I asked this to another Shaykh “Sometimes within wudu i make the intention to check my
private area to see if
ive started my menses yet. Today I checked after I did wudu. I check by
inserting a tissue in my private area. It was clean.
1. is my wudu valid?
2. If I were to check my private area in the middle of wudu, then resume wudu
would this be alright too?
I go with the ruling that touching private parts doesn’t invalidate
wudu.“
And they said that if there was no moisture on the tissue then the wudu has not broken. I responded by saying that “But the female’s private area is usually always moist due to the natural
discharge that is there.” and they responded that even if it was normal discharge, my wudu would have broken.
This doesn’t make sense to me because then a woman would have to be in a state of impurity 24/7 since discharge is released frequently, at least in my case.
I thought maybe they meant my wudu was broken due to me inserting my tissue into my private part to retrieve discharge, but i found an opinion which said that it doesn’t break wudu: https://islamqa.org/hanafi/seekersguidance-hanafi/107994
So now im confused. Because I believe that discharge is normal, can i dismiss this opinion?
Answer
Wa’alaykum as Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
The dischage of a female can emanate from three different areas:
(1) Fluid produced in the Farj al-Khaarij (Vulva-the external region of the vagina).
The fluid produced from here is pure and does not necessitate Wudhu.
(2) Fluid produced in the Farj ad-Daakhil (Vagina).
The fluid produced from here too is pure and does not necessitate wudhu according to the preferred view.
This ruling is applicable as long as the discharge is clear or white (normal colour). If it is mixed with blood or discharge due to arousal (Madhi), the Wudhu will be invalidated.
(3) Fluid produced anywhere beyond the Farj ad-Daakhil (beyond the vagina). I.e. in the uterus, cervix etc.
The fluid produced anywhere beyond the vagina is impure and will necessitate wudhu.
If the tissue is dry, then there is no need to make Wudhu.
However, if the tissue becomes moist, then it will have be seen from where the discharge is produced. According to medical research, the normal discharge experienced by women is produced in the vagina and at times it may be produced in the cervix. Thus, the discharge from the vagina is classified to be pure and will not nullify the wudhu. However, if the woman is certain that the fluid is from the cervix, then she must renew her Wudhu.
If a woman is unaware of the exact origin of her discharge (the vagina or the cervix) as may happen in many cases, then she must renew her Wudhu and purify herself before Salah. This is so because of the possibility the discharge may be from the cervix and thus impure.
And Allaah Ta’aala knows best
Wassalaam,
Ismail Moosa (Mufti)