Muslims With Continence Issues

Continence problems (problems with controlling your bladder or bowel) are experienced by more than 4.8 million Australians (Continence Foundation of Australia n.d.). This includes males and females, children, teenagers, adults and the elderly. For Muslims with continence problems there are additional concerns of how to pray and attend the mosque.

Problems relating to body gases

Ordinarily, passing gas or wind from the back passage invalidates wudu, and if this occurs during your prayer you should stop praying, make wudu and offer your prayer again. However, many people suffer from conditions causing them to pass gas at an abnormal frequency. If you are one of these people and would thus experience difficulty in performing wudu and your prayers then you should make wudu before praying and if you pass gas during your prayer you may continue your prayer (Islam Web 2001). Allah (swt) knows all that you experience, "Allah intends for you ease" (The Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:185) "and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship" (The Quran, Al-Hajj 22:78).

Problems relating to bladder and/or bowel incontinence

The general ruling is that urinating invalidates wudu. However, a person who suffers from incontinence is unable to control their bladder or prevent themselves from urinating at any particular time. Since Allah (swt) is most understanding and does not ask you to do that which is practically impossible, "Allah intends for you ease" (The Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:185) "and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship" (The Quran, Al-Hajj 22:78).

those who suffer from bladder or bowel incontinence may do the following. When the call for prayer is made then clean any urine or faecal matter from your body and make wudu, then begin your prayer. If any urine or faecal matter escapes during your prayer it does not invalidate your wudu or prayer. If it is too difficult for you to remove your clothes in order to clean yourself from any impurities then you may only make wudu and this will be accepted (Islam Web 2003).

If you experience bladder incontinence then you would already be wearing protective liners or other continence products to collect any urine. As a result, there is nothing to stop you from attending the mosque and praying in congregation.

Needing unexpected and urgent access to a toilet

Some people require urgent access to a toilet. They are unable to predict when this sudden need will occur, and are unable to wait until even a few minutes later. If this occurs when you are praying you should go to the toilet, make wudu, and begin your prayer again. However, if this occurs so frequently that it would prevent you from being able to complete your prayers then you may refer to the guidance under the sections for bladder or bowel incontinence above.

If you are praying in congregation and know you can be affected by this problem on occasion then it is best if you position yourself in a place from which you can leave whilst minimising the disturbance to others, such as at the side or rear of the congregation.

Continence Foundation of Australia n.d., What is incontinence?, Continence Foundation of Australia, viewed 30 July 2014, <http://www.continence.org.au/pages/what-is-incontinence.html>

Islam Web 2001, Passing wind while praying, Islam Web, viewed 31 July 2014, <http://english.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=83492>

Islam Web 2003, Urine incontinence, Islam Web, viewed 31 July 2014, <http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=85661>

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