65 – Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If one of you feels something in his abdomen and becomes uncertain whether anything has exited him or not, let him not leave the mosque until he hears a sound or perceives an odour.” Recorded by Muslim (1).

Glossary of terms in the ḥadith
– “If he finds”: that is, he senses something—such as gurgling caused by the movement of gas in his stomach.
– “Becomes uncertain”: the matter is confused for him—did a nullifier of wudu occur or not?
– “A sound or an odour”: meaning the sound of the gas as it exits from the anus, or its offensive smell.

Lessons derived from the ḥadith
1 – This ḥadith is one of the proofs for the major universal maxim: “Certainty is not overruled by doubt.” Certainty is the heart’s tranquillity regarding the reality of a matter. Consequently, what is certainly established is not removed except by conclusive evidence, and it is not deemed to have ceased merely on the basis of doubt. Likewise, what is certainly not established is not deemed to exist on the basis of mere doubt, for doubt cannot stand up to certainty; it can neither negate nor affirm against it.
2 – Al-Nawawī said: “This ḥadith is a foundational principle of Islam and a great juridical maxim: matters are ruled to remain upon their original state until certainty proves otherwise, and incidental doubt does not affect that ruling.” Among the applications of this is the very issue addressed in the ḥadith: if a person is certain of being in a state of purity and then doubts whether something that nullifies it has occurred, he is judged to remain in that state of purity, and there is no difference between