts his hair with his teeth, should he wipe it with the water before he prays Salaat?’ He^-asws said: ‘There is no problem. But rather, that is regarding (cutting it with) the iron’.[5]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ لَيْسَ فِي الْقُبْلَةِ وَ لَا مَسِّ الْفَرْجِ وَ لَا الْمُبَاشَرَةِ وُضُوءٌ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Jameel, from Zurara,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘There is neither an Ablution (Wudhu) for the kissing, nor from touching the private parts, nor the contact (hugging etc.)’.[6]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرُّعَافِ وَ الْحِجَامَةِ وَ كُلِّ دَمٍ سَائِلٍ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ فِي هَذَا وُضُوءٌ إِنَّمَا الْوُضُوءُ مِنْ طَرَفَيْكَ اللَّذَيْنِ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهِمَا عَلَيْكَ .

Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Ibn Muskan, from Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘I asked him^-asws about the nose bleed and the cupping, and every blood which flows. So he^-asws said: ‘There is no Ablution (Wudhu) in this. But rather, the Ablution (Wudhu) is from your two lower ends which Allah^-azwj the Exalted has Favoured with these two upon you’.[7]

Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Ibn Muskan, from Abu Baseer,

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ جُمْهُورٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَعْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ أُذُنَانِ وَ عَيْنَانِ تَنَامُ الْعَيْنَانِ وَ لَا تَنَامُ الْأُذُنَانِ وَ ذَلِكَ لَا يَنْقُضُ الْوُضُوءَ فَإِذَا نَامَتِ الْعَيْنَانِ وَ الْأُذُنَانِ انْتَقَضَ الْوُضُوءُ .

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Jamhour, from the one who mentioned it, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Sa’ad,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘There are two ears and the two eyes – (if) the two eyes sleep and the two ears do not sleep, that does not break the Ablution (Wudhu). So when the two eyes sleep and the two ears (sleep as well), the Ablution (Wudhu) breaks’.[9]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنِ الْمُعَلَّى بْنِ خُنَيْسٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنِ الْخِنْزِيرِ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فَيَمُرُّ عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ فَيَسِيلُ مِنْهُ الْمَاءُ أَمُرُّ عَلَيْهِ حَافِياً فَقَالَ أَ لَيْسَ وَرَاءَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ جَافٌّ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ فَلَا بَأْسَ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ تُطَهِّرُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضاً .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Jameel Bin Darraj, from Al Moalla Bin Khunay who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the pig coming out from the water, so it passes upon the road, and the water flows from it, ‘Can I pass upon it bare-footed?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Is there not something dry around it?’ I said, ‘Yes’. He^-asws said: ‘So there is no problem. The earth (soil), parts of it purify the (other) parts’.[10]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَحَدَهُمَا ( عليهما السلام ) عَنِ الْمَذْيِ فَقَالَ لَا يَنْقُضُ الْوُضُوءَ وَ لَا يُغْسَلُ مِنْهُ ثَوْبٌ وَ لَا جَسَدٌ إِنَّمَا هُوَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْمُخَاطِ وَ الْبُزَاقِ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Umar Bin Azina, from Bureyd Bin Muawiya who said,

‘I asked one of the two (5^th or the 6^th Imam^-asws) about the seminal fluid, so he^-asws said: ‘It does not break the Ablution (Wudhu), and one neither has to wash the clothes from it nor the body. But rather, it is at the status of the mucus and the saliva’.[11]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) عَنِ الْمَذْيِ يَسِيلُ حَتَّى يُصِيبَ الْفَخِذَ فَقَالَ لَا يَقْطَعُ صَلَاتَهُ وَ لَا يَغْسِلُهُ مِنْ فَخِذِهِ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ مِنْ مَخْرَجِ الْمَنِيِّ إِنَّمَا هُوَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ النُّخَامَةِ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Hammad, from Hareyz, from Muhammad Bin Muslim who said,

‘I asked Abu Ja’far^-asws about the seminal fluid flowing until it hits the thigh. So he^-asws said: ‘One would neither cut off the Salaat nor wash it from his thigh. It has not come out from the exit of the semen. It is at the status of the mucus.[12]

[1] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 23 H 6

[2] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 23 H 7

[3] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 23 H 9

[4] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 23 H 11

[5] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 23 H 17

[6] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 23 H 12

[7] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 23 H 13

[8] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 23 H 13

[9] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 23 H 16

[10] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 24 H 5

[11] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 25 H 3

[12] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 25 H 4