Factors Which Render an Ablution Ineffective

  1. Passing wind.

  2. Urination even if a drop has passed out.

  3. Passing stool in however small quantity.

  4. Sleeping, dozing off to the degree that if one were without a support, one would not be able to keep balance.

  5. Menstruation and ejaculation, which have already been discussed earlier.

  6. About vomiting and bleeding, opinions are divided but minor bleeding from any part of the body by an ordinary cut, etc., or throwing-up of a little food during belching should not be counted as bleeding and vomiting. Otherwise, after vomiting and bleeding, ablution should be performed again.

If after ablution, one puts on socks, then it is not essential to wash one’s feet for the following 24 hours when one performs ablution. Instead, one should wet one’s hands and after shaking off the excess water, one should make passes with the hands on both feet on top of the socks. This should be considered an alternative to the washing of the feet. This permission is extended to three days during a journey.