Explaining what is obligatory for the one who prays when he remembers that he is not in a state of ritual purity
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Q163: The questioner, A. A. A., says: The prayer was established, and I was in the row behind the imam. I prayed one rak'ah, but then I remembered that my wudu' had been broken. I did not know how to act while I was in the first row, so I completed the prayer. Please inform me what is obligatory for me when I remembered that my wudu' had been broken. Is my prayer valid because I passed over people's necks, or is it not valid? Please inform me, may Allah reward you?
A163: Your prayer is not valid, in any case, as long as you are not in a state of wudu'; your prayer is not valid from you. This is based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Ma'idah 5:6], and based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Abi Dawud 60Sahih (Al-Albani). So your prayer without wudu' is not valid. And what you did, which was continuing in the prayer after you knew that you were not in a state of purity, is a great error. It is obligatory for you to turn away and leave the mosque, and to perform wudu' and return to catch up with what remains of the congregation. This is what is obligatory for you. As for continuing in the row while you are not in a state of purity, praying with the people while you are not in a state of purity, this is a great error. Do not return to such a thing. There is no blame on you if you leave and pass through the rows. If you find an exit without passing through the rows, then exit from it. Otherwise, exit even if you pass through the rows, because you are excused in this, and there is no blame on you in this. As for continuing while you are not in a state of purity, bowing and prostrating, this is not permissible, and this is a great error.
A163: Your prayer is not valid, in any case, as long as you are not in a state of wudu'; your prayer is not valid from you. This is based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles
يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِAllaah, the Exalted, does not accept the prayer of any of you when you are defiled until you performed ablution.
لا يقبل الله صلاة أحدكم إذا أحدث حتى يتوضأ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.