Is Constant Gas Pressure During the Prayer Excusable?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi
Question
I suffer from IBS and experience gas pressure surges during prayers, even after performing wudu. The only solution is to offer prayers quickly at home, but even then, it’s not guaranteed. What can I do? I read that this urge makes the prayer disliked, which is causing me depression.
Answer
I pray this finds you in the best of states.
Please rest assured that your prayer is free of any dislikedness (karaha). [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
This is because you are affected by a condition that is unavoidable for you despite taking the means to avoid it. Even if you were to cut your prayer each time this happened to you, you wouldn’t be able to pray within the time. Praying within the time is obligatory (fard). Praying without feeling the urge to relieve oneself is disliked (makruh). Thus, praying within the time while feeling this urge takes precedence over not praying at all because you can’t get rid of this urge. [Ibid]
Allah, Most High, says: “Allah does not require of any soul more than what it can afford.” [2.286]
Please continue to pray as best as you can while firmly believing that Allah, Most High, will not hold you accountable for anything beyond your ability.
Allah, Most High, says: “Allah never fails in His promise. But most people do not know.” [30.6]
Congregational Prayer
It is better for you to pray a quick prayer without feeling any urge than to pray in the Mosque with this urge. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
This is because praying in congregation is an emphasized sunna, and praying with this king of urge is disliked, and leaving a sunna is better than committing a disliked action. [Ibid]
This is based on the following legal principle: “When elements of permissibility and forbiddance enter into conflict, then precedence is given to the forbiddance.” [Majalla]
The Messenger of Allah (Blessings and Peace be upon him) has said: “What I have ordered you to do, do it to the extent of your ability. As for what I have forbidden you to do, leave it completely.” [Muslim]
And Allah knows best.
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching for ways to learn Islam reliably and was disappointed at the answers he found locally.
Then, he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.
He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others.
He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.
