Flatulence Problem and Praying in Congregation

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam
Question: I have a flatulence problem but the problem is not bad enough to establish a chronic excuse so i would like your advice in what i should do in certain cicumstances. [1] If i feel the urge to release wind during jamat i leave the jamat and i feel embarassed. Should i feel embarrassed? or this a wrong feeling to have because i should only be concerned with Allah Most High and not what other people think. [2] And i have read that if one feels the urge to break wind during prayer one should leave the jamat and break wind and then do wudu and then rejoin jamat. I would like to ask if we can leave the prayer in jamat and then wait until the urge goes away and then rejoin the prayer and carry on? Is this not better because then we can make sure that we have read with jamat? [3] Also when i feel the flatulence worse at a particular time i won’t go to the masjid to pray with jamat, is this a mitigating circumstance or should i still strive to pray with jamat in the masjid?
Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray that you are well, insha’Allah.
[1] If you need to relieve yourself in such a way, you should leave the prayer, renew your ablution, and then rejoin. If you are in such a situation, you should put your hand over your mouth and nose pretending to have a nose bleed or some other similar issue.
[2] No, you should remain in the prayer and ignore the urges. Unless it becomes overwhelming or you are certain that something will exit, you should not leave the prayer.
[3] Yes, you should still try to make the congregation if it is reasonably possible. The sunna for men is to pray in congregation and unless you are certain otherwise, mere suppositions and doubts should not prevent you from doing so.
If it is a recurring issue, seek some medical attention, constantly turn to Allah in asking for this to be lifted from you, and realize “When Allah desires good for someone, He afflicts him.” [Bukhari]
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani