There are two types of sleep. You must know them both.

Question:

Is my Wudhu broken when I wake up from sleep?

Answer:

Yes, wudhu is broken by deep sleep which is when a person is unaware of what is going on around him.

If it is not deep, whereby he can still hear what is going on around him; this does not break his wudhu – except if he is certain that something has exited (from his private area). In this case, he does not say ‘but my sleep was not deep’. No, because he heard (a sound). If you are sure of this you must leave and make wudhu.

لَا يَنْصَرِفْ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ صَوْتًا أَوْ يَجِدَ رِيحًا

Do not leave (the Prayer) until you hear a sound or find a smell

[Narrated by Abdu Allah ibn Zaid in Bukhari 177 and Muslim 361]

If you do not encounter anything like this and you were not in deep sleep i.e. unconscience of your surroundings; this sleep does not break wudhu.

The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ used to sleep, wake up and then pray without performing wudhu [1]; this is based upon this (form of sleep i.e. ‘light sleep’).

As for the Prophet ﷺ sleeping and praying without performing wudhu; this is specific to him because his eyes sleep but his heart does not sleep. (Narrated by Ibn Abbas in Al Bukhari & Muslim 138)

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[1]

كَانَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ  اللَّهِ ﷺ يَنَامُونَ، ثُمَّ يُصَلُّونَ، وَلَا يَتَوَضَّئُونَ (رواه مسلم برقم ٣٧٦ عَنْ أَنَسٍ  رَضِيَ  اللَّهُ عَنْهُ)

The Companions of The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would sleep and then pray without performing wudhu

[Narrated by Anas in Muslim: Hadith Number 376]

Answered by: Shaykh Abu Bilaal Al-Hadhramy – may Allah preserve him

Source: https://t.me/abubilalhami/3096

Answered on: 7th Rabbi’ Al-Awal 1441 (4th November 2019)

Translated by: Abu Sufian Sami ibn Daniel Al-Ghaani