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Fatwa CenterSleeping while Sitting Does Not Nullify Ablution
Question
Does my Wudu (ablution) nullify if I sleep while sitting and listening to the Khutbah in Friday prayers or at any time? I sleep and loose my mental state in a sitting posture but does not take support of wall of the mosque. I heard it does not nullify Wudu. Is it correct?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
There is a big difference among Muslim scholars about whether a person who sleeps while sitting down invalidates his/her ablution or not.
The most correct opinion in this concern is that a person who sleeps while sitting does not invalidate his/her ablution as long as he/she keeps his/her buttocks firmly seated on the floor.
There are many pieces of evidence in the Sunnah for this opinion.
Anas 
reported that: “Al-'Ishaa’ prayer has been proclaimed, and then a man said: 'I have some need.' So, the Prophet started to talk with the man in a whisper till the other people (in their company) or some of them fell asleep. Then, they (woke up and) performed the prayer [i.e. without renewing their ablution].”
Another narration reads: “Till the Prophet's companions fell asleep and then he led them in prayer (without them renewing ablution).” [Muslim]
Thus, we explained the above-narrated Hadeeth to mean the sleep while sitting with keeping one's buttocks firmly on the floor due to other several Ahadeeth that state nullification of ablution in such a case of sleeping.
So, we differentiate between kinds of sleep and the Hadeeth related to each state. This is to avoid any contradiction between Ahadeeth and to show agreement as it is in fact.
This is the opinion of a group of the Prophet's companions such as Ibn 'Umar, Ibn 'Abbaas and Abu Hurayrah 
.
Imam Ash-Shaafi'i 
holds the same opinion.
For more benefit on the nullifiers of ablution, please refer to Fatwa 84093.
Allah knows best.
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