Sleep invalidates the ablution, and so does fainting
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The Shaykh : Sleep, sleep, based on the hadith of Safwan ibn 'Asal that we just mentioned, but Sunan an-Nasa'i 158Hasan (Darussalam) and sleep invalidates the ablution. Pay attention to the word "sleep," meaning it does not include dozing off. Dozing off does not invalidate the ablution, because there is a difference between sleep and dozing off. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:255] The scholars said in the Sunnah that its meaning is dozing off. So there is a difference.
So if a person keeps dozing off from the Maghrib prayer until the 'Isha' adhan is called, and he is dozing off, but on the condition that this is not during a lesson—do not doze off on us now—so he keeps dozing off until the 'Isha' adhan is called, does his ablution become invalid? No. But if he sleeps, it becomes invalid. Is there a criterion for the sleep that invalidates the ablution? The answer is: Yes, there is a criterion. If a person is aware of himself such that if he were to pass wind, he would know it, then his ablution does not become invalid, because his awareness is with him. But if he loses awareness such that if he were to pass wind, he would not feel it, then at that time his ablution becomes invalid, whether he actually passed wind or not. That is, whether the reality is that he passed wind or not. This is the criterion for the sleep that invalidates the ablution. For this reason, Anas ibn Malik said:Bulugh al-Maram 67
Now, regarding fainting: if a person faints, for example, if he is hit by an accident—may Allah protect me and you—then he faints, does his ablution become invalid? Yes, because fainting removes awareness, so his ablution becomes invalid. If a person is put under general anesthesia for a surgery while he is in a state of ablution, his ablution becomes invalid. Now, these are two things. Is there a third thing? Yes.
in the case of defecation, urinating or sleep
من غائط وبول ونومNeither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep.
لا تأخذه سنة ولا نومSo if a person keeps dozing off from the Maghrib prayer until the 'Isha' adhan is called, and he is dozing off, but on the condition that this is not during a lesson—do not doze off on us now—so he keeps dozing off until the 'Isha' adhan is called, does his ablution become invalid? No. But if he sleeps, it becomes invalid. Is there a criterion for the sleep that invalidates the ablution? The answer is: Yes, there is a criterion. If a person is aware of himself such that if he were to pass wind, he would know it, then his ablution does not become invalid, because his awareness is with him. But if he loses awareness such that if he were to pass wind, he would not feel it, then at that time his ablution becomes invalid, whether he actually passed wind or not. That is, whether the reality is that he passed wind or not. This is the criterion for the sleep that invalidates the ablution. For this reason, Anas ibn Malik said:
The Companions of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) in his lifetime used to wait for the ‘Isha (night) prayer, so much so that their heads were lowered down (by dozing). They would then pray without performing ablution.
كان أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ينتظرون صلاة العشاء حتى تخفق رؤوسهم ثم يصلون ولا يتوضؤونNow, regarding fainting: if a person faints, for example, if he is hit by an accident—may Allah protect me and you—then he faints, does his ablution become invalid? Yes, because fainting removes awareness, so his ablution becomes invalid. If a person is put under general anesthesia for a surgery while he is in a state of ablution, his ablution becomes invalid. Now, these are two things. Is there a third thing? Yes.