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Joined Prayer then Realized He Was not in a State of Ablution

Question

On joining a congregational prayer, I realized that I was not in a state of ablution (Wudu). What should one do: offer salaam and break Raka'h and do ablution and return or wait till the congregation is over and repeat the prayer?

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  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

If a person begins the prayer and then remembers that he is not in a state of ablution or that his ablution was invalidated during the prayer, then he must stop the prayer. It is not permissible for him to continue it without ablution.

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "Allah does not accept the prayer of one of you whose ablution was nullified until he performs ablution again". [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Allah knows best.

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