Does crying break wudu?
No, crying does not break wudu. Tears are pure and are not among the things that break wudu in any of the four schools. You can cry before, during or after prayer and your wudu stays valid. The same goes for a runny nose from crying.
Why tears don't affect wudu
Wudu breaks because of specific things: anything coming out of the private parts (urine, stool, gas, discharges), deep sleep, losing consciousness, and a few other cases scholars discuss. Tears are none of these. They are pure (tahir), like sweat and saliva, so they don't make your body or clothes impure either. For the full list, see What breaks wudu?
Mucus from the nose, which often comes with crying, is also pure according to the majority of scholars. Just wipe it away; no need to redo wudu.
Crying is part of faith
Islam doesn't see crying as weakness. When the Prophet's ﷺ baby son Ibrahim was dying, tears ran from his eyes. When asked about it, he said this is mercy, and that the eyes shed tears and the heart grieves, but we only say what pleases our Lord (Sahih al-Bukhari 1303). See Did the Prophet ever feel sad?
The Quran praises believers who cry when they hear Allah's words:
Crying during prayer
Crying in prayer out of awe of Allah, love or regret for sins does not break the prayer either, and many Companions were known for it. Most scholars say that only crying over worldly matters that turns into clear words or loud sobbing could affect the prayer (the Hanafis and Hanbalis discuss this point in detail). Quiet tears in sujood are a sign of a living heart.
What about crying while fasting?
Tears don't break the fast either, as long as you don't swallow them on purpose. See Does crying break your fast?
- Crying does not break wudu; tears are pure.
- A runny nose from crying doesn't break wudu either.
- The Prophet ﷺ cried, and the Quran praises those who weep before Allah.
- Quiet tears in prayer don't break the prayer.
People also ask
What can I use for tayammum?
You can use clean natural earth for tayammum: soil, dust, sand or stone. Hanafis and Malikis allow bare stone; Shafi'is and Hanbalis need dust.
Read the full answer →Does passing gas break wudu?
Yes, passing gas breaks wudu by agreement of all scholars. Just redo wudu; no istinja or ghusl needed, and mere doubt doesn't break it.
Read the full answer →Can I eat while in janabah?
Yes, you can eat while in janabah. A believer doesn't become najis; the sunnah is to make wudu first, and ghusl is still due before prayer.
Read the full answer →Can I make wudu with rainwater or snow?
Yes, you can make wudu with rainwater, and with snow once it melts and flows. What scholars say about snow, hail and dirty rainwater.
Read the full answer →Can Muslims play American football with a pigskin ball?
Yes, Muslims can play American football. The 'pigskin' is a nickname: balls are cowhide or synthetic, and touching pig leather doesn't break wudu.
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