Islamic Manual

When ablution (wudu) breaks during prayer, and continuing it (bina)

What to do if your ablution (wudu) breaks mid-prayer, the conditions for validly continuing rather than restarting, and how an imam appoints a substitute (khalifa).

If your wudu breaks in the middle of your prayer (for example, you need the toilet, or your nose starts bleeding), your prayer doesn't have to be thrown away. As long as certain conditions are met, you can go make wudu and come straight back to finish it, picking up from where you left off. This is called bina, meaning "building on" what you already prayed. This is called bina, which means 'building on': you build on the part of the prayer you have already done, instead of starting again.

If your wudu breaks while you're praying

  1. Go make wudu right away, and come back as fast as you can.
  2. Carry on the prayer from exactly where the wudu broke: if it happened in Sujood, go back to Sujood.
  3. If you're praying alone, you can finish in the same spot, or go back to where you started; either is fine.
  4. If you're the imam or a follower and the congregation is still going, join back in and finish with them. You come back the way a Lahiq does: do the parts you missed without reciting, then follow along with everyone else.
  5. If the congregation has already finished by the time you get back, just finish the rest of the prayer by yourself, without reciting.
Recommended (Mustaḥabb)good to do

If your wudu breaks during prayer, you are allowed to make wudu and carry on from where you stopped, but it is better to start the whole prayer again, especially when praying alone.

Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

You may only carry on your prayer after making wudu if every one of these conditions is true. The hadath must have happened by itself, and you must not speak or do anything that breaks the prayer while you go and come back. If even one condition is missing, you have to start the prayer again.

If the imam is the one whose wudu breaks, he steps aside right away and lets a follower take over leading, in the very same spot, while he goes to make wudu. This substitute is called a Khalifa.

How a substitute imam (Khalifa) works

  1. It's best for the imam to pick someone capable to be his Khalifa: ideally a Mudrik (someone who's been there since the start), though a Masbooq or Lahiq can be picked too.
  2. If the imam doesn't pick anyone, the followers can choose someone themselves, or someone can just step up and lead; that's fine too, as long as the imam hasn't left the mosque and the rows are properly formed.
  3. If there's only one follower and the imam leaves without picking anyone, that one follower can just become the imam without needing to make any special intention for it.
  4. If a Masbooq is picked as Khalifa, he should first finish his own missed part of the prayer, then hand over to someone else to finish the prayer with everyone, while the original imam catches up on what he missed too.
  5. An imam can only appoint a Khalifa when it's the kind of situation where continuing (bina) is allowed in the first place. If it's not allowed, he can't appoint anyone; everyone has to start over.
  6. Even an imam who can't recite properly out of fear or nervousness, and can't manage even one verse, may still appoint a Khalifa.
  7. Once a Khalifa takes over, the original imam is no longer the imam; he becomes a follower, behind his own Khalifa.
Recommended (Mustaḥabb)good to do

If the imam's wudu breaks, he steps aside straight away and it is best for him to pick someone capable to take over leading in his place while he goes to make wudu.

If an impurity (hadath) occurs during prayer (the wudu breaks), the prayer does not automatically become invalid, provided certain conditions are met. It is then permissible to continue the prayer from the position where the impurity occurred (for example, resuming from the sajdah) after performing wudu. It is, however, better to restart the prayer from the beginning, especially for someone praying alone. For an imam or a follower, it is preferable to rejoin and continue with the congregation after performing wudu, as long as the congregation is still present; if the congregation disperses before they can return, it is better to restart the prayer from the beginning. This is called continuation (bina), literally 'building on': the part of the prayer already performed stands, and the rest is built on it once wudu has been renewed.

Recommended (Mustaḥabb)good to do

When wudu breaks during prayer, continuing after fresh wudu (bina) is permitted if its conditions are met, but restarting the prayer from the beginning is better, especially for someone praying alone.

On returning after wudu:

Resuming the prayer after wudu

  1. Go for wudu immediately and return as quickly as possible.
  2. Continue the prayer from the point where the impurity occurred, resuming the relevant position such as the sajdah or ruku.
  3. If praying alone, one may continue in the same place or return to the original spot; either is valid.
  4. If the congregation is still present, rejoin it and complete the prayer, resuming in the manner of a Lahiq: performing the missed parts without recitation, then following the imam.
  5. If the congregation has left before one returns, the rest of the prayer is completed individually, without recitation, either in the place where wudu was made or back at the original spot.

Valid continuation (bina) requires all of the following conditions to be met:

Conditions for valid bina

  1. The impurity requires only wudu, not a full ghusl.
  2. The impurity is involuntary, not deliberately caused.
  3. The occurrence of the impurity is a common one, not something rare or unusual.
  4. No pillar of the prayer has been missed because of the impurity.
  5. The person has not moved from the place where the impurity occurred.
  6. The person does not perform any action that contradicts the prayer.
  7. The person does not perform any unnecessary actions.
  8. The prayer is not delayed to the extent of missing a pillar without a valid excuse.
  9. The person does not recall an earlier impurity from before the one just experienced.
  10. A follower resumes in the same position as before, if the congregation is still present.
  11. The imam does not appoint someone unqualified to lead in his place.
  12. The order of the prayer is not lost while making up the missed parts.
Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

Continuing the prayer after wudu (bina) is valid only when all of its conditions are met: the hadath was involuntary and of a common kind, no pillar was missed, and nothing contradicting the prayer (such as speaking) was done in the interval. If any condition fails, the prayer must be restarted.

If the imam experiences an impurity during the prayer, even in the final sitting after the Tashahhud, he should immediately step aside, letting a follower take his place in the same position to complete the prayer, while he himself goes to perform wudu. The follower who takes over is called a Khalifa (substitute).

Rules for appointing a Khalifa

  1. It is preferable for the imam to appoint someone he considers fit for leadership as his Khalifa; it is better to appoint a Mudrik, though appointing a Masbooq or a Lahiq is also allowed.
  2. If the imam does not appoint a Khalifa, but the followers appoint someone themselves, or someone steps forward and intends to lead, this is still valid, provided the imam has not left the mosque, and the setting is not one (such as an open field) where the rows are not properly aligned.
  3. If there is only one follower behind the imam, and the imam leaves without appointing a Khalifa, that single follower may become the imam without needing any specific intention, provided they are capable of leading.
  4. If the imam appoints a Masbooq as Khalifa, the Masbooq should first complete his own missed parts of the prayer, then appoint someone else to finish the prayer with the congregation's final salutation, while the original imam completes his own missed parts separately.
  5. The imam may only appoint a Khalifa in situations where continuing the prayer (bina) is itself permissible; where bina is not valid, he cannot appoint a Khalifa, and the prayer must be restarted.
  6. If an imam is unable to recite the required parts of the prayer due to fear, shyness or another reason, and cannot manage even one verse, it is still permissible for him to appoint a Khalifa.
  7. Once a Khalifa is appointed, the original imam is no longer the imam; he becomes a follower (muqtadi) behind his own Khalifa.
Recommended (Mustaḥabb)good to do

If the imam's wudu breaks during prayer, he steps aside at once and it is preferable that he appoints a fit follower as his substitute (Khalifa) to complete the prayer in his place while he performs wudu.

The onset of a ḥadath during the prayer (the breaking of wuḍūʾ) does not of itself invalidate it, provided the conditions of bināʾ (valid continuation) are satisfied. Where they are, the worshipper may, after renewing wuḍūʾ, resume the prayer from the point of interruption (for instance, resuming from the sajdah). Restarting the prayer ab initio is nonetheless preferable, particularly for a munfarid. For an imam or muqtadī, rejoining and continuing with the jamāʿah, where it remains in session, is preferred to completing alone; where the jamāʿah has dispersed before his return, restarting the prayer entirely is preferable. The term bināʾ (بِنَاء) means 'building on': the portion of the prayer already performed stands, and the remainder is built upon it once wuḍūʾ has been renewed, as against istiʾnāf, recommencing from the beginning.

Recommended (Mustaḥabb)good to do

The onset of hadath during salah does not of itself invalidate it; bina after renewed wudu is permitted where its conditions hold, but recommencing the prayer from the beginning is preferable (mustahabb), particularly for a munfarid.

Procedure on resuming after wuḍūʾ

  1. Proceed to wuḍūʾ at once and return with the least possible delay.
  2. Resume the prayer at the point of interruption, re-entering the relevant rukn (sajdah or rukūʿ, as the case may be).
  3. A munfarid may resume either in the place where wuḍūʾ was performed or return to the original place of prayer; both are valid.
  4. Where the jamāʿah remains in session, the worshipper rejoins it and completes the prayer in the manner of a lāḥiq: making up the missed portion without qirāʾah, then following the imam.
  5. Where the jamāʿah has already dispersed, the remainder of the prayer is completed individually, without qirāʾah, in either location.

Bināʾ is valid only where every one of the following conditions holds:

The conditions of valid bināʾ

  1. The ḥadath is one requiring only wuḍūʾ, not ghusl.
  2. It arose involuntarily (ghayr ikhtiyārī), not through the worshipper's own act.
  3. Its occurrence is of a common (ghālib), not a rare, kind.
  4. No rukn of the prayer has been missed on account of it.
  5. The worshipper has not shifted from the place where it occurred.
  6. No act contradicting the prayer (munāfī li'ṣ-ṣalāh) has been performed in the interval.
  7. No superfluous act has been performed.
  8. The return is not delayed to the point of missing a rukn without a valid excuse.
  9. The worshipper does not, in the interval, call to mind an earlier ḥadath preceding this one.
  10. A muqtadī resumes in the identical position he occupied before, where the jamāʿah remains.
  11. The imam does not appoint an unqualified khalīfah in his place.
  12. The tartīb of the prayer is not lost in the course of making up the interrupted portion.
Obligatory (Farḍ)must do

Bina is valid only where every one of its conditions is satisfied: the hadath arose involuntarily and is of a common (ghalib) kind, no rukn was missed, and no act contradicting the prayer (munafi li's-salah), such as speech, occurred in the interval. Where any single condition fails, the prayer must be recommenced from the beginning.

Where the imam's ḥadath occurs during the prayer (even within the final qaʿdah, after the tashahhud), he withdraws at once, a muqtadī taking his place in situ to complete the prayer while he himself departs for wuḍūʾ. The muqtadī who assumes this role is termed the khalīfah.

The rules of appointing a khalīfah

  1. The imam is to appoint whomever he considers fit to lead; a mudrik is preferred, though a masbūq or a lāḥiq may also be appointed.
  2. Where the imam appoints no one, but the congregation appoints someone itself, or an individual steps forward and forms the intention to lead, this remains valid, provided the imam has not yet left the mosque, and the setting is not one, such as open ground, where the rows are not properly aligned.
  3. Where only a single muqtadī stands behind the imam, and the imam departs without appointing a khalīfah, that muqtadī becomes imam without need of any distinct niyyah, provided he is himself capable of leading.
  4. Where the imam appoints a masbūq as khalīfah, the masbūq first completes his own missed portion, then appoints a further khalīfah to conclude the congregation's prayer with the closing salutation, while the original imam separately completes what he himself had missed.
  5. The imam may appoint a khalīfah only in circumstances where bināʾ is itself valid; where it is not, no khalīfah may be appointed, and the prayer must be recommenced.
  6. An imam prevented by fear, shyness or another cause from reciting even a single āyah of what is required of him may nonetheless validly appoint a khalīfah.
  7. On the khalīfah's appointment taking effect, the original imam ceases to be imam and becomes a muqtadī behind his own khalīfah.
Recommended (Mustaḥabb)good to do

Where the imam's hadath occurs during the prayer, he withdraws at once, and it is preferable that he appoints a muqtadi he considers fit, a mudrik by preference, as khalifah to complete the prayer in situ while he departs for wudu.

This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 796 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.

Rulings of Prayer (Salah) 11. Explanation of Occurrence of Hadath (Impurity) in Prayer

If an impurity (hadath) occurs during prayer (i.e., the wudu breaks), the prayer does not become invalid if certain conditions are met. In such cases, it is permissible to continue the prayer from the position where the impurity occurred (for example, from the sajdah) after performing wudu. However, it is better to start the prayer from the beginning, especially for an individual praying alone. For an imam or a follower (muktadi), it is preferable to continue the prayer with the congregation after performing wudu, as long as the congregation remains present. If the congregation leaves before they can return, it is better for them to start the prayer again from the beginning.

Rulings of Prayer (Salah) Conditions for Valid Continuation (Bina)

The following conditions must be met for it to be valid to continue the prayer after an impurity:

  1. The impurity should not require a full bath (ghusl), but only wudu (ablution).
  2. The impurity should be involuntary, not voluntary.
  3. The occurrence of the impurity should be common and not rare.
  4. The person should not have missed a pillar of the prayer due to the impurity.
  5. The person should not have moved from the place where the impurity occurred.
  6. The person should not perform any action that contradicts the prayer.
  7. The person should not perform any unnecessary actions.
  8. The person should not delay the prayer to the extent of missing a pillar without a valid excuse.
  9. The person should not recall a previous impurity during the prayer.
  10. The follower should continue the prayer in the same position they were in before, if the congregation is still present.
  11. The imam should not appoint someone unqualified to lead the prayer in their place.
  12. The person should not forget the order of prayer while making up for missed prayers.

Rulings of Prayer (Salah) Note

If any of the conditions for continuing the prayer (Bana) are not met, then it is not valid to continue the prayer.

Rules Regarding the Appointment of a Substitute (Khalifa):

  1. If the Imam experiences an impurity (hadath) during the prayer (even if it occurs in the final sitting after the tashahhud), he should immediately step aside and allow a follower to take his place in the same position to complete the prayer while the Imam goes to perform wudu. The follower who takes the Imam's place is called a "Khalifa" (substitute).
  2. It is preferable for the Imam to appoint someone he considers fit for leadership as his Khalifa. It is better to appoint a "Mudrik" (one who joined the prayer from the beginning). However, appointing a "Masbook" or "Lahiq" as a Khalifa is also allowed.
  3. If the Imam does not appoint a Khalifa but the followers appoint someone themselves or if a follower steps forward to take the Imam's place and make the intention of leading, it is still valid, as long as the Imam has not left the mosque or if the prayer is not in a place like a jungle where the rows are not aligned.
  4. If there is only one follower behind the Imam and the Imam experiences an impurity and leaves without appointing a Khalifa, the single follower can become the Imam without any specific intention, as long as they are capable of leading.
  5. If the Imam appoints a "Masbook" (one who has missed some parts of the prayer) as Khalifa, the appointed person should first perform the missed parts of the prayer and then appoint someone else to finish the prayer with the Imam’s final salutation, while the Imam performs the missed parts.
  6. The Imam can appoint a Khalifa only in cases where continuing the prayer (Bana) is allowed. If continuing the prayer is not valid, he cannot appoint a Khalifa.
  7. If an Imam cannot read the required parts of the prayer due to fear, shyness, or other reasons, and cannot read even one verse, it is still permissible for him to appoint a Khalifa.
  8. Once a Khalifa is appointed, the Imam is no longer the Imam but becomes a follower (muktadi) behind his Khalifa.
  1. If hadath occurs during prayer, immediately go for wudu and return as quickly as possible. Continue the prayer from where the impurity occurred, starting from the relevant position (such as the sajdah or rukoo).
  2. After wudu, if you are praying alone, you can either continue in the same place or return to the original place of prayer. If you are the Imam or a follower, and the congregation is still present, you should join the congregation and complete the prayer. The prayer should be resumed in the manner of a "Lahiq" (following the Imam), meaning perform the missed parts without reciting, then follow the Imam. If you miss the congregation, you can complete the rest of the prayer individually without recitation. You can choose to perform the prayer in the same place as wudu or return to the original spot.

Terms on this page

Bina Hadath Khalifa

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