Back to search

Is a person afflicted with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), from whom stool sometimes exits, considered among those with excuses (for not observing certain ritual purity requirements)? And is he required to perform ablution (wudu') for every prayer after its time has begun? And must he change his inner garments if they become impure outside the home, or is it sufficient for him to wipe away the trace with water? And is he required to repeat the prayer if he returns home before its time expires? And is it disliked for him to lead people or his wife in prayer?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

If the discharge is continuous, then your ruling is that of one with a permanent excuse: you perform istinjā’ (ablution of private parts), wash the affected area, bandage it, and perform wudū’ after the time for prayer begins. What exits thereafter does not harm you, and you repeat wudū’ for the next obligatory prayer. However, if it is intermittent, you delay the prayer until the discharge stops and then pray. The imamate of one with a permanent ḥadath (state of ritual impurity) for others is disliked, except for those like him. Your imamate is permissible if the discharge stops and your clothes are purified.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy