Does Eating Break Wudu (Ablution)? | From Quran & Hadith

You may be wondering, “Does eating break wudu?” This article will give you an overview of Wudu and its nullifiers. You will also learn about foods that break wudu. Also, you will learn about foods that do not carry any filth.

Casual Nullifiers of Wudu

Nullifiers of wudu are those acts that break the state of wudhu. Scholars have differing opinions on this topic. Some say touching a woman with lust is a nullifier while others say it doesn’t break the state.

The Qur’an is silent on the issue of wudu, but the sunnah provides an explanation. Imams of Ahlul-Bayt have explained that the nullifiers of wudu include sickness, a wet dream, or passing wind from the anus.

Hadith about Does Eating Break Wudu

Quran is silent about this matter but here some hadith are mentioned below regarding does eating breaks wudu?

رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْكُلُ عَرْقًا مِنْ شَاةٍ ثُمَّ صَلَّى وَلَمْ يُمَضْمِضْ وَلَمْ يَمَسَّ مَاءً”

I saw the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) PBUH eating a piece of goat meat. Then he prayed, without rinsing his mouth and without touching the water at all.”

أن رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ شَرِبَ لَبَنًا فَلَمْ يُمَضْمِضْ وَلَمْ يَتَوَضَّأْ وَصَلَّى”

Allah’s Messenger (Prophet Muhammad) (PBUH) drank milk, then he did not rinse his mouth nor did wudu, then he prayed.”

Being Muslim, we must understand that’s a brief explanation of hadith about eating and wudu.

Foods that Break Wudu

The Quran and Hadith specify what types of filth break wudu. However, different interpretations of the Quran and Hadith can lead to differences of opinion about their authenticity. Generally, the filth that comes out of one’s private parts is considered filth and nullifies wudu.

One of the foods that break wudu is camel meat. Camel meat is a popular choice because it is easier to digest than mutton. This meat is also more nutritious than mutton. It also has less fat, which is important but it breaks wudu.

According to Imaam Ahmad, camel meat is a common example of a food that breaks wudu. While Imam Ahmad states that meat from camels is a violation of wudu, others claim that camel meat is a violation of the ritual.

Fatwa Regarding Does Eating Break Your Wudu or Not

“Regarding this matter, according to madhhab al-Syafi’I, eating doesn’t invalidate ablution, regardless of whether the food is cooked (with fire) or not, except camel’s meat. Scholars of madhhab al-Syafi’I differ on the opinion of camel’s meat (whether it invalidates ablution or otherwise) into two opinions. The jadid and famous opinion are that it doesn’t invalidate ablution and this is the final opinion according to scholars in madhhab al-Syafi’i. Whilst the second opinion – the Qadim opinion – camel’s meat invalidates ablution and this is a weak opinion according to scholars of madhhab al-Syafi’i. However, according to al-Nawawi, this weak opinion is stronger and more sahih in terms of its evidentiary proof and he is inclined towards this opinion in terms of its accuracy.

This final opinion in madhhab al-Syafi’I is in line with a narration from Ibn Abbas R.Anhuma who said:

إِنَّما الوُضوءُ ممّا يخرجُ وليسَ مما يدخلُ

“Indeed, ablution is caused by what is excreted not what enters.”

Furthermore, there is another hadith that clearly shows that the Prophet PBUH ate, then went to pray without reperforming his ablution or even rinsing his mouth. This is as stated in a narration from In Abbas R.Anhuma, he said:

تَعَرَّقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَتِفًا، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى وَلَمْ يَتَوَضَّأْ.

“The Prophet (ﷺ) ate of the meat of a shoulder (by cutting the meat with his teeth), and then got up and offered the prayer without performing the ablution anew.”

The same applies to drinks. There is a narration from Anas bin Malik RA, where he said:

أنَّ رسولَ اللهِ ﷺ شَرِبَ لبَنًا فلم يمضمِضْ ولم يتوضَّأْ وصلّى

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) drank some milk and he did not rinse his mouth nor did he perform ablution, and he offered the prayer.”

Syaraf al-Haq al-‘Azim Abadi stated the above hadith shows that the act of rinsing one’s mouth after drinking milk or others that contain fat is not an obligation, rather it is a choice.

Not only that, the act of rinsing one’s mouth after drinking milk or anything that contains fat is sunnah. This is as stated by Ibn Khuzaimah in his book, under the chapter which states the pieces of evidence of rinsing one’s mouth after drinking milk is sunnah to remove the fat (milk’s fat) in one’s mouth and not obligating rinsing one’s mouth after drinking it.

Furthermore, al-Nawawi also stated that it is a sunnah to rinse one’s mouth after drinking milk. Likewise, it is also sunnah to rinse one’s mouth after eating or drinking to avoid a person swallowing some leftover food in his mouth while he is praying. It is also to remove any stickiness and fattiness inside one’s mouth.

Allah knows best.”

Conclusion

Does eating break your wudu? The vast majority of scholars are of the opinion that eating or drinking does not render an individual’s ablution null and void. People who eat camel meat need to do a new ablution just to be on the safe side.

However, it is a Sunnah for a person to rinse their mouth with water after eating and drinking, and especially before praying, in order to remove any remnants of food or drink that may be stuck in between their teeth.

If someone were to consume anything while praying, the conventional wisdom is that their prayer would be rendered invalid.

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