222. Passing Gas/Urine Due To a Health Conditions

By Asma bint Shameem 

I have continuous passing of gas/urine due to a health condition. 

What should I do about my wudhu and Salaah?

First of all, speaking as a doctor, I would advise anyone suffering from such issues to consult a doctor ASAP and try and get treatment for their problem. 

A lot of people just suffer silently and don’t seek medical treatment for their problems for no valid reason. 

So for those who have urine incontinence, there’s a simple surgery to correct the problem. 

And there are exercises to help with the problem. 

And for continuous gas, I suggest:

-make a list of what you’re eating or drinking 

-note which foods or drinks make you more gassy then avoid them. 

-watch out for dairy products. 

A lot of people are lactose intolerant. 

Simply cutting out dairy from your diet will solve a lot of your issues. 

-try simple anti gas medications like Gas-X or BeanO, etc 

After trying their best to find a solution for the problem, if they’re still suffering from continuous gas or urine incontinence, then the following scenarios would apply:

*1. SCENARIO #1:* *CONTINUOUS incontinence*

If someone is having CONTINUOUS expulsion of gas OR urine and they cannot hold wudhu during Salaah, then the ulama say their condition is like that of a woman suffering from Istihaadhah. 

All they have to do is to make wudhu before each fardh Salaah and pray. 

- It doesn’t matter if they have incontinence DURING Salaah. 

- Their wudhu would NOT be broken by anything that comes out while they’re praying. 

- They can pray the obligatory as well as voluntary prayers with this wudhu until the time for the next prayer begins. 

 *PROOF:*

A Sahaabiyah called Faatimah bint Abi Hubaysh radhi Allaahu anhaa came to the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam and said: 

“O Messenger of Allaah, I am a woman who suffers from constant non-menstrual bleeding (istihaadah), and I never become pure. Should I give up prayer?” 

The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said, 

“No, rather that is from a vein, and it is not menstruation. 

When your regular time of menstruation comes, then stop praying, and when that time is over, then wash the blood off yourself and pray, then do wudhu for every prayer until that time comes.”

(al-Bukhaari)

Ibn Taymiyah explains this further. He said: 

“Whoever cannot keep his wudhu for the duration of the prayer should do wudhu and pray, and it does not matter what comes out of him during the prayer, and his wudhu is not invalidated by that, according to the consensus of the imams. The most he has to do is to do wudhu for each prayer.” 

(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 21/221)

And the same goes for one who suffers from Urinary Incontinence (drops of urine leaking continuously)

 *So WHAT TO DO*

- Just before each fardh prayer, wash your private area if there’s any najaasah on it. 

- Make fresh wudhu and pray. 

Ibn Qudaamah said: 

“The woman who is suffering from istihaadah (irregular, non-menstrual bleeding), one who is suffering from incontinence or continual emission of madhiy, or a wound that does not stop bleeding, and others in similar situations in which minor impurity is ongoing and the individual is not able to maintain a state of purity (tahaarah), must do wudhu for each prayer, after washing the site of the impurity, then wrapping it and taking precautions to prevent the impurity spreading, by whatever means he or she is able to.”

[al-Mughni (1/421-422)]

2. SCENARIO # 2:* *DISCONTINUOUS incontinence* 

For some people, the expulsion of gas/urine is present MOST of the time but there are ALSO small periods of times when they DON’T have gas/urine leakage. 

For such people, the ulama say they should WAIT for their gas/urine leakage to *PAUSE*. 

Then they should quickly make wudhu and pray at that time. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: 

“When a person suffers from urinary incontinence, one of two scenarios must apply: 

(i) If it is constant and does not stop, and every time any amount collects in the bladder it comes out, then when the time for prayer comes, he should cover his private part with something and pray, and it will not matter if something comes out. 

(ii) If it will stop after he urinates, or ten minutes or a quarter of an hour after that, then he should wait until it stops, then do wudhu and pray, even if he misses prayer in congregation.”

(As’ilah al-Baab al-Maftooh, Q. 17, no. 67)

 *ANOTHER CONCESSION:*

One more concession that Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala has given such a person who cannot hold his wudhu due to some illness, is that they can also COMBINE their prayers WITHOUT SHORTENING, if it’s too difficult for them to keep making wudhu at every prayer. 

 “The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam allowed women who suffered from istihaadah, to join her prayers.” (Abu Dawood- saheeh by al-Albaani)

Ibn Taymiyah said:

“Those who are SICK or suffering from istihaadah may join their prayers.” (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 24/14)

And Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

“It is permissible for the woman who is suffering from istihaadah to join Zuhr and ‘Asr, and Maghrib and ‘Ishaa’, because it is difficult for her to do wudhu for every prayer.” 

(al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/559)

And Allaah knows best.