The ablution (wudu) of a person with a chronic excuse (ma'zoor)
The easier rules for wounds, bandages, and a condition that keeps breaking ablution (wudu) faster than it can be renewed.
Sometimes washing a part of wudu would really hurt, like on a wound. Islam makes this easier for you.
If washing would hurt
- If washing a part would hurt you, or make an injury worse, you do not have to wash it: just wipe it with a wet hand instead.
- If even wiping would hurt, leave that part alone completely.
If you have a bandage
- If taking the bandage off would hurt, wipe over the top of the bandage instead of washing underneath it.
- If wiping the bandage would also hurt, leave it alone and do not wipe it either.
- If taking the bandage off does not hurt and putting it back on afterwards is easy, take it off, wash the wound if that does not hurt, and put the bandage back afterwards.If washing the wound itself would hurt, wash the rest of the limb and wipe over the wound instead; if even wiping the wound would hurt, put the bandage back and wipe over it.
If washing a part in wudu would hurt you, you do not have to wash it: wiping it with a wet hand is enough. If a bandage cannot come off without hurting, wipe over the top of it instead, and if even that hurts, leave it alone.
123Some people have an illness that keeps breaking their wudu all the time, like a wound that will not stop bleeding, or a constant need to go to the toilet. If there is never a moment free of it before a prayer, that person makes a fresh wudu for each prayer time, and can use that one wudu for every prayer of that time, even ones they missed before. Their wudu breaks again once that prayer's time ends. This carries on until they get better.
A person whose wudu keeps breaking because of an illness, with no free moment before a prayer, makes a fresh wudu for each prayer time. That wudu works for every prayer of that time and breaks when the time ends, until the person gets better.
1234Some people are given easier rules because washing, or even wiping, a part of wudu would cause them harm. This page explains those rules, and the special case of a person whose wudu keeps breaking faster than it can be renewed.
| Case | What to do |
|---|---|
| Removing the bandage would cause harm, whether or not washing would also be harmful | Wipe over the whole bandage. If even wiping is harmful, leave it as it is. |
| Removing the bandage would not cause harm, but reapplying it afterwards would be difficult | Wipe over the whole bandage. If even wiping is harmful, leave it as it is. |
| Neither removing nor reapplying the bandage is difficult | Remove it and wash the limb. If washing the wound itself is harmful, wash the rest of the limb and wipe over the wound; if wiping the wound is also harmful, put the bandage back on and wipe over it instead. |
Where washing a part required in wudu would cause harm, washing it is not obligatory and wiping (masah) over it takes its place. Where a bandage cannot be removed without harm or difficulty, wiping over the whole bandage takes the place of washing beneath it; where even wiping is harmful, the part is left untouched.
123A person with a chronic condition that keeps breaking wudu, so that no interval free of it precedes each prayer, is excused (ma'zoor): he makes a fresh wudu for every prayer time. That wudu suffices for every obligatory, missed, sunnah and voluntary prayer within that time, and is broken once the time ends, until the condition is healed.
1234Certain concessions are made where washing, or even wiping, a part of wudu would cause harm. This page sets out those concessions, and the ruling for a person whose wudu is broken continuously, faster than it can be renewed.
| Case | Ruling |
|---|---|
| Removing the bandage would cause harm, regardless of whether washing beneath it would also be harmful | Wipe over the entire bandage. If even this is harmful, leave it untouched. |
| Removing the bandage would not itself be harmful, but reapplying it afterwards would be difficult | Wipe over the entire bandage. If even this is harmful, leave it untouched. |
| Neither removing nor reapplying the bandage presents any difficulty | Remove it and wash the limb beneath. If washing the wound itself is harmful, wash the rest of the limb and wipe over the wound; if even wiping the wound is harmful, reapply the bandage and wipe over it instead. |
Where washing a required part would cause harm, its washing ceases to be obligatory and masah over it stands in its place. Where a bandage (jabirah) cannot be removed without harm or difficulty, masah over the whole of it replaces washing the limb beneath; where even masah is harmful, the part is left untouched.
123A person afflicted by a chronic invalidator of wudu, occurring so that no interval free of it precedes each prayer, is ma'zoor: he makes a fresh wudu for every prayer time. That wudu suffices for every fard, qada, sunnah and nafl prayer within that time, and is broken when the time ends; the ma'zoor status continues until the condition is fully healed.
1234This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 306 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.
Rulings of Wudu Note 2
If someone has a condition that causes continuous release, like frequent urination or piles, they should make a fresh wudu for each prayer time. This wudu will suffice for obligatory, missed, Sunnah, and voluntary prayers during that time.
Rulings of Wudu (Ablution) 13. The Wudu of a person with an excuse (Ma’zoor)
- If the washing of any part required in Wudu causes pain, injury, or any other medical issue where pouring water may worsen the condition, then it is not obligatory to wash those parts. In such cases, wiping (Masah) over them is sufficient. If wiping is also harmful, those parts may be left untouched.
- If a person has a wound, boil, or a bandage on any body part, there are three cases:
First Case: Removing the bandage is harmful, whether washing the body is harmful or not.
Second Case: Removing the bandage is not harmful, but reapplying it afterwards is difficult.
Third Case: Neither removing the bandage is harmful nor is there any difficulty in reapplying it.
In the first and second cases, wipe over the entire bandage (whether it covers only the wound or extends beyond it). If even wiping is harmful, leave it as it is.
In the third case, remove the bandage and wash the entire limb if washing the wound does not cause harm. If washing the wound is harmful, wash the rest of the limb and wipe over the wound. If wiping the wound is also harmful, reapply the bandage and wipe over it.
- If a person suffers from a chronic condition where things that invalidate Wudu (such as bleeding or discharge) continuously occur, and there is no time to perform Wudu before each prayer due to the condition, the person should perform a fresh Wudu for every prayer. The Wudu is broken when the prayer time ends, and the person remains in the state of Ma’zoor (excused) until the condition is fully healed.
Terms on this page
Related
- The conditions for ablution (wudu) to be valid What must be true for ablution (wudu) to count: water reaching every part, no barrier on the skin, and the exception for a chronic excuse.
- How to make the full bath (ghusl), step by step The full sunnah method of the full bath (ghusl) in order, from washing the hands to the final pouring, with the notes that make it valid.
- Wiping over the socks (masah over khuffayn) When you may wipe over your socks instead of washing your feet, for how long, and what ends the concession.
- How to make dry ablution (tayammum), step by step The two strikes and full wiping that make up dry ablution (tayammum), its sunnahs, the method in order, and what breaks it.