How can a person who suffers from excessive flatulence pray? Is it better for him to feel at ease in prayer despite the emission of gas, or to resist the flatulence and endure, even if it means not being settled in the pillars of prayer?

Before answering the question, there are two important points: First, continuous flatulence is treated like urinary incontinence; its owner performs ablution when the prayer time enters, and whatever comes out afterward does not harm him. Second, tranquility (ṭumaʾnīnah) is a pillar of prayer.

Accordingly, there is no need for continuous resistance to flatulence, and it does not invalidate tranquility because it does not nullify the prayer. As for strong resistance to non-continuous flatulence, it is disliked because it disrupts devotion (khushūʿ), unless it is necessary, in which case there is no harm in it. Sheikh Ibn ʿUthaymeen mentioned that there is no harm for one who resists gases if their expulsion is involuntary.

As for mild resistance, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, and it is recommended to complete the prayer with it if it does not affect devotion. However, if the resistance is strong and preoccupies the worshipper and disrupts his devotion, he should cut off the prayer and expel the gas to pray with a present heart; based on the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "There is no prayer in the presence of food, nor while he is resisting the two impurities (feces and urine)."

Therefore: Mild resistance should be continued with, strong resistance should be cut off, and resistance that invalidates tranquility must be cut off. The expulsion of wind, if it is constant, does not nullify ablution, otherwise it does.