What is the ruling on one who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder that assails him during ablution (wudu'), the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram), the recitation of Al-Fatiha, and supplications (du'a) in prayer, and from whom a smell often emanates when intending purification or ablution and prayer? And is this considered continuous passing of wind (sils al-rih)?

There is no cure for obsessive-compulsive disorder (waswasah) except to ignore it and pay no attention to it. What the person suffering from waswasah smells, in terms of wind, appears to be part of these obsessive thoughts and nothing more than an illusion, so he should not pay attention to it. Even if it were real and not an illusion, and if the situation is as described—that it occurs every time he performs ablution (wudu) or prays—then his ruling is that of a person with chronic discharge (sahib al-salas): he performs ablution for prayer after its time has begun and prays the obligatory prayer and as many supererogatory prayers as he wishes until that time exits. The religion of Allah is ease, not hardship or difficulty.