Does Bleeding From The Nose Break Wudu?

Praise be to Allah.

Bleeding from the nose does not invalidate Wudu, according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions. 

This is the view of Malik and Ash-Shafi`i (may Allah have mercy on them) and it was narrated from a number of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). 

The Hanafis and Hanbalis are of the view that it does invalidate Wudu, and they discussed that at length. The Hanbalis stipulate that the blood that comes out should be a large amount , and what is regarded as a lot or a little depends on each person’s estimation. 

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

“Our view is that Wudu is not invalidated if something comes out of something other than the front and back passages, such as blood from cupping , vomit and blood from a nosebleed, whether it is a little or a lot. This was the view of Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn Abu Awfa, Jabir, Abu Hurayrah, `A’ishah, Ibn Al-Musayyab, Salim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, Tawus, ‘Ata’, Mak-hul, Rabi`ah, Malik, Abu Thawr and Dawud. 

Al-Baghawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is the view of most of the Companions and Tabi`in (the generation who came after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)). 

Some said that Wudu must be done in all these cases. This is the view of Abu Hanifah, Ath-Thawri, Al-Awza’i, Ahmad and Is-haq (may Allah have mercy on them). But they differed as to whether a distinction should be made between a small amount and a large amount.” (Al-Majmu`, 2/62) 

Those who say that Wudu is invalidated in such cases quoted weak hadiths as evidence, as An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) and others said. 

The evidence for the correct view, which is that Wudu is not invalidated, is as follows: 

• The basic principle is that it does not break Wudu. Those who claim otherwise must produce evidence.
• The fact that the person remains pure is proven by Shar`i evidence, and what is proven by Shar`i evidence cannot be overruled except with further shar’i evidence. (See Ash-Sharh Al-Mumti` by Shaykh Ibn `Uthaymin, 1/166)
• Abu Dawud (198) narrated that Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We went out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on the campaign of Dhat Ar-Riqa`. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Who will guard us?” A man from among the Muhajirun and a man from among the Ansar volunteered. He said: Stand at the mouth of the mountain pass. When the two men went out to the mouth of the mountain pass, the Muhajir lay down and the Ansari stood and prayed. A man from the disbelievers came and shot him with an arrow and struck him, and he pulled it out, until he had shot him with three arrows. Then he bowed and prostrated, then his companion woke up. When the Muhajir saw the blood on him, he said: Subhan Allah, why didn’t you wake me the first time he shot you? He said: I was in the middle of reciting a Surah and I did not want to interrupt it. This Hadith was classed as sound by Al-Albani in Sahih Abu Dawud.

This clearly indicates that blood does not invalidate Wudu even if there is a lot, because if it invalidated Wudu he would have stopped praying. 

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Al-Majmu`: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) knew that and did not rebuke him. 

Imam Al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Sahih: “The Muslims continued to pray despite their wounds.” 

Tawus, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, ‘Ata’ and the people of the Hijaz said: “Blood does not affect Wudu.” 

Ibn ‘Umar squeezed a pimple and blood came out of it, and he did not do Wudu . 

Ibn Abu Awfa (may Allah have mercy on him) spat blood and continued with his prayer. 

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and Al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) said concerning one who is treated with cupping: All he has to do is wash the site of cupping. 

Al-Hafidh (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Al-Fat-h (1/281): “It is narrated in a saheeh report that ‘Umar prayed when his wound was streaming with blood.” 

All this indicates that bleeding from anywhere other than the front and back passage does not invalidate Wudu. 

And Allah knows best.