Changing one’s clothes does not break wudoo’

I did a search on this site but could not find an answer to my question. My question is regarding wudu. If I change my dress do I break my wudu? Is there any difference in this rule between a woman and a man?

Praise be to Allaah.  

Changing clothes does not break one’s wudoo’, if the person is in a state of tahaarah (purity) and does not do any of the things that break wudoo’. Men and women are the same in this regard. And Allaah knows best.

The things that break wudoo’ are

: 

1 – Any discharge from the front or back passage (urine, stools, wind, etc.), except for wind emitted from a woman’s front passage – that does not break wudoo’. 

2 – Emission of urine or stools from anywhere other than the urethra or anus. 

3 – Losing one’s mind, which may mean losing it altogether by losing one’s mental faculties, which is insanity, or by losing it temporarily for a certain length of time for some reason such as sleep, unconsciousness, intoxication, etc. 

4 – Touching one’s penis, because of the hadeeth of Basrah bint Safwaan, who heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Whoever touches his penis, let him do wudoo’.” (narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Tahaarah, 154. al-Albaani said in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, no. 166, it is saheeh). 

5 – Eating camel meat, because of the hadeeth of Jaabir ibn Samurah, who said that a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Should we do wudoo’ after eating camel meat?” He said, “Yes.” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Hayd, 539). 

It should be noted that touching a woman’s body does not break one’s wudoo’, whether that is done with feelings of desire or otherwise, unless anything is emitted as a result of that touching. 

See al-Sharh al-Mumti’ by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, vol. 1, p. 219-250 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, vol. 5, p. 264.

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid