Udhr
*Udhr* is a valid excuse — illness, travel, or forgetfulness, among others — that Islamic law recognizes and eases a duty for.
What it means for me: An udhr is not whatever you personally consider an excuse. It is a state the law itself accepts. This is why a mufti asks for details: what illness, how long the travel. Your exact description decides which door your case falls under, not a general word like 'busy' or 'tired'.
Example: A man says he left something undone 'for an excuse'. The mufti asks what the excuse actually was, because the answer depends on the description, not the word itself.
Do not confuse with: *Darurah*, necessity. Every darurah counts as an udhr, but not every udhr rises to a darurah.
If scholars differ: Some scholars set a wider list of illnesses as a valid excuse to break the fast; others set a narrower one. They also differ on which conditions excuse a person from praying in congregation. The difference is named here as a difference and not decided; the mufti is the reference.
See the term in context
Is it permissible for a Tunisian student in the first year of secondary school to be absent from literature classes that include the study of 'Udhrite (chaste) poetry and lewd poetry, given that 'Udhrite poetry does not arouse his desires unlike lewd poetry, and is it permissible for him to attend examinations related to these subjects?
There is no harm in attending classes and exams on ghazal (amatory) poetry if it is for a legitimate purpose, such as learning the language. The predecessors (Salaf) used to recite and listen to ghazal poetry. However,…
What is the meaning of the Hadith: "And there is no one to whom the excuse is more beloved than Allah"?
Scholars have differed on the interpretation of "al-'udhr" (excuse/justification) in the hadith "No one loves 'al-'udhr' more than Allah." There are two main opinions: The first is that it refers to the repentance and…
Is the method of calculating the time for the Asr prayer by dividing the time between Asr and Maghrib to determine the times of virtue (fadilah), desirability (istihbab), permissibility (jawaz), reprehensibility (karahah), and forbidden prayer (salat al-tahrim), as mentioned by one of the female preachers, correct, and does this method also apply to the Dhuhr prayer?
It is not true that Asr has five separate times, as the questioner mentioned; rather, this misconception arose for the one who told him that. The correct view is that Asr has five times according to some scholars,…
Questions that use it
What is the ruling on textual conversations between young men and women? Is 'pure love' (al-hubb al-udhri) forbidden? Is it forbidden to think about a suitor who promised marriage? Is it permissible to speak with him to clarify the ruling on conversations between the sexes? And is she sinful if he loves her?
Is the Udhiyah binding on the sister who did not purchase it, and her husband is absent?
Is the driver entitled to demand 500 Riyals for a week-long delivery service, or should only 200 Riyals be paid, and are the girls sinful if they do not pay the amount the driver demands?