Prayer Rulings for Discharge Issues

Prayer for Leukorrhea, Incontinence, Istihadah & Jiryan

Bismillāhir Rahmānir Rahīm

السَّــــــــلاَم عَلَيــْـــــــكُم وَرَحْمَــــــــــةُاللهِ وَبَرَكـَـــــــــاتُه

The Prayer of a Patient with Leukorrhea, Urinary Incontinence, Istihadah, and Jiryan (Spermatorrhea)

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Leukorrhea is a white or yellow discharge from a woman’s uterus. This is called leukorrhea. A woman who has the condition of leukorrhea will perform wudu (ablution) for prayer and offer her prayer. Even if her leukorrhea continues during the prayer, her wudu will remain valid because she is compelled [by her condition]. However, since the fluid continues to flow during the prayer, the patient’s wudu will remain intact due to being excused, but to maintain the purity of the clothing, a pad or inner cloth should be used, just as a woman does during her menstruation so that the clothes remain clean. Regarding this, the people of knowledge have two opinions:

• That it is not necessary for such a patient to change to a new diaper at the time of every wudu for this condition. This is the apparent and also the madhhab (school of thought) of the Hanbalis and Hanafis.
  See: Fath al-Qadeer (1/185) and the Malikis (Hashiyat al-Dasuqi 1/184) (Al-Dhakhira 1/29).
• That it is obligatory for her to change the diaper at the time of every wudu, and this is also the madhhab of the Shafi’is.

However, between these two opinions, the more correct (rajih) opinion is the first one: that it is not obligatory for a person who has a continuous hadath (ritual impurity) due to drops of urine, leukorrhea, istihadah, or anything else to change the diaper for every wudu. This is because the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not command the mustahadah (a woman with non-menstrual bleeding) to do so, as it involves hardship and difficulty. If one can change or wash it, it is better to change or wash it; otherwise, one should pray in that state. Allah Ta’ala says:

﴿لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفسًا إِلّا وُسعَها﴾

﴿Al-Baqarah/286﴾

"Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity."

﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا استَطَعتُم﴾

﴿Surah At-Taghabun/16﴾

"So fear Allah as much as you are able."

And the noble Prophet ﷺ commanded the patient with istihadah:

دَعِي قَدْرَ تِلْكَ الْأَيَّامِ وَاللَّيَالِي الَّتِي كُنْتِ تَحِيضِينَ فِيهَا، ثُمَّ اغْتَسِلِي وَاسْتَثْفِرِي وَصَلِّي

"Abstain from prayer for the number of days and nights that you used to menstruate, then perform ghusl (full ritual bath), tie a cloth, and pray." [Sunan An-Nasa'i: 354]

Therefore, this ruling is for patients with leukorrhea, salsal-bawl (urinary incontinence), and istihadah. They should tie a urine bag or cloth, etc., for the continuously flowing urine or leukorrhea, perform wudu, and offer their prayer.

Here, I find it necessary to provide additional information that some men have a condition similar to the female ailment of leukorrhea, which is called salsal-madhy. In this condition, there is a continuous discharge of madhy (pre-seminal fluid), just like drops of urine leak in urinary incontinence and fluid is discharged in leukorrhea. This male disease is called “Jiryan (GONORRHOEA).” A man with this disease falls under the same ruling as a woman with istihadah. Therefore, ghusl is not required for him, but only istinja (cleaning after relieving oneself) and wudu are necessary.

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The Question:

A person suffers from the ailment of reeh al-bawaseer (hemorrhoidal wind). Sometimes blood is also discharged from his anus without him knowing, and he prays in this state of unawareness. The aforementioned person also sometimes suffers from jiryan (spermatorrhea) and is also unaware of it, and he prays in that state of ignorance. Later, a spot of blood or a white spot is seen on his clothes. And sometimes, some people also make him stand to lead the prayer. In such a situation, should that person pray or leave the prayer? Can that person lead the prayer (imamat) or not? And is it necessary for him to change or wash his clothes at the time of every prayer? What is the ruling on this from the Hadith?

The Answer:

In such a situation, the aforementioned person should absolutely not leave the prayer; it is not permissible to leave the prayer due to this excuse. Yes, he should perform a fresh wudu for every prayer, and it is not necessary for him to change or wash his clothes at the time of every prayer. If he can change or wash it, it is better to change or wash it; otherwise, he should pray in that state:

﴿لَا یُکَلِّفُ اللّٰہُ نَفْسًا اِلَّا وُسْعَھَا﴾ [Al-Baqarah: 286]

[Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity]

And Allah Ta’ala said: ﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ﴾ [At-Taghabun: 16]

[So fear Allah as much as you are able]

And that person can lead the prayer (imamat); its impermissibility is not proven by any verse or authentic Hadith.

See: ↡↡↡

• Majmu’a Fatawa Abdullah Ghazipuri / Kitab al-Salat, Page: 101
• Fatawa Ulama-e-Hadith / Volume: 05

May Allah Ta’ala grant permanent healing from all debilitating diseases to our Muslim brothers and sisters.

اللهم آمين آمين آمين يارب انت الحي الذي لا يموت أبداً

جـــــزاک اللّــہ خیراً کـــثیراَ وَ اَحــــسن

الجــزاء فی الـــدنیاوالآخرۃ

ھٰذٙا مٙا عِنْدِی وٙاللہُ تٙعٙالیٰ اٙعْلٙمْ بِالصّٙوٙاب

وَالسَّــــــــلاَم عَلَيــْـــــــكُم وَرَحْمَــــــــــةُاللهِ وَبَرَكـَـــــــــاتُه

By: Mrs. Ansari